Post by todd on Feb 1, 2010 12:12:01 GMT
I recently read a book called "The Lore of the Land" by Jennifer Westwood and Jacqueline Simpson, a collection of various folk-tales and legends connected to places in England. It's a great book in itself, but also contains a few tidbits relevant to "Gunnerkrigg Court".
There's a story connected to a knight named Sir Eglamour and his lady at Aira Force in Cumberland. Sir Eglamour went off on a long series of adventures to make himself worthy of his lady love, Emma, who waited for him to return. Emma became so increasingly troubled by his long absence that she took to sleep-walking by the river, especially since she had bidden him farewell by its banks. One night, Eglamour returned from his adventures at last, to find Emma in that state, and dressed in white; he rushed forward to snap her out of it, but when he woke her up, she was so shocked that she fell into the river and was drowned. Eglamour spent the rest of his days as a hermit by the river, grieving for her death; it was said afterwards that Emma haunted the river as a ghost, still dressed in white. (Alas, the evidence points to this not being a true legend, but an invention of Wordsworth, who wrote a poem about it.)
Another part of the book, discussing the figure of Reynard the Fox, mentioned that in the 17th century, someone wrote a sequel to the Roman de Renard, giving the lead role to his son - whose name was Reynardine.
Moddey Dhoo doesn't get mentioned (since he's from the Isle of Man, which is outside of England), but many of his fellow black dogs do.
There's a story connected to a knight named Sir Eglamour and his lady at Aira Force in Cumberland. Sir Eglamour went off on a long series of adventures to make himself worthy of his lady love, Emma, who waited for him to return. Emma became so increasingly troubled by his long absence that she took to sleep-walking by the river, especially since she had bidden him farewell by its banks. One night, Eglamour returned from his adventures at last, to find Emma in that state, and dressed in white; he rushed forward to snap her out of it, but when he woke her up, she was so shocked that she fell into the river and was drowned. Eglamour spent the rest of his days as a hermit by the river, grieving for her death; it was said afterwards that Emma haunted the river as a ghost, still dressed in white. (Alas, the evidence points to this not being a true legend, but an invention of Wordsworth, who wrote a poem about it.)
Another part of the book, discussing the figure of Reynard the Fox, mentioned that in the 17th century, someone wrote a sequel to the Roman de Renard, giving the lead role to his son - whose name was Reynardine.
Moddey Dhoo doesn't get mentioned (since he's from the Isle of Man, which is outside of England), but many of his fellow black dogs do.
