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Gancanagh
A gancanagh () () is a male fairy from the mythology of Ireland, known for seducing women. Etymology The name has been rendered under various spellings including geancánach or ganconer. Sources collected from County Meath by the Irish Folklore Commission indicate that the word (pronounced gankanah or gankaneh) could also mean a small or precocious child, indicating fairylike smallness. Legend In 1888, W. B. Yeats noted that the gancanagh was not found in dictionaries and the fairy was not well-known in Connacht. In a story collected in ''The Dublin and London Magazine'' in 1825, ganconer is defined as "a name given to the fairies, alias the 'good people,' in the North of Ireland." They are described as little men who live in caves, led by Captain Dearg (The Red Captain). One ganconer kidnaps a human woman, and her sweetheart must win her back on Halloween night. He catches her at a crossroads, but she is caught between him and the ganconers and dies. In another story in th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Incubus
An Incubus () is a demon, male demon in human form in folklore that seeks to have Sexuality in Christian demonology, sexual intercourse with sleeping women; the corresponding spirit in female form is called a succubus. Parallels exist in many cultures. In medieval Europe, union with an incubus was supposed by some to result in the birth of witches, demons, and deformed human offspring. Legendary magician Merlin was said to have been fathered by an incubus. Walter Stephens writes in his book ''Demon Lovers'' that some traditions hold that repeated sexual activity with an incubus or succubus may result in the deterioration of health, an impaired mental state, or even death. Etymological, ancient, and religious descriptions The Late Latin word ''incubus'' ("a nightmare induced by a demon") is derived from Latin ''incubō'' ("nightmare, what lies down on one whilst one sleeps") and further from ''incubāre'' ("to lie upon, to hatch"). One of the earliest evident mentions of a demon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leanan Sídhe
The ' (; ; , ) is a figure from Irish folklore. She is depicted as a beautiful woman of the ''Aos Sí'' ("people of the fairy mounds") who takes a human lover. Lovers of the ''leannán sídhe'' are said to live brief, though highly inspired, lives. The name comes from the Gaelic words for a sweetheart, lover, or concubine and the term for inhabitants of fairy mounds (fairy). While the leannán sídhe is most often depicted as a female fairy, there is at least one reference to a male leannán sídhe troubling a mortal woman. A version of the myth was popularized during the Celtic Revival in the late 19th-century. The leannán sídhe is mentioned by Jane Wilde, writing as "Speranza", in her 1887 ''Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms and Superstitions of Ireland''. W. B. Yeats popularized his own 'newly-ancient' version of the leannán sídhe, emphasizing the spirit's almost vampiric tendencies. As he imagined it, the leannán sídhe is depicted as a beautiful muse who offers inspiratio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aos Sí
' (; English approximation: ; older form: ) is the Irish name for a supernatural race in Gaelic folklore, similar to elves. They are said to descend from the Tuatha Dé Danann or the gods of Irish mythology. The name ''aos sí'' means "folk of the ''sí''"; these are the burial mounds in which they are said to dwell, which are seen as portals to an Otherworld. Such abodes are referred to in English as 'shee', 'fairy mounds', 'elf mounds' or 'hollow hills'. The ''aos sí'' interact with humans and the human world. They are variously said to be the ancestors, the spirits of nature, or goddesses and gods. Evans Wentz, W. Y. (1966, 1990The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries Gerrards Cross, Colin Smythe Humanities Press In modern Irish, they are also called ''daoine sí''; in Scottish Gaelic ''daoine sìth'' ('folk of the fairy mounds'). Etymology In the Irish language, ''aos sí'', earlier ''aes sídhe'', means "folk of the fairy mounds". In Old Irish, it was ''áes síde'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Irish Folklore
Irish folklore () refers to the folktales, balladry, music, dance and mythology of Ireland. It is the study and appreciation of how people lived. The folklore of Ireland includes banshees, fairies, leprechauns and other mythological creatures, and was typically shared orally by people gathering around, sharing stories. Many tales and legends were passed from generation to generation, so were the dances and song in the observing of important occasions such as weddings, wakes, birthdays and holidays or, handcraft traditions. Definition What constitutes Irish folklore may be rather fuzzy to those unfamiliar with Irish literature. Diarmuid Ó Giolláin, for one, declared that folklore was elusive to define clearly. Bo Almqvist (c. 1977) gave an all-encompassing definition that folklore covered "the totality of folk culture, spiritual and material", and included anything mentioned in Seán Ó Súilleabháin's ''A Handbook of Irish Folklore'' (1942). It was not until 1846 that th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fairies
A fairy (also called fay, fae, fae folk, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, generally described as anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic, found in the folklore of multiple European cultures (including Celtic mythology, Celtic, Slavic paganism, Slavic, Germanic folklore, Germanic, and French folklore, French folklore), a form of Supernatural#Spirit, spirit, often with metaphysical, supernatural, or preternatural qualities. Myths and stories about fairies do not have a single origin but are rather a collection of folk beliefs from disparate sources. Various folk theories about the origins of fairies include casting them as either demoted angels or demons in a Christian mythology, Christian tradition, as deities in Paganism, Pagan belief systems, as Spirit (supernatural entity), spirits of the dead, as Prehistory, prehistoric precursors to humans, or as spirits of nature. The label of ''fairy'' has at times applied only to specific Magic (su ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
European Legendary Creatures
European, or Europeans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe and other Western countries * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to the European Union ** European Union citizenship ** Demographics of the European Union In publishing * ''The European'' (1953 magazine), a far-right cultural and political magazine published 1953–1959 * ''The European'' (newspaper), a British weekly newspaper published 1990–1998 * ''The European'' (2009 magazine), a German magazine first published in September 2009 *''The European Magazine'', a magazine published in London 1782–1826 *''The New European'', a British weekly pop-up newspaper first published in July 2016 Other uses * * Europeans (band), a British post-punk group, from Bristol See also * * * Europe (other) * The Europ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trauco
In the traditional Chilote mythology of Chiloé, Chile, the Trauco is a humanoid creature of small stature—similar to a dwarf or goblin—who lives deep in the forest. It has an ugly face and legs without feet. Legend The Trauco is a mythical entity that inhabits the woods of Chiloé, an island in the south of Chile. It is a child of the snake god Coi Coi-Vilu. It has a powerful magnetism that attracts young and middle-aged women. According to myth, the Trauco's wife is the wicked and ugly Fiura. The Trauco carries a small stone-headed hatchet that he uses to strike trees in the forest to symbolize his sexual potency. Upon being chosen by him, any woman—even if she is asleep—will go to the Trauco; bewitched and helpless against his sexual allure, she falls at his feet and proceeds to engage in sexual intercourse with him. Some men of Chiloé fear the Trauco, as they believe his gaze can be deadly. When a single woman is pregnant and no one steps forward as the father, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leprechaun
A leprechaun () is a diminutive supernatural being in Irish folklore, classed by some as a type of solitary fairy. They are usually depicted as little bearded men, wearing a coat and hat, who partake in mischief. In later times, they have been depicted as shoe-makers who have a hidden pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Leprechaun-like creatures rarely appear in Irish mythology and only became prominent in later folklore. Etymology The Anglo-Irish (Hiberno-English) word ''leprechaun'' is descended from Old Irish ''luchorpán or lupracán'', via various (Middle Irish) forms such as ''luchrapán, lupraccán'', (or var. ''luchrupán''). Modern forms The current spelling is used throughout Ireland, but there are numerous regional variants. John O'Donovan's supplement to O'Reilly's ''Irish-English Dictionary'' defines as "a sprite, a pigmy; a fairy of a diminutive size, who always carries a purse containing a shilling".O'Donovan in O'Reilly (1817)''Irish Dict''. Suppl., ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fairy
A fairy (also called fay, fae, fae folk, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, generally described as anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic, found in the folklore of multiple European cultures (including Celtic mythology, Celtic, Slavic paganism, Slavic, Germanic folklore, Germanic, and French folklore, French folklore), a form of Supernatural#Spirit, spirit, often with metaphysical, supernatural, or preternatural qualities. Myths and stories about fairies do not have a single origin but are rather a collection of folk beliefs from disparate sources. Various folk theories about the origins of fairies include casting them as either demoted angels or demons in a Christian mythology, Christian tradition, as deities in Paganism, Pagan belief systems, as Spirit (supernatural entity), spirits of the dead, as Prehistory, prehistoric precursors to humans, or as spirits of nature. The label of ''fairy'' has at times applied only to specific Magic (su ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Irish Mythology
Irish mythology is the body of myths indigenous to the island of Ireland. It was originally Oral tradition, passed down orally in the Prehistoric Ireland, prehistoric era. In the History of Ireland (795–1169), early medieval era, myths were Early Irish literature, written down by Celtic Christianity, Christian scribes, who Christianized them to some extent. Irish mythology is the best-preserved branch of Celtic mythology. The myths are conventionally grouped into 'List of literary cycles, cycles'. The Mythological Cycle consists of tales and poems about the god-like Tuatha Dé Danann, who are based on Ireland's pagan deities, and other mythical races like the Fomorians. Important works in the cycle are the ''Lebor Gabála Érenn'' ("Book of Invasions"), a legendary history of Ireland, the ''Cath Maige Tuired'' ("Battle of Moytura"), and the ''Aided Chlainne Lir'' ("Children of Lir"). The Ulster Cycle consists of heroic legends relating to the Ulaid, the most important of whi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Clurichaun
The clurichaun () or clúrachán (from Yeats, W. B. (1888). ''Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry''. London: Walter Scott. p. 80.) is a mischievous fairy in Irish folklore known for his great love of drinking and a tendency to haunt breweries, pubs and wine cellars.Briggs, Katharine (1976). ''An Encyclopedia of Fairies''. Pantheon Books. p. 77. . He is related to the leprechaun and has sometimes been conflated with him as a shoemaker and a guardian of hidden treasure.Briggs (1976), pp. 264–6. This has led some folklorists to suppose that the clurichaun is merely a leprechaun on a drinking spree, while others regard them as regional variations of the same being. Like the leprechaun, the clurichaun is a solitary fairy, encountered alone rather than in groups, as distinct from the trooping fairies. Folklore In the folktale "The Haunted Cellar", recorded by Thomas Crofton Croker in 1825, a clurichaun named Naggeneen haunts the wine cellar of an Irish lord, drinking e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Holly Black
Holly Black (; born November 10, 1971) is an American writer and editor best known for her children's and young adult fiction. Her most recent work is the ''New York Times'' bestselling young adult ''Folk of the Air'' series. She is also well known for ''The Spiderwick Chronicles'', a series of children's fantasy books she created with writer and illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi, and her debut trilogy of young adult novels officially called the ''Modern Faerie Tales''. Black has won a Nebula Award and a Newbery Medal, Newbery Honor. ''The Spiderwick Chronicles'' was adapted into a 2008 The Spiderwick Chronicles (film), film and into a 2023 The Spiderwick Chronicles (TV series), television series, for which Black received a nomination for the Children's and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Young Teen Series. Early life and education Black was born in West Long Branch, New Jersey in 1971, and during her early years her family lived in a "decrepit Victorian house." She graduated from Sh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
