That Time Thor and Loki Cross-Dressed
Why the Old Norse gods disguised themselves as a bride and bridesmaid before visiting Thrymr, king of Jötunheima.
A Natural History of Dragons
Dragons began life as snakes, but natural historians gradually began describing them in more fantastical ways.
The Goddess and the Princess: Why Diana Endures
Twenty-five years have passed since the tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales, yet pop culture and gossip mags continue to be fascinated by her life and legacy.
T. S. Eliot and the Holy Grail
The Nobel Laureate drew on a centuries-old legend when he put the Fisher King in The Waste Land.
The Trouble with Immortality
Stories about immortality are present in many cultures throughout time. How cultures perceive immortality—as a blessing or a curse—can differ widely.
The Return of the Hidden Hero
The hero/king/god isn’t dead, he’s just sleeping, often under a mountain, waiting for the day his people really need him.
What If We’ve Been Misunderstanding Monsters?
Fictional evil creatures might be more nuanced—and have more to teach us—than has long seemed.
Latin Literature’s Problem with Invisibility
Ancient Romans saw the rituals of professional sorcerers as foreign and suspicious. But how else were you supposed to become invisible?
The Hunt of the Unicorn Tapestries Depict a “Virgin-Capture Legend”
They’re big in elementary school, but unicorn tableaux also have a complex iconographic history that combines religious and secular myths.
The Unicorns of JSTOR
These rare creatures have by turn—and somewhat paradoxically—been associated with purity, fertility, seduction, healing, sacrifice, immortality, and divinity.