Folklore is a mixture of the traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community. Whether it be fairy tales like Hansel & Gretel, or ancient ceremonies like wassailing, folklore is usually passed down from one generation to the next by word of mouth as part of a centuries-old oral tradition. Through the ages, plants and animals commonly found in Essex have creeped into this space of myths and legends – lets explore a few of them…

English Bluebell

Lining the paths of ancient woodlands in Essex, the violet glow of bluebells is a springtime wildflower spectacle. For such a bright and dainty flower, much of the folklore surrounding them is rather dark. Bluebell woods are said to be heavily enchanted, with the flowers intricately woven with fairy charms, used to lure and trap passers-by. Similarly, if a child picks a bluebell, some believe that they will be led astray by fairies, wandering lost forevermore.

When you next find yourself walking through a woodland, you might just hear the high-pitched ring of a bluebell, calling the fairies to a gathering. Don’t listen too carefully, however, as some say that if a human hears the bell, they will be visited by a mischievous fairy and die soon after!

Cheerful and fairy-less folklore also exists. According to floriography, also known as the ‘language of flowers’ (a system where meanings are given to specific plants) the bluebell symbolises humility, constancy and gratitude. As they pop up dependably each year from the damp leaf-mulched soil, I cannot help but feel grateful for the earthy carpet of colour that they dot onto nature’s canvas after the bleak monotone winter.

Have you ever tried to turn a bluebell inside out? If you can manage it without tearing petals, then superstition holds that you will win true love. If the truth is what you seek, then fashion a garland from these wildflowers and the wearer will be unable to tell a lie.

Badgers

The humble badger, a figurehead for The Wildlife Trusts, is steeped in folklore. Across Britain and Ireland, they symbolise persistence, confidence and strong will. In the 16^th century, some even believed that badgers could grant protection from witchcraft! Perhaps they came to symbolise protection because, in reality, they defend their sets so aggressively.

One of this species’ most popular portrayals is in Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows. Mr. Badger is grumpy but wise – you can go and visit him along the Hanningfield Reservoir sculpture trail. As is often the case with dark coloured creatures, many folk tales portray badgers as bringers of bad luck, like this 200-year-old rhyme:

Should one hear a badger call,

And then an ullot [owl] cry,

Make thy peace with God, good soul,

For thou shall shortly die.

Butterfly

The name for these flying insects may have stemmed from an ancient belief that witches took the form of butterflies to steal milk and butter. This term may have been exclusively used for yellow butterflies (which shine like butter) and, over time, came to be used as a collective term for them all.

Butterflies are usually represented in a positive light, symbolising beauty and summertime. Their metamorphic ability, transforming from a caterpillar into a magnificent winged creature, has associated them with rebirth, transformation and hope – words that conjure up images of spring. Around the world, the butterfly is rather poignantly used to represent the human soul and our own ability for change.

Butterfly colouring has even been used for weather prediction! An old wives’ tale states that if the first butterfly seen in spring is white, then clear, cloudless days are ahead. However, if a dark butterfly appears first – like a speckled wood or heath fritillary - then a stormy summer awaits.

Humans are experts at ascribing meaning to the natural world. In reality, these tales and superstitions tell us more about ourselves than the creatures they concern. All wildlife in Essex should be celebrated – not feared. Badgers out for a twilight stroll, bluebells nodding gently in the low sun and butterflies fluttering by are all delightfully unaware of the mystical meanings that we have attributed to them.

Andrew Millham

Essex Wildlife Trust Ambassador

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