Editing English folklore (section)

{{Short description|Myths and legends of English culture}}
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{{Use British English|date=May 2020}}
[[File:Beowulf and the dragon.jpg|thumb|[[Beowulf (hero)|Beowulf]] and the [[Dragon]], as told in the [[Old English]] epic poem ''[[Beowulf]]'']]
[[File:Kilpeck Green Man.jpg|thumb|A sculpture of the mythical [[Green Man]] on the [[Church of St Mary and St David, Kilpeck]]]]
{{Culture of England}}
'''English folklore''' consists of the [[myth]]s and [[legend]]s of [[England]], including the region's [[Legendary creature|mythical creatures]], traditional [[recipes]], [[urban legends]], [[proverb]]s, [[superstition]]s, [[Folk dance|dance]], [[ballad]]ry, and [[Folklore|folktales]] that have been passed down through generations, reflecting the cultural heritage of the country. This body of folklore includes a diverse array of characters, such as heroic figures like [[Beowulf]] or [[Robin Hood]], legendary kings like [[King Arthur|Arthur]], and mythical creatures like the [[Green Man (folklore)|Green Man]] and [[Black Shuck]]. These tales and traditions have been shaped by the historical experiences of the English people, influenced by the various cultures that have settled in England over centuries, including [[Celtic Britons|Celtic]], [[Romano-British culture|Roman]], [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]], [[Norse mythology|Norse]], and [[Normans|Norman]] elements.<ref name="McDowall">{{Cite web |first=Robert |last=McDowall |date=26 September 2019 |title=English Folklore: What Cultural Values Does It Represent? |url=https://folklorethursday.com/folklore-folklorists/english-folklore-what-cultural-values-does-it-represent/ |access-date=30 December 2021 |website=#FolkloreThursday |language=en-GB |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724170404/https://folklorethursday.com/folklore-folklorists/english-folklore-what-cultural-values-does-it-represent/ |archive-date=24 July 2021}}</ref>

The stories within English folklore often convey themes of justice, loyalty, bravery, and the supernatural, and often contain a moral imperative stemming from [[Christian values]].<ref name="Mingazova & Sulteev">{{Cite journal |last1=Mingazova |first1=Liailia |last2=Sulteev |first2=Rustem |year=2014 |title=Tatar and English Children's Folklore: Education in Folk Traditions |journal=[[Western Folklore]] |volume=73 |pages=410–431 |via=ProQuest}}</ref> They frequently explore the relationship between humans and the natural world, as seen in the legends of the Green Man or [[Herne the Hunter]], or the consequences of human actions, as illustrated in tales like the [[Lambton Worm]].

Additionally, English folklore has been influenced by historical events, such as the [[Witch trials in the early modern period|witch trials]] of the early modern period, which are reflected in stories like that of the [[Pendle witches]]. During the [[Renaissance]] in the 16th century, England looked to more European texts to develop a national identity. English folklore has continued to differ according to region, although there are shared elements across the country.<ref name="Cheeseman & Hart">{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1250431455 |title=Folklore and nation in Britain and Ireland |date=2022 |editor1-first=Matthew |editor1-last=Cheeseman |editor2-first=Carina |editor2-last=Hart |isbn=978-1-003-00753-1 |location=New York |oclc=1250431455}}</ref> The folktales, characters and creatures are often derived from aspects of English experience, such as [[topography]], [[Architecture of England|architecture]], real people, or real events.<ref name="Simpson">{{Cite journal |last=Simpson |first=Jacqueline |author-link=Jacqueline Simpson |year=2008 |title=Seeking the Lore of the Land |journal=Folklore |volume=119 |issue=2 |pages=131–141 |doi=10.1080/00155870802056936 |s2cid=162117834}}</ref>

English folklore has had a lasting impact on [[Culture of England|English culture]], [[English literature|literature]], and [[English national identity|identity]]. Many of these traditional stories have been retold in various forms, from medieval manuscripts to modern films and literature. To this day, traditional folk festivals such as [[May Day]], [[Plough Monday]], [[Bonfire Night]], [[Allhallowtide]], and [[Harvest Festival (United Kingdom)|Harvest festival]] continue to be practised. [[Morris dance|Morris dancing]], [[Mummers' play]]s, and [[Maypole dancing]] remain popular forms of folk traditions, often depicting or echoing themes or stories from English folklore.