Z is for Zany. zany adjective amusingly unconventional and idiosyncratic (Oxford English Dictionary) There’s this peculiar little creature from folklore that caught my fancy. He goes by two names. Yet no-one can disagree that he’s quite gross. Grogoch or Phynnodderee is the name of this Faery. The folklore attached to his origins is quite sad… …
X is for X-Factor. No matter the name or how you spell it, the Fates are everywhere and in every culture. Folklore The Poetic Edda “Norns are figures of fate who may be present at a child’s birth, prophesying his future, as in the First Poem of Helgi Hundingsbani. As determiners of fate, the norns are …
U is for Ululate. ululate v howl or wail as an expression of strong emotion Oxford English Dictionary Hyenas, those giggling beasts, freaked me out in The Lion King when I was just a little girl. I got over it. And then I learned of the Werehyena. Folklore The Magicality of the Hyena: Beliefs and Practices in …
R is for Red Cap. You think you know fear? Have you met the Red Cap? Folklore Notes on the Folk-Lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders by William Henderson [1879] Redcap, Redcomb, or Bloody Cap, is a sprite of another sort from the friendly Brownie. He is cruel and malignant of …
J is for Jailer. Leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann (the race thought to be the Fae), Dagda is seen as a master of magic, a great warrior and a man of great appetite. Folklore Gods and Fighting Men by Lady Gregory [1904] AND it was at Brugh na Boinne the Dagda, the Red Man …
H is for Herald. herald n person who announces important news; forerunner v signal the approach of (Collins English Dictionary) I love using black dogs in my writing. Today we’re looking at the Grim. Folklore The Magic of the Horse-Shoe With Other Folk-Lore Notes by Robert Means Lawrence [1898] SPIRITS ASSUME THE FORMS OF BLACK …
D is for Duergar. From Middle-Earth across all fantasy to the newest Rick Riordan Magnus Chase novel, dwarfs are all the rage. Folklore The Fairy Mythology by Thomas Keightley [1870] THE DUERGAR By ek fur jőrth nethan, A ek, undir stein, stath. Alvis–Mal. (I dwell the earth beneath, I possess, under the stone, my seat.) …
C is for Cù Sìth. The Cù Sìth or Faery Dog plays an important role in most of my stories. Most of my heroines have an important task to perform in the future of Faerie – and that makes them targets for the bad guys. So they have a Cù Sìth protector. Before we get …
Selkies are such marvellous Fae. Not only are they able to take two forms, they are also able to grant wishes and bring luck. They’ve captured the imagination of artists, writers and folklore enthusiasts. They are another great addition to the therianthrope group: changing from seal to human form by shedding their skin. Therianthrope n …
One of my favourite faeries to use in my writing – sometimes just popping up in a story without forethought! – is the will-o’-the-wisp. Folklore Most faeries with fiery appearances and a tendency to lead night-time travellers astray are categorised as “will-o’-the-wisp”, which is why there are so many differing names for something that seems …
