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Here we delve into fantastic fungus folklore, to explore some of our favourite stories from fairy rings to Witches Butter!
Humans have had a connection to fungi for thousands of years, in more ways than one – we actually share a distant ancestor going back around 1.3 billion years. So it’s not surprising that our folklore, myths and legends contain mentions of these amazing organisms.
We’re exploring some of our favourite folklore tales. And if you’re inspired to learn more about the wonderful world of fungi, visit our Learn About Fungi page here.
Did you know that even the creation of fungi is shrouded in legend? The details differ from culture to culture, but there’s a few stories that remain the same.
For example, in ancient Egypt, they believed mushrooms were a gift from Set, the god of the desert, disorder, violence and the master of storms – springing when his lightning bolts hit the earth. Because of this, it is said that only the pharaohs were allowed to eat mushrooms!
In ancient Greece, there was a similar story, where mushrooms would appear after Zeus had hurled lightning from the sky. And it turns out that folk tale, might have more fact behind it than fiction! Research suggests that lightning could actually increase mushroom crops. In some cases, lightning hitting logs seeded with spores, has doubled how many mushrooms appear.
We (as humans) have a shared connection with fungi, so it should come as no surprise that fairy folk do too!Tales from all over the UK suggest that fairies have a fondness for fungi. In Wales, there’s stories of fairies using Parasol Mushrooms as umbrellas, to shield them from the rain, while in Scotland, it’s believed they actually use the flat fungi as dining tables for their feasts.
And of course, we couldn’t mention fairies, without discussing fairy rings! There’s countless tales of mysterious rings of toadstools that pop up overnight and they symbolise different things for different cultures. In Austria they are said to mark the places where dragons once breathed their fire. While there are lots of different explanations, one popular belief is that these rings are a portal into the fairy realm, and if you step inside them you will be transported.
While it might seem like a fun experience, the consequences are often extreme. Some suggest that stepping inside a fairy ring means you will die young, while others say that humans can’t enter the fairy realm so instead they become trapped in between worlds and invisible to both!
With mushrooms looking like everything from a human ear (Jelly Ear), to a tiny birds nest filled with eggs (Bird’s Nest Fungus), and with names from Witches Butter to Scarlet Elfcup, it’s not hard to see why mushrooms have long been associated with magic.
But the connection runs much deeper than that. There are many fungus species that have been linked with witches, for example often to a curse. It was once believed that fungi which caused negative effects such as moulding crops, were the result of a witches curse. And it was said to be likely that a witch had cursed you if an unsightly Stinkhorn appeared in your garden. Indeed, the fungus first appears in an egg shape and in this form it’s commonly known as Witches Egg.
But perhaps one of the best known tales is of the Yellow Brain (also known as Witches Butter). This wrinkled fungus would sometimes spring up on the threshold of a property. It was said that if it did, a witch had placed a spell on whoever lived inside. There was however one way to break it. Whoever lived in the property had to stick pins into the Yellow Brain – and when it disappeared, the spell was broken.
Fungi have long been associated with death, the afterlife and spirituality. They appear from underground, help to decay dead trees and leaves and even have names associated with the macabre. Take Dead Man’s Fingers, which looks just as creepy as it sounds – appearing like a dead hand reaching out of the ground. Then there’s Horn of Plenty, which is also known as Trumpet of the Dead – so called because it appears around the same time as Halloween, the time when the veil between the living and the dead is supposedly lifted. It is said that these black horn-shaped mushrooms are used to play music by the spirits of those who have passed.
Mushrooms have even been connected to the god of the dead in Lithunania, where it was believed that mushrooms are the fingers of Velnias, who tries to reach out of the underworld below, to feed the people.
We’ve touched on some mythical creatures, such as fairies and dragons above, but there’s more creatures with fungus connections. Scarlet Elfcup for example, which takes it’s name from the folklore that woodland elves were said to drink or bathe in water collected in the cups of the fungus. Then there’s Elfin Saddles, which are said to be sat on by elves as they ride around.
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