Saturday, March 11, 2017

Cornish Legends

Elder and Sister Warnick shared some local mythology in an email to their grandchildren.

"Most cultures have they have told about the past where they live.  You can just imagine in an evening sitting around a fire and telling stories to fascinate each other and the children.  They didn't have the 'telly' or computer games.

Saint Michael's Mount- Giant Cormoran
Whether by boat or by foot the journey in itself to St. Michael's Mount is a mini adventure, and waiting is a world of fanciful tales bursting with courage and heroics.  Upon reaching the Mount, which rises dramatically from the bay, you will discover a land once tread by giants, and as the story goes, one giant in particular named Cormoran.  With a growling stomach he would wade ashore and feast on cows and sheep stolen from the villagers, but he met his match in a local boy named Jack, who dug a deep pit in which Cormoran fell to his death.  And the tale continues- visitors to St. Michael's Mount today can retrace Jack's steps and hunt down Cormoran's heart, hidden amongst the stone path.


Zennor- the Mermaid of Zennor
Easily the most romantic of Cornish legends, the love-struck take of the Mermaid of Zennor highlights Cornwall's connection to the sea, and sees a beautiful mermaid capture the heart of a local chorister.  With love as his guide, he turns to a life beneath the shore, leaving the villagers of Zennor to mourn his loss.  As a lasting memento they carved a Mermaid Chair from wood, which can still be seen in St. Senara's Church today, and is thought to be over 600 years old.  Listen carefully when you next visit Zennor- on a summer's evening it is said that you hear the sound of the lovers singing together.


Portreath- Giant Wrath
In Portreath see the remains of boulders said to once be the weapon of choice for a fearsome giant named 'Ralph the Wrath' who lived in a collapsed sea cave.  With an appetite for sailors and a craving for their treasure, he would attack passing ships and fill his cave, now known locally as Ralph's Cupboard, with his loot."





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