Why We Still Need Folklore
There was a time when every village had its stories.
The old oak at the edge of the field wasn't simply a tree. The stretch of sea beyond the harbour wasn't just water. Somewhere in the woods there might be a creature that only appeared at dusk, and if you listened carefully enough, the wind itself seemed to carry whispers from those who had gone before.
We no longer gather around fires swapping tales of dragons, selkies or wandering spirits, and most of us don't truly believe that ravens carry messages from another world. Yet somehow these stories have never left us. They continue to appear in books, films, artwork and quiet conversations, passed from one generation to the next.
I don't think that's an accident.
Folklore has never really been about deciding whether a story is true. It's about making sense of the world around us. Before maps were complete and science could explain the tides or the changing seasons, stories helped people understand the unknown. They gave meaning to the landscape and reminded us that nature deserved both respect and imagination.
Today our lives look very different. We spend more time looking at screens than forests, and our days are filled with headlines, notifications and endless to-do lists. Yet perhaps that's exactly why these old tales still speak to us.
Folklore invites us to slow down. It asks us to notice the crow perched on the garden wall, the hare disappearing into long grass, the mist rolling across the hills or the sound of waves on a quiet shore. It reminds us that the world can still hold a little mystery if we're willing to look for it.
That's the feeling I hope to capture in everything I create for From the Swallow.
The ravens, strange beasts, sea creatures, forgotten gardens and curious characters that wander through my collections aren't illustrations of old legends so much as conversations with them. Some are inspired by traditional folklore, others are entirely imagined, but all are created with the same hope: that they might encourage someone to pause for a moment and wonder.
Perhaps that's what folklore has always offered us. Not certainty, but curiosity. Not answers, but questions. A reminder that the world feels richer when we leave a little room for the impossible.
So whether you're drawn to a watchful raven, a mythical creature, or a quiet print that simply makes you smile, I hope it brings a little of that old sense of wonder into your home.
If any of these stories have stirred something in you, you're welcome to take a look at what's in the shop.
After all, perhaps we don't need folklore because we believe every story.
Perhaps we need folklore because it reminds us how to imagine.
I'd love to know—what old story has stayed with you? Was there a tale from childhood that you never forgot, or a legend you've discovered more recently? Leave a comment below and let's keep the stories alive together.
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