#scottishmythology

[vcreatures]

I felt it was only right to wrap up Smaugust with an actual dragon...but since I’m in a place of fairy folk exploration I thought why not meld the two and give you the "Fairy Eater”.

A medium size drake, this dragon populates temperate forests, disguised as a harmless butterfly. The Fairy Eater is highly dimorphic and mirrors dozens of various butterfly species across the globe. While not exclusively a fairy eating dragon, fairies do make up a large portion of their diet. 

[blairstales]

Waulking Songs and the Loireag | Scottish Folklore

A waulking song is a traditional song that was sung for a group to keep in sync while rhythmically beating newly-woven fabric on a surface. This motion shrinks the fibers of the fabric, which makes it better at repelling water.

“There would often be 24 of them at one table, singing songs for four to five hours at a time, during which 300-400 yards of cloth would be waulked.” Audio Recording Transcript: “WAULKING THE CLOTH, ” Track ID: 65191, Date: 1961. Source: tobarandualchais.co.uk

This could be done sitting around a table and moving the fabric with your hands, but in some places the fabric was waulked using feet.

As they sing, they both beat and move the fabric a clockwise direction.

Related to this practice is a water fairy called Loireag(lorryack). She was a rather mischievous fairy that is often described as having an obsession with tradition.

“The ‘loireag’ presided over the warping, weaving, waulking, and washing of the web, and if the women omitted any of the traditional usages and ceremonies of these occasions she resented their neglect in various ways.” Carmina Gadelica, Volume 2, by Alexander Carmicheal, [1900]

Not only did she make sure things were done in the right order, but she also disliked people singing out of tune, and hated hearing the same waulking song twice.

” If a song were sung twice at the waulking, the ‘loireag’ would come and render the web as thin as before, and all the work of the women of no avail. They had to begin anew and waulk the web over again, taking special care not to repeat the offence. “ Carmina Gadelica, Volume 2, by Alexander Carmicheal, [1900]

The loireag had such a great love of milk that people would leave out offerings of it for her. If this was forgotten, she would take matters into her own hands by enchanting the milking animals to be as still as a statue while she drank her fill.

In one story where this occurred, a girl in Benmore discovered a loireag sucking a cow. The girl tried to drive the fairy away, but nothing worked so she went to fetch her father. It turns out her father was a Carle. Carle can be a derogatory term for a commoner man, but it can also be an alternative name for the "Bodach," which they may be intending in this case.

“The little Carle leapt out at the door in sparks of red fire, swearing at the impudent ‘loireag,’ and at the cow. He threw a boulder at the ‘loireag,’ wishing to kill her, but struck the cow instead and nearly killed her!” Carmina Gadelica, Volume 2, by Alexander Carmicheal, [1900]

He then grabbed the very point of one of the cows horns in the name of “Columba the kindly,” who was “the best leech of man and beast in Alban in his day.” With those words, the cow broke from the enchantment and leapt away. At the same time, the loireag took off running while singing back insults.

“Little carle of Corrie-foot, Little carle of the short coat, Little carle of the foot of the Pass Much I praise your aim.” Highland Mythology by Watson, E. C. (1908)

WAULKINGS SONG EXAMPLES:

(link) In this waulking song a man mourns the fact that another is courting his beloved while he sails the seven seas.

(link) This is a short fragment from a waulking song with a love theme.

(link) The composer describes going through the strath and seeing a herd of hinds. A man was driving them down the hill. He had a bow and arrow and a gun.

(link) This is a waulking song of the type found at the start of a waulking. The chorus refers directly to waulking the tweed, which is unusual in waulking songs.

(link) In this waulking song a sailor tells of his feelings, as the girl he loves is unfaithful. He expresses the hope that his beloved will not take the tailor, the shoemaker, the shepherd or the herdsman.

(link) In this waulking song, the composer lists by their occupation the men who are unsuitable, and then gives details of the one she would accept.

(link) In this waulking song, a woman longs for the man she loves, but his family disapprove of the relationship.

[wandereroftherealms]

Day 12/365: Got to work on a Kelpie! When I heard the name I though it was some strange mythical crab or man eating kelp, nope, just your average shapeshifting water horse that drags it’s victims down into the lochs of Scotland. . . . . . . . . . #art #artist #learning #artistofinstagram #dailydrawing #dailyart #drawing #digitaldrawing #improving #digitalpainting #creature #mythology #mythologicalcreature #kelpie #scottishmythology #ohcoolaviking #sketch #practice #krita #artchallenge https://www.instagram.com/p/B0ciY9YF_js/?igshid=igfdm7ot5vp9

[booksiseeloveandread]

(Gifted) The Blue Salt Road by Joanne M. Harris . I loooved this book! I read it in one day yesterday. I started off telling myself I would just read the first few pages and then I would get back to work, but after 50 pages I abandoned all responsibilities and just kept reading 😂 I was already pretty excited for it because I read A Pocketful of Crows earlier in 2018, and I loved that one as well, so when I heard Joanne was publishing another fairytale I knew already it was going to be great, and it didn’t disappoint! This one was inspired by the sea and selkies, Scottish mythical creatures that look like seals but can transform into humans! The writing is so beautiful I could almost smell the ocean while I was reading it! I hope this won’t be the last fairytale Joanne Harris writes, because this is shaping up to a beautiful collection of fairytales. . Thank you @gollancz for sending me a copy! . . . #thebluesaltroad #joannemharris #joanneharris #gollancz #bookphotography #bookstagram #bookobsessed #bookworm #bookaholic #bookhoarder #fairytale #fairytales #selkie #scottishmythology https://www.instagram.com/p/BspxmzuHC3B/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=272jnngx6aa6

[amandablatch]

Happy #throwbackthursday! Uploading a selkie which is a bit more in theme with #mermay! . . . . #throwbackthursdays #selkie #mermay2019 #inktober #inktober2018 #scottishfolklore #scottishmythology #scottishmyth #scottish #selkies #seals #sealsofinstagram #waterpup #mermaid #creaturedesign #creature #creatureart #creatures #creaturedesign #creaturedrawing #ink #winsorandnewton #winsorandnewtonpromarkers https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx0a8MQFT8D/?igshid=zwh6on9f6akf

[ghostbnuuy]

Giorgyn the Void Eater, Unseelie King in my story To Love A Devil.

“As soon as it had appeared, the weapon vanished and the princes noticed Giorgyn’s eyes flash a brighter shade of yellow. On his skin, strange archaic markings appeared like burning scars, festering wounds seeping with mana and aether. They sparked for a few seconds, glowed brightly and hotly and then faded completely.

With the archon of Equilibrium vanquished, only Entropy would rule this Netherworld.”

[artemismoon99]

Last day of Inktober 2018 Scottish Mythology: Mermaids

tag: @i_Skyquin 

[debsmooth]

Sketch of the Baobhan Sith. A highlands vampire. Working on a new project with an old friend. #vampire #scottishmythology #baobhansith (at Lochend, City of Edinburgh) https://www.instagram.com/p/CcnRFZEI9uL/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[ananymouslaughter]

Day 9: Glastig #scottishmythology #inktober #art #artistsoninstagram #eshuisart #sketch #sketchbook #drawing #stillhatehashtags https://www.instagram.com/p/BovK2AYj5r3/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=8g07gqek3fco

[vcreatures]

Gnomes are a small, ground dwelling, fairy found across most temperate forests, grasslands and in rare occasions mountain dwellings. They are one of the few fairies to be commonly found alongside human dwellings, having an affinity for their gardens. While most fairy beings can be seen as pests, the Gnome has managed to sway favor as they speak to a relatively good sign for agricultural communities. Having a Gnome is a good sign your crop is healthy and being tended too.

While most fairy species live relatively peacefully alongside one another, the Gnome is one of the few fairy species who do engage in warfare. This animosity is particularly found with Pixies.

Their “red cap” has become the moniker of the species. However this “cap” is not a piece of fashion, but a highly sensitive sensory organ used to help travel in their deep underground dens. They also act as a silent way to communicate with one another in dense brush or long grass. Only males of the species possess one. Female’s caps are small and dome-like, which they commonly adorn with flower crowns. The male’s cap doesn’t always remain active, they can actively render their cap flaccid, allowing them to burrow and squeeze into tight spaces. A male’s cap will grow throughout the course of his life, some reaching lengths double their body length. 

[blairstales]

Isle of Lewis Sea God: Shony

On the Isle of Lewis, there was once custom of giving offerings to a sea god named Seonaidh, which is anglicized to Shony.

“Shony was a sea-god in Lewis, where ale was sacrificed to him at Hallowtide. ” The Norse Influence on Celtic Scotland by Dr. George Henderson(1901)

The people there would collectively provide ingredients for the ale that would be brewed at the church, then a person would wade out into the sea on Halloween night and give a cupful of ale to the sea as an offering to Shony.

"Ale was brewed at church from malt brought collectively by the people. One took a cupful in his hand, and waded out into the sea up to his waist, saying as he poured it out: “Shony, I give you this cup of ale, hoping that you’ll be so kind as to send us plenty of sea-ware, for enriching our ground the ensuing year.” The party returned to the church, waited for a given signal when a candle burning on the altar was blown out. Then they went out into the fields, and drank ale with dance and song." The Book of Hallowe’en by RUTH EDNA KELLEY, A. M. (1919)

The practice was eventually snuffed out by the church, but Shony is still a topic of Scottish folklore to this day.

"The history of superstition teaches us with what persistence pagan beliefs hold their ground in the midst of a Christian civilisation. Martin, who visited the Western Islands at the close of the seventeenth century, found how true this was in many details of daily life. A custom connected with ancient sea-worship had been popular among the inhabitants of Lewis till about thirty-years before his visit, but had been suppressed by the Protestant clergy on account of its pagan character." Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs by James M. Mackinlay (1893)

[katersykes]

Excuse the cropping but here’s a #bts from my edit for the @originsofthelaoich cosplay competition. The look was inspired by a promo shot of main character, Effie. She has red curly hair so I got out my Merida wig again and she originally wore a wedding dress but I went with a blouse. Used a screenshot from the first teaser as the background, added in the lovely logo and the shield. It was a fun little project and nice to do something different. #scottishfolklore #scottishmythology #scotland #fantasy https://www.instagram.com/p/CVyiLzuD3Vs/?utm_medium=tumblr

[badlemonx]

Figure drawing final project: Myth “Ban-Nighe, Washer Woman” w.i.p. The Scottish variant on the infamous Celtic Banshee, the Ban-Nighe can sometimes be seen washing bloody armor or a grave shroud in the river. Sometimes she appears as a beautiful maiden with a silver comb in her black hair. Sometimes she appears as an ancient crone, whose breasts hang so low she has to throw them over her shoulders to do the washing. However she appears, if it is your clothing that she washes, then your time is up. Some people believe that if you can prevent the Ban-Nighe from finishing the wash, that death can be avoided... begging the question, is she merely an omen of death? Or does the woman of the otherworld have power over fate? #drawing #figuredrawing #composition #design #charcoal #charcoaldrawing #myth #scotland #scottishmythology #folklore #celticmythology #fantasy #fantasyart #socialdistancing #socialdistance #socialdistancing2020 #quarantine #socialisolation (at University of Central Arkansas) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAzRWwWDTGI/?igshid=113yyunv3lhm5

[booksiseeloveandread]

Happy Book Birthday to Mary, Queen of Scots: Escape from Lochleven Castle by Theresa Breslin and Teresa Martinez . I love this new instalment of the Traditional Scottish Tales! I really love Scottish folklore and history. And each one of these books always introduce me to a new snippet I can go off and investigate! Check out the Kelpies’ website to see the other books in this series . A huge thank you to @discoverkelpies for sending me a copy! 😊 . . . #kelpiebooks #picturekelpies #discoverkelpies #florisbooks #maryqueenofscots #maryqueenofscotsescapefromlochlevencastle #theresabreslin #teresamartinez #paperback #bookcover #scottish #scotland #scottishmythology #folklore #myths #legends #picturebook #childrensliterature #childrensbook #kidlit #bookstagram #instabooks #bookphotography #bibliophile #booklover #bookphoto

[amandablatch]

Day 15 of Inktober, a day late, but I’ll catch up eventually! Today’s drawing is the mythical Selkie. . . . . #inktober #inktober2018 #selkie #scottishfolklore #scottishmythology #scottishmyth #scottish #selkies #seals #sealsofinstagram #waterpup #mermaid #creaturedesign #creature #ink #winsorandnewton #winsorandnewtonpromarkers https://www.instagram.com/p/BpAv9XAABmh/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ydfpcar4z8e6

[islandscrivener]

A Child at Play in the Trees - The Ravens that Rise Early (Part I) (on Wattpad) https://my.w.tt/UiNb/5IIFqyiUpJ Sandra Tate is in her final weeks of cancer. As she enjoys a warm spring afternoon, she is given tickets for a carriage ride by a kindly old stranger. When Sandra befriends the carriage horse, an ancient Puca named Fachtna, that came to the new world in 1846, she discovers a realm of fantastic creatures hidden in the parks and forests of Victoria, British Columbia.