Nuckelavee Tammie saw blood, black as tar, running through yellow veins, and great white sinews, thick as horse tethers... By Mr W. Traill Dennison in the Scottish Antiquary NUCKELAVEE, was a monster of unmixed malignity, never willingly resting from doing evil to mankind. He was a spirit in flesh. His…
Will-o’-the-wisp In Scottish folklore, will-o’-the-wisps are variously depicted either as mischievous spirits (typically fairies), or even the ghosts of the dead, eager to lead travellers off their path and into their death. By Liana Paraschaki For weary, tired travellers, especially those fearing they may have got lost, there is little…
Am Fear Liath Mòr The Big Grey Man is alleged to be ten feet tall and extremely thin, with long limbs and dark hair. The creature seems eerily similar to the Yeti – or, at least, the myths around both creatures bare an uncanny resemblance. By Liana Paraschaki Am Fear…
Beira, The Cailleach, Queen of Winter But, even Beira was not strong enough to resist the passage of time forever. The time for her reign’s end had come and gone, and she could postpone it, mighty as she was, but not forever..... By Liana Paraschaki Before gods and goddesses were…
Cù-Sìth Not only was the Cù-Sìth terrifying, it was also believed to be a harbinger of death. Unlike the Cat-Sith, who could only snatch the souls of those who were already dead, the Cù-Sìth could also go after the souls of the living. By Liana Paraschaki The Cù-Sìth, the magical…
Cat Sìth The Cat-Sìth is, perhaps, the most unusual fairy in all of Scottish folklore. The Cat-Sìth, found both in Scottish and Irish mythology, is said to be a fairy with the form of a large cat, often as large as a dog. By Liana Paraschaki The Cat-Sìth is, perhaps,…
Selkies Selkies are a shape-shifting magical creature, found all over Scotland, Ireland, and Iceland. Selkies typically wore the hide of a seal, which allowed them to explore both below the water and the land. By Liana Paraschaki Selkies are a shape-shifting magical creature, found all over Scotland, Ireland, and Iceland.…
The Banshee Banshees exist primarily in Scottish and Irish folklore, but a counterpart can also be found in Welsh mythology – and they are women whose screams and cries are an omen of death. Seems simple, right? By Liana Paraschaki Few creatures from Celtic mythology have as prominent a place…
Kelpies Typically residing near water, and taking the form of a black horse, the kelpie would lure travellers to their death. Words by Liana Paraschaki, Illustration by Linley Barba Folklore and mythology are filled with tales of spirits and magical creatures, benevolent and evil alike. But, perhaps none is more…