When did English folklore and customs originate? Detailed answer

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When did English folklore and customs originate? Detailed answer

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When did English folklore and customs originate?

Faced with the fact that many pagan rites and customs played an important role in the life of the ancient inhabitants of England, the Christian church decided that it was better to give them a form acceptable to Christianity than to completely destroy them. Some of our traditions and rituals are over 2000 years old.

For example, ancient rituals intended to increase wealth and protect against evil forces are present in the life of modern people, although in a slightly modified form. Other traditions relate to holidays in honor of heroes of the distant past or major historical events. Still others originate from actions that once had a practical meaning, which have now become symbolic. Some folk dances have come down to our days from pre-Christian times, almost unchanged, but having lost their ritual significance.

The legends that tell about folk heroes originally existed only in oral form, and therefore it is difficult to judge how much they differ in their current form from the "original sources". Most of the British heroes, including King Arthur, are characters in the legends of the ancient Celts, and perhaps the only English representative among them is Robin Hood!

Many of the customs and traditions are related to folk holidays: Christmas, Maslenitsa, Easter, the holiday of the arrival of spring. Although they are celebrated everywhere, in different regions this occurs in different ways. Many customs that have been observed for many centuries have gradually disappeared over the past decades as a result of the massive migration of people at home and abroad, as well as the social upheavals experienced during the two world wars. Those that are still preserved are one of the few threads connecting the living today with their distant ancestors.

Author: Likum A.

Random interesting fact from the Great Encyclopedia:

What is an albino?

Albinos are people completely devoid of pigments, or dyes. All races have a certain amount of pigment, although some members of the white race (especially Scandinavians) have a very small amount of dyes in the body. What is the source of human pigmentation or coloration? Certain substances in the body interact with each other. These are substances such as chromogens and some enzymes. When enzymes act on chromogens, which are the basis of colors, pigmentation appears.

If a person lacks these substances in the body, then there is no pigmentation, and he is what we call an albino. This word comes from a Latin root meaning "white". Albino has pink eyes, which is due to the fact that blood circulates in the retina of the eye. Albino eyes are very sensitive to light. Therefore, such a person constantly squints and blinks. Albino hair is white all over the body. Even the internal tissues, including the brain and spinal cord, are white. By the way, a similar phenomenon can be found not only in humans, but also among plants and all kinds of animals.

You can even meet albino birds, and there is not a single human race in which albinos would not be found. It is believed that albinism can be inherited, that is, albino people can pass this property on to their children. Perhaps the best-known albinos to us are white mice, rats, and rabbits. But someone even saw albino squirrels and albino giraffes.

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