Folklore Frontiers - No 028

Magazine Overview

Title: Folklore Frontiers
Issue: 28
Date: June, 1996

Folklore Frontiers issue 28, published in June 1996, is an independent, non-profitmaking magazine dedicated to exploring folklore and folklife, with a particular emphasis on contemporary beliefs, actions, and urban myths. Edited and published by Paul Screeton, the magazine aims to be broadminded and far-ranging in its expression of contemporary concerns.

Cover Story: Long Man has Lots of Bottle

The lead article, "Long Man has Lots of Bottle" by Paul Screeton, coincides with the author's 20th year writing under the pen name 'Long Man of Wilmington'. The article delves into the theme of hill figures, a subject that has seen widespread media coverage, often with a focus on sexual interpretations. A key event discussed is the March "Commission of Inquiry" organised by Bournemouth University and the National Trust to probe the enigma of the Cerne Giant's creation. Despite the gathering of experts, no consensus was reached. Dr. Ronald Hutton controversially suggested the priapic figure might have been created as recently as the 17th century, a view contrasted with local beliefs of its much older origin. The article highlights the media's sensationalist approach, with references to "pitiful sighs" from experts and "games of academic ping-pong." It also touches upon the anecdotal beliefs of infertile couples visiting the giant for good luck.

Mare the merrier for saucy vandals' horse play

This short piece reports on an incident at the historic Westbury White Horse, which was altered by pranksters to appear as a stallion with a 12-foot extension made of boulders. Wiltshire police were inundated with calls, and the pranksters were eventually apprehended. The article notes that this is not the first time the monument has been vandalised, citing previous incidents like the addition of a red nose for Comic Relief Day and its transformation into a zebra.

Arachnomagnetism: Folkjokeopus

In "Arachnomagnetism" by Michael Goss, the author reflects on a personal experience of encountering an unusual number of spiders during the midwinter period. He connects this phenomenon to the Fortean law of synchronicity, suggesting that a heightened interest in a subject can lead to its increased manifestation in one's life. Goss details his growing fascination with spiders, his research into them, and the sheer variety he encountered in his home. He tentatively identifies one species as *Scotophaeus blackwalli*, noting the book's caution against handling it. The article also touches upon the broader concept of synchronicity, referencing Robert Anton Wilson's work on the "23 Phenomenon" and other instances where specific numbers or themes seem to repeatedly appear in life.

Letters

The letters section features contributions from readers. Mike White shares an anecdote about a man who discovered a "British standards number" on flat-pack furniture actually related to minimum standards for bulk storage packing cases. Nick Brown renews his subscription and praises the magazine's compact size, allowing him to read it discreetly. Brian Chapman from Canada points out a book on misheard lyrics that might be relevant to the "Aural Simulacra" article, providing an example of speech ambiguity. John Tait sends his best wishes.

Horsemeat bargain

A brief news item from the Daily Sport reports on Bob Walker opening a horsemeat shop in Smethwick, West Midlands, capitalizing on the "mad cow" crisis. The meat is described as tasting similar to beef but slightly sweeter and offering good value.

A RIGHT LOAD OF BALLS?

This section recounts a "FOAF" (Friend of a Friend) tale about a woman who missed out on a lottery win because she accepted overtime and fell asleep after the draw, only to discover her usual numbers had come up. The story is vouched for by the narrator's mother and the newsagent.

Aural Simulacra

This section explores phenomena related to misheard sounds and TV incidents. It mentions George Bush's "Old Faithful" impersonation for the Japanese government and comedian Rik Mayall's nasal vomit on "The Tube." The author also recalls a tale from "Monster Mag" about moviegoers being handed sick bags during screenings of "The Exorcist." The section includes a humorous exchange from "Swap Shop" involving Keith Chegwin and a caller.

A "STOP PRESS" note mentions Bob Monkhouse potentially referring to Mystic Meg as "Spastic Peg" during a National Lottery draw.

Tapeworm Tale

A friend of the author, a doctor, recounts a case where a patient claimed to have a tapeworm. The doctor initially dismissed it, but the patient insisted. The patient eventually revealed the animal had made a brief appearance from his bottom. Further investigation revealed the patient had been eating raw pork, which is a known source of the pork tapeworm (*Taenia Solium*).

Books Reviews

The magazine features a substantial "Books" section with reviews of numerous titles:

• Aliens - The Final Answer? by David Barclay: A critical review of a UFO book that speculates about entities, flying saucers, and dinosaurs producing an intelligent race that caused a nuclear war.
• Elizabethan Humour by Chris Meads: A compilation of humorous anecdotes from the Elizabethan era.
• Twelve Red Rings by Jeffrey Archer: A collection of 12 short stories, many based on real incidents and urban myths.
• In Search of Prehistoric Survivors by Karl P. N. Shuker: Explores the possibility of surviving "extinct" creatures like dinosaurs and sabre-toothed tigers.
• Dragons: A Natural History by Dr Karl Shuker: A well-illustrated book retelling dragon legends from around the world.
• The Encyclopedia of Occult and Supernatural Murder by Brian Lane: Covers true crime stories involving witches, ghosts, psychic attack, and cults.
• The Breast Book by Dr Miriam Stoppard: A comprehensive book on breasts, covering history, sociology, function, and plastic surgery.
• Cosmic Consciousness by Richard Maurice Bucke: Discusses mysticism, evolution of the human mind, and illuminated masters.
• Astrology: A Key to Personality by Jeff Mayo: An instructional book for novices on interpreting astrological charts.
• Working With Your Dreams by Lyn Webster Wilde: An informative manual on dreamwork for self-development and healing.
• Desert Wisdom by Neil Douglas-Klotz: Explores sacred earth traditions of the Middle East.
• The Medium, The Mystic and The Physicist by Lawrence Le Shan: A reprint discussing the convergence of these fields in describing reality.
• Time Travel by Jenny Randles: A book on time travel, though the reviewer expresses a personal lack of interest in the subject.
• The Book of Celtic Saints by Courtney Davis and Elain Gill: Features artwork and text on the lives of saints.
• Love and the Soul by Robert Sardello: Discusses Templars, banking, and New Age philosophy.
• Facing the World With Soul by Robert Sardello: Explores modern living, disease, and cancer.
• The Encyclopedia of Heresies and Heretics by George Leonard: A detailed guide to heresy and heretics throughout history.
• The Romanovs: The Final Chapter by Robert K Massie: Investigates conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination of the Russian royals.
• Divine Magic by Andre & Lynette Singer: A lavishly-illustrated tie-in with a Channel 4 series on the supernatural.
• Wicca by Vivianne Crowley: Argues for the relevance of the old religion.
• The Monks of War by Desmond Seward: Covers military religious orders.
• The Hidden Tradition in Europe by Yuri Stoyanov: Explores medieval Christian heresies.
• The Book of Life by J Krishnamurti: Daily meditations on various life topics.
• Beginnings of Learning by J Krishnamurti: Focuses on self-knowledge and practical matters.
• A Critical Dictionary by Charles Rycroft: A dictionary of psychological terms.
• The Development of the Personality by Liz Greene & Howard Sasportas: Combines psychology and astrology.
• Why Is Pubic Hair Curly? by Vernon Coleman: A humorous and unconventional medical advice book.
• Witch-Children by Hans Sebald: Examines accusations of witchcraft against children.
• Strange But True? Casebook by Jenny Randles: Looks at UFOs, ghosts, near-death experiences, and other supernatural subjects.
• The Prying Game by Christopher Browne: Assesses the darker aspects of the media and journalism.
• Arthurian books, Celtic Myth and Legend, Celtic Myths, Celtic Legends, The Celtic Connection: A collection of books on Celtic mythology and traditions.
• The Modern Numerology by John King: Explores the mystery of numbers.
• Riding With the Lion by Kyriacos C Markides: Discusses esoteric traditions.
• The Essential Jesus by John Dominic Crossan: Argues for Jesus as a radical philosopher.
• On the Life of Christ by St Romanos: Explores the life of Jesus.

Magazines

This section reviews several other publications:

• Letters to Ambrose Merton: A folklore miscellany.
• The Anomalist: A publication featuring faits divers folklore, alien abductions, and discussions on multiple personality diagnosis.
• Magonia: Interprets contemporary vision and belief, covering stigmata, spontaneous initiation, and apocalyptism.
• Northern UFO News: Features articles on the Roswell autopsy film, UFO sightings, and corn circles.
• The Ley Hunter: A journal of geomancy and earth mysteries, discussing Neolithic structures and acoustic properties.
• De Ville's Advocate: A forum for speculation on topics such as sleep, inter-universal travel, and abductions.
• The Cerealogist: Covers crop circles, stigmata, and physiological effects.

Romeo's one jump too many

A brief news item about a jealous husband who swapped a bungee cord for a longer one, resulting in the death of his wife's lover.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the fringes of folklore, mythology, and unexplained phenomena. It demonstrates a keen interest in urban myths, personal anecdotes, and controversial theories, often with a critical yet open-minded approach. The editorial stance appears to favour detailed investigation and reader contributions, encouraging a broad spectrum of beliefs and experiences to be shared. There is a recurring theme of questioning established narratives and exploring the unusual, often with a touch of humour and a nod to the Fortean tradition of seeking patterns and connections in seemingly disparate events.

Title: Proto-legends
Issue: 20
Date: February 1996
Publisher: N/A
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English

This issue of 'Proto-legends' presents a collection of intriguing anecdotes and urban legends, categorized under the theme 'DOG DAYS' and 'Proto-legends'. The content spans various topics, from amusing incidents involving animals and people to more mysterious phenomena like UFOs and curses.

Articles and Features

Ink-riminated

This short piece recounts a humorous incident at a weekend party in the Highlands where a guest, attempting to find his way to a girlfriend's room in the dark, accidentally knocked over a glass. He later discovered it was a bottle of ink, leaving a trail of handprints along the corridor.

Proto-legends - Dog Stories

This section features three stories that may seem familiar:

• A friend who lives in the badlands of London's Herne Hill: This anecdote details a police dog named 'Xhosa', whose name was derived from the alphabet system used for naming litters, rather than its association with the Bantu tribesman.

• Ink-riminated: (As described above)

• Dog Days - Three stories which may seem kind of familiar:
• BURGLAR FINGERED: A guard dog named Duke bit off a burglar's finger. The owner, Barry Holland, found the finger on the carpet, but the dog had swallowed it before police could retrieve it for evidence. The story is compared to Professor Brunvand's 'Choking Doberman' legend.
• Call of the wild: This story, reported by Christine Aziz from Amsterdam, concerns a family in Belgium who bought a mongrel named Loupy, only to discover it was a wolf (Canis lupus). Loupy proved difficult to manage and grew much larger than expected, leading the family to consider it a wolf shelter.
• 'Cursed' tourists send souvenir rocks back to aboriginal site: Reported by Reuter from Sydney, this piece details tourists returning pieces of Australia's famous Uluru rock, claiming the souvenirs brought them bad luck. Park manager Julian Barry is encouraging belief in the curse to end souvenir-hunting.

Articles Elsewhere

This section provides brief summaries or mentions of various articles from other publications:

• ON THE PROWL by Matthew Dale (Weekend Telegraph, 21/1/95) and RUN, RABBITS, RUN – BUT WHERE'S THE CAT? by John Hodder (Weekend Telegraph, 21/1/95): These articles are related to evidence of the Beast of Bodmin, with the former concluding that the Ministry's initiative will find 'a lack of positive evidence.'

• WE DON'T HAVE A CLUE ON THE BODMIN BEAST by Lewis Panther and Alun Rees (D. Express, 20/7/95), TIDDLES WOWS THE CRITICS IN THE BIG CAT FILM SHOW by Paul Callan (D. Express, 20/7/95), and THE FEARSOME BEAST OF BODMIN MORE LIKE THE MOGGY OF THE MOOR by Bill Mouland (D. Man, 20/7/95): These articles also address the Beast of Bodmin, with the Ministry of Agriculture stating that it 'might exist, we can't prove it doesn't,' a conclusion farmers believe is a cover-up.

• ET LIVES, SAYS MAN FROM THE MINISTRY by Nick Fielding (The Mail on Sunday, 2/7/95): This article discusses Nick Pope, who headed the Secretariat (Air Staff) 2a office, and became a convert to the extraterrestrial viewpoint after dealing with inquiries about flying saucers.

• PROFESSOR MACK AND THE LITTLE GREEN MEN by William Langley (Sunday Telegraph, 2/7/95): This piece likely discusses Harvard academic Dr John Mack's views on alien abductions.

• POP LEGEND PRESLEY IS ALIVE AND LOOKING FOR ALIENS IN ANDOVER by Robert Chalmers: This article covers Reg Presley's interest in crop circles and the infamous Troggs Tapes.

• SHC now - GONE IN A FLASH by Tony Hoare: This general piece discusses spontaneous human combustion, citing an example from the Daily Sport about a bather in Benidorm and an engineer whose phone burst into flames.

Newcastle Upon Crime by Rodney Tyler (The Mail on Sunday Review, 22/10/95)

This article discusses myths surrounding the 1967 visit of the Kray Twins to Newcastle, including stories of them being escorted back to London by police. It also touches upon a family who changed their surname to that of their solicitor and another family who won the lottery and moved to a posh area, with a humorous anecdote about their dining habits.

The Hole Story of My Life by Jenny Gathorne-Hardy and Trepanation in History by John Michell (Independent on Sunday, 17/9/95)

This entry mentions Jenny Gathorne-Hardy's experience of having a hole drilled in her skull and John Michell's book cautioning about trepanation.

An outcast, yes – but a man? by Hugo Vickers

This piece challenges Michael Bloch's suggestion that Wallis Simpson was a man, discussing the theory of AIS (Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome) and recounting anecdotes about Wallis Simpson's allure and a joke about the Duke of Windsor.

Stop Press

• Mentions Francis Wheen's article about the Apollo/Internet/moon/oral sex tale resurfacing with a changed name.
• References a piece by Rodney Tyler on Newcastle and the Kray Twins.
• Mentions a piece by Tony Hoare on spontaneous human combustion.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine appears to have a keen interest in folklore, urban legends, and unexplained phenomena, including UFOs and alleged curses. The editorial stance seems to be one of presenting these stories and anecdotes, often with a touch of skepticism or humor, drawing from a variety of newspaper sources. There's a focus on the 'stranger than fiction' aspect of everyday occurrences and historical events.