Our favorite myths, legends, and folklore....for geeks only

[ThatOwlWoman]

I have been titillated by the myth of the Roman Empire’s 9th Legion, which legend holds supposedly vanished without a trace after traveling into the wilds north of Hadrian’s Wall to put down a rebellion of Pictish tribes in Scotland.

Maybe not so much myth -- there are plenty of Scots with dark hair and eyes. Plus the "black Irish" as well. Most of my ancestry (per 23andMe) comes from northern and western Europe, except for an intriguing bit of Italian.

 

[Cypress]

Maybe not so much myth -- there are plenty of Scots with dark hair and eyes. Plus the "black Irish" as well. Most of my ancestry (per 23andMe) comes from northern and western Europe, except for an intriguing bit of Italian.

Intriguing.
The Romans were in Britain for hundreds of years, so there was a historical continuity there, perhaps reflected in your genes. I am riveted by the historical record that the Romans were never able to conquer the Celtic fringe in Wales, Scotland, and to some extent Cornwall. I would like to chalk it up to the ferocity of the native Britons, but I leave it to the historians to debate!

 

[ThatOwlWoman]

When we were kids my mom (as did her mom before her) used to threaten us with "Gypsies." If you weren't good, the Gypsies would come in the night and steal you, and leave a copper penny as payment on your pillow. Apparently this is some old European fable. Apparently it was so believed at some point that Hitler's death camps murdered many of the Romani. Anyone else ever hear the Gypsy stories?

https://www.smh.com.au/national/gypsy-myths-span-the-globe-20131026-2w8gz.html

 

[Cancel 2019.1]

When we were kids my mom (as did her mom before her) used to threaten us with "Gypsies." If you weren't good, the Gypsies would come in the night and steal you, and leave a copper penny as payment on your pillow. Apparently this is some old European fable. Apparently it was so believed at some point that Hitler's death camps murdered many of the Romani. Anyone else ever hear the Gypsy stories?

https://www.smh.com.au/national/gypsy-myths-span-the-globe-20131026-2w8gz.html

On Cherry St.in Toledo there was a Gypsy house,with a wide open big front window.
If you went there,they had a lot of scams to get money from you.

 

[Cypress]

When we were kids my mom (as did her mom before her) used to threaten us with "Gypsies." If you weren't good, the Gypsies would come in the night and steal you, and leave a copper penny as payment on your pillow. Apparently this is some old European fable. Apparently it was so believed at some point that Hitler's death camps murdered many of the Romani. Anyone else ever hear the Gypsy stories?

https://www.smh.com.au/national/gypsy-myths-span-the-globe-20131026-2w8gz.html

Much obliged. Chock full of information I did not know, or was only vaguely aware of.

With all the racism, Trump boot-licking, and childish gossip this forum is infamous for, I look forward to little nuggets like this one!