The world is full of lots of different cultures. They all have their own special folklore. Let's take a trip around the world and see what traditions are passed down the generations.
What animal are you? That question sounds strange unless you know about this old Chinese story. In China, every year has a special animal. There are twelve animals.
Long ago, the emperor wanted to have a race. "All the animals must cross a river." he said. "The first twelve animals to get to the other side will be on the new calendar." Cat and Rat wanted to win the race. They decided to ask the Ox for help. Ox agreed.
In the race, Rat and Cat sat on Ox's back and did not swim at all. Just before they arrived at the other side, Rat pushed Cat in the water. Rat jumped off Ox's back and crossed the line. “You are first, Rat." said the emperor.
That is why Rat is first in the calendar. That is why people think rats cheat.
Scandinavian history is full of strong gods. In Norse mythology, Thor was the god of Thunder. He was the ruler of Asgard, the home of the gods.
Thor was a strong, powerful warrior. He was known for his fights with giants. His weapon was a magic hammer called Mjolnir. People believed that when there was lightning, it was because Thor had thrown his hammer.
Thor was so important that he had a day of the week named after him in English. Thursday comes from Thor's day!
In Canada, First Nations tribes had a real reason to be scared. They told stories of a supernatural creature named Wendigo, a fearsome creature in the forests of Canada looking for people to eat. Elders of tribes said Wendigo was once a lost hunter. He was lost in the forest one winter. He had to survive on his own. He never went back to living a normal life.
Wendigo is said to be skinny and 15 feet tall. His skin is grey and he has long, sharp claws. Some say he is a relative of bigfoot. Others say he is more like a werewolf. I don't want to see him either way!
People say that Wendigo uses his voice to sound like a human. He attracts people to him to be eaten. They say he can turn others into Wendigos too!
People who don't believe the story still find it interesting. They say Wendigo represents greed and selfishness.
Some stories from around the world have similar features. Why do you think that is? Whatever the reason, we are lucky to have such an interesting variety of cultures in the world!