Episode 146: Dark Fae: Ghosts
The folklore of ghosts in a nutshell, translated to Afrikaans, and how I reimagined it for my writing.
Written and narrated by Ronel Janse van Vuuren.
Copyright 2025 Ronel Janse van Vuuren — All rights reserved.
Learn more about ghosts in folklore here.
Get the transcript here.
Learn more about the author and her writing here.
Music: Secrets by David Fesliyan (FesliyanStudios.com) and Dramatic Heartbeat by FesliyanStudios.com
Transcript
You’re listening to the Faeries and Folklore podcast by Ronel.
I’m dark fantasy author Ronel Janse van Vuuren. With over a decade of digging around in dusty folklore books, researching creatures of imagination that ignited my curiosity, I’m here to share the folklore in a nutshell and how I reimagined it for my writing in an origin of the fae.
This is the Faeries and Folklore podcast.
Hi, I’m your host Ronel Janse van Vuuren. You can just call me Ronel. In today’s episode, we’re continuing our exploration of the fae realm.
This episode is brought to you by my Dark Court Sisters book series. Available in ebook, paperback and audiobook. Three sisters. Three destinies. Three ways to destroy the world. Go to ronelthemythmaker.com/darkcourtsistersseries for more.
You can now support my time in producing the podcast (researching, writing and everything else involved) by buying me a coffee. This can be a once-off thing, or you can buy me coffee again in the future at your discretion. Go to buymeacoffee.com/ronel to support me.
We’re continuing our exploration of Dark Fae.
Today’s Faery: Ghost
Folklore in a Nutshell by Ronel
Tales of apparitions or ghosts appearing in buildings, lonely roads and graveyards have long been told around campfires the world over. Unlike household spirits who seem intent on a specific task – such as the boggart or brownie – these ghosts have chaotic behaviour. Some seem to be intent on finishing the business they left behind when they died, while others seem agitated and haunting a specific place – probably where they died violently.
The burburu of Japanese folklore is a ghost that lives in the forest, disguised as an old man or woman. When it attacks, it drops its disguise and becomes invisible and intangible, running chills down their victim’s spine who then dies soon after from terror. In some cases, it doesn’t scare their victim, but possesses them for a short while instead. The person, once free, becomes terrified and hides themselves in their house, believing everything is out to get them. This usually ends in suicide.
The druden from the folklore of Germany and Austria are believed to have escaped the land of the dead and are out to torment people while they sleep, much like nightmares riding their victims.
Certain places, like Gallows Hill in Salem, Massachusetts, is a known haunted place where the ghosts of the victims of the Salem Witch Trials were executed. People will go there to listen to the voices in the air to learn their future. At times, screeches will fill the air to warn of something important about to happen.
Those who believe they can commune with spirits usually do it in the cemetery, though most necromantic spells don’t actually require a trip to the local cemetery as ghosts can be found anywhere. It is usually those out to do harm that go the cemetery to find ghosts to do their bidding as certain things from a person’s grave can be used to bind them.
Dogs are great at seeing ghosts. Lilies keep ghosts calm. And bean plants repel ghosts. If you can’t call your local Grimm to round up the ghosts to send them back where they belong, these can keep you safe.
And now for my interpretation of the fae in an Origin of the Fae: Ghost
Ghosts are only in the mortal realm when they’ve escaped from the Land of the Dead. Grimms go around dragging them back to where they belong. Those with the need to go back to the Land of the Living are usually the victims of a violent death – murder, most likely – and have unfinished business. Once they have been avenged or whatever it was they needed to finish is done, they no longer have this need to go where they don’t belong.
They have the form they had before they died, only with the colour leeched from them. They are intangible and can become invisible. They have the power to move objects, create haunting sounds, and inspire terror by their mere presence. Some ghosts are malevolent and out to murder those they believe are in their way.
Dogs can see ghosts, no matter human or fae in origin. Having lilies and orchids in the home can diffuse a ghost’s powers. The only way to banish a ghost is to have a Grimm take it away.
As a little bonus, let’s look at this faery translated to Afrikaans: Spook
I hope that you’ve enjoyed this episode of the faeries and folklore podcast and that you’ve learned something new about faeries.
Remember that you can get a transcript of this episode in the description. If you’re new to the podcast, why not go and grab your free copy of Unseen, the second book in the Faery Tales series, on my website ronelthemythmaker.com? Loads of folklore, magic and danger await! Take care!
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You can now support my time in producing the podcast (researching, writing and everything else involved) by buying me a coffee. This can be a once-off thing, or you can buy me coffee again in the future at your discretion.
You can now own the backlist seasons as audiobooks. All proceeds go to hosting the podcast. Exclusively available from Ronel’s store.

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No-one writes about the fae like Ronel Janse van Vuuren.