In this issue, we hope to give you a little bit of distraction by whisking you away to explore the popular myths, legends, and tales of the Middle Ages. We learn how the stories of the trickster Renard the Fox, and other similar fables, were used as propaganda against Emperor Frederick II. We have four tales of the famous cross-cultural myth of the sleeping king who will wake from his magical slumber and come back with his knights to rescue his homeland at its darkest hour. Then we move on to the unicorn and its enduring place in medieval poetry and song. Lastly for our theme, we have a special addition to this issue – a new poem by renowned author Guy Gavriel Kay, based on his long-lasting love of Arthurian legend. Beyond myth and magic, we speak to the Landesmuseum Zürich’s curator Denise Tonella and take a look at the redesign of its permanent exhibition on the history of Switzerland. We examine the horrors of slavery in the medieval Mediterranean, and we discover the wild world of Aztec warfare.

Stay safe, take care, and have a Happy Halloween!

Sandra & Caroline