B is for ... Black Shuck

Good old Black Shuck!
He's a demon dog that's close to my heart *sigh*

We both hail from the area of East Anglia in the UK and I grew up hearing his stories.
He's a bit of a celebrity around here. 
A terrifying, demon celebrity. 

If you didn't grow up with Black Shuck like I did, then you might not know too much about this scary, phantom hound.

Black Shuck was said to terrorise the area of East Anglia in the 16th Century.
He is described as a HUGE, black, ghostly dog with a single, firey eye in the middle of his head. His howl is said to make the hearers blood run cold, yet his footsteps make no sound at all. He is said to be an omen of death and you should squeeze your eyes tight shut if you think he might be close.

In a pamphlet from 1577 a terrorfying attack by Black Shuck is described as happening at St Mary's Church in Bungay:

"This black dog, or the devil in such a linenesse (God hee knoweth al who worketh all,) running all along down the body of the church with great swiftnesse, and incredible haste, among the people, in a visible fourm and shape, passed between two persons, as they were kneeling uppon their knees, and occupied in prayer as it seemed, wrung the necks of them bothe at one instant clene backward, in somuch that even at a mome[n]t where they kneeled, they stra[n]gely dyed."

*shudder*

A similar attack also is said to have happened in Suffolk and there are even burn marks left on the church door that were apparently made by Black Shuck as he made his exit.

Burn marks made by Black Shuck on a church door in Suffolk.

 The word 'Shuck' is thought to come from an old English word meaning 'demon' - scucca.
Or possibly an old local dialect word that meant 'shaggy' or 'hairy' - shucky

More recently in East Anglia, the bones of a very large dog were discovered in the ruins of an Abbey. This Abbey is only a few miles away from where the Black Shuck attacks were said to have taken place!

The remains of a large dog found in the ruins of Leiston Abbey, Suffolk.

The skeleton that was uncovered is thought to belong to a male dog who would have stood at 7 foot tall on his hind legs, and weighed in at 200lb!
What a monster!
Pottery fragments found alongside the skeleton date from the time of Black Shuck's alleged rein.

Do we need more proof that Black Shuck is real?
I. THINK. NOT.

Books featuring Black Shuck:

P is for...Pukis

The Pukis is a small creature who takes the form of a cat during the day and changes into a dragon when night falls. A Pukis will guard its masters home and bring good fortune to its owner. It will also steal treasures for its master - normally from their neighbours - as the Pukis is small and extremely fast and agile, it makes the perfect thief. 

O is for...Old Lady Of The Elder Tree

The Old Lady Of The Elder Tree (or Elder Mother) come from the folklore of Germany and Denmark. She wears a cloak and carries a magical staff made out of wood from the Elder tree. If anyone else wishes to take wood from an Elder tree then they must first ask the Elder Mother by saying:

"Old girl, give me some of thy wood and I will give thee some of mine when I grow into a tree"

If permission is not asked before taking the wood then the person will be cursed with bad luck and the wood will become twisted and rot.

L is for...Leshii

Every forest has its own Leshii who lives deep within the trees with his wife and children. The Leshii normally takes the form of a man with hair and beard of leaves, grass and vines, but he can also take on the shape of any animal or plant. He is the guardian of the forest and protects all the animals living there. The Leshii is not evil but he does enjoy misguiding travellers and leaving them lost within the woods. If he is befriended, however, he will pass on his knowledge of magic.

If there is more than one Leshii in a single forest then they will fight violently to claim the territory as their own, leaving a trail of fallen trees and scared animals. When travelling through the forest it is sensible to take a gift of bread for the Leshii to ward off his troublesome nature.

**************

L is also for LATE.

I had pre-written and scheduled this post for Saturday and then I went away, but apparently it was shy and wanted to stay in hiding. So I apologise for this a-z post being a few days late.

J is for...Jerff

Deep in the forests of Sweden lives the Jerff. This creature lives on a diet of carrion (the dead flesh of animals), which it eats and eats until it is fat and bloated. When it can eat no more it will find two trees growing close together and squeeze itself between them - pushing the meat through its body at the same time - and then begin the whole ritual again.

Hunters would wait until the Jerff was wedged between the two trees and then attack and kill. The creature was not hunted for its meat, but rather for its blood which is believed to have aphrodisiac qualities. This blood would be mixed with honey to make a sweet drink and served to couples on their wedding day.

G is for...Gwyllion

art by Larry MacDougall

The Gwyllion are female creatures who live in the treacherous mountain areas of Wales. Their name comes from the Welsh word gwyll which means gloom and darkness. This creature appears as hag dressed in grey clothes and wearing a four-pointed hat - they can sometime even disguise themselves as goats.

Gwyllion are often mistaken for kind old women by unfortunate travellers who have lost their way. These creatures will offer to guide them back on the right path, but once they have realised their mistake in following her (usually by hearing her very distinctive laugh) it would be too late and she will drown them in mountain lakes.

During bad weather a Gwyllion may visit a humans home in order to get warm and escape the rain. If this happens then great care must be taken to not offend her - she must be offered clean water and all metal knives must be hidden from view.

F is for...Fachan

The Fachan (also known as Peg-Leg-Jack) is a creature from Scottish and Irish Folklore who only has half a body. It has one leg, one eye, one hand coming out of its chest, a huge mouth and a tuft of black feathers on the top of its head. Legend says that its appearance is so horrifying that it can actually cause heart attacks.

The Fachan is very dangerous and is sometimes known to wield a chain in its strong, singular arm. It can swing this chain so hard that it is able to destroy an entire orchard in a night. It is a solitary creature and will kill anyone who is foolish enough to wander into its territory.

D is for...Domovoi

The Domovoi (dom means "house") is a household spirit from Russia and eastern European folklore. He is a friendly creature and is vital to the health and wellbeing of any home, but he is also volatile, impulsive and prone to violent tantrums if aggravated. He helps the family of his house by doing household work and chores and helps to maintain peace and order.

He is a very shy creature who is not often seen, but when he is, he is covered in fur and is often mistaken for the family pet. Sometimes the Domovoi takes on the guise of the master of the house and some people say that he resembles a very old man, in fact he is referred to as "Grandfather" behind his back. The Domovoi was also thought of as an oracle and he could warn his family about future events, for example; if he pulled a woman's hair it meant there was a danger of an abusive man, if he was seen to be weeping then there would be a death in the family and if he played music on a comb it meant there would soon be a wedding.

He is said to live under the threshold of the door or under the stove and must be addressed as "Master" if spotted to show proper respect. Some people like to leave him gifts of milk and biscuits at night as a way of thanking him and to ensure protection of their home. If the Domovoi of a house becomes unhappy then it will play nasty tricks on the members of its household, such as leaving muddy footprints, making the walls creak, throwing pots and smashing plates. If things escalate too far then he may even suffocate people in their sleep, but he can be made happy again before this happens by leaving him salted bread wrapped in white cloth or by hanging some old boots in the garden for him. 

A is for...Afanc

The Afanc (pronounced avank) is a water creature from traditional Welsh mythology, but references can also be found in British and Celtic folklore. Descriptions of its appearance vary but it is most often thought to resemble a giant beaver, though this may be because the word 'afanc' comes from a Welsh word meaning beaver. It is also said to look like a crocodile, dwarf, demon or a frog with sharp claws.

This creature lives in the lakes of Wales where it preys on anyone foolish enough to fall in, or take a swim in the waters. Its victims are devoured instantly. 

The Afanc has a weakness for beautiful women and in one tale it was tricked into falling asleep in a young maidens lap while the local villagers attempted to chain it up and drag it away. However, the creature awoke and its violent struggles crushed the poor maiden.

In another story the beast caused a huge flood with the thrashings of its tail. The waters killed everyone in the country except for Dwyfan and his wife Dwyfach, who built an ark to save themselves. The couple then founded the British race.

The stories of King Arthur even mention the ferocious Afanc. The king is said to have dragged the creature from the lake on his horse Llamrai, where he then managed to kill it. There is a hoof print in a rock near Llyn Barfog which, legend says, was made by his horse when he killed the beast.

Some legends say that the Afanc still survives and is living in lake Cwm Ffynnon.

- Norwegian Folklore - The Nøkken

After seeing the stunning folklore themed portraits yesterday by Eyes as Big as Plates, I started to drown myself in traditional Norwegian and Finnish folklore. I met a whole host of fantastical creatures and read a mountain of wonderful stories, many of which will more than likely end up on here so that I can share them with you.

The Nøkken is a very dangerous and extremely frightening creature from Norwegian folklore. He lives in rivers, lakes and ponds which have water lilies growing in them, in order to more easily lure people to their doom when they try the pick the beautiful flowers. 

He is believed to be a shape-shifter who can take many forms depending on his victim. If he wanted to lure in young women then he would pose as a handsome man playing a fiddle or harp. His beautiful music would seduce them and trick them into a watery grave. He also commonly appeared as a stunning white horse which would happily let young children climb onto its back before diving back into the water and drowning them. Sometimes he would take the form of a wooden boat, a tree stump or a floating log and he could make the the waters edge appear further in than it really was - tricking his victims into falling into the deep water. In some stories he can even become invisible. (I think the Nøkken is definitely in the running for my top 5 most terrifying folk creatures!)

Nøkken -  By Theodor Kittelsen

His true form, however, is far, far from beautiful or alluring. The Nøkken has skin like that of a drowned corpse and is covered from head to toe in seagrass. His huge mouth is filled with razor sharp teeth and his glowing yellow eyes can often be seen floating just above or in the water.

Thankfully there are a few ways to protect yourself from this truly frightening creature. One way is by spitting and then throwing a steel needle or cross into the water, and if you speak its name then the Nøkken will die.

"Nøkken! Nøkken! needle in water. Virgin Mary tossed steel into the water! You are sinking I am floating!" 

- a riddle for protection. 

Boy on White Horse - By Theodor Kittelsen

In the tales and descriptions of the Nøkken we can see similarities with other pieces of familiar folklore, the most obvious of these is the Scottish Kelpie, as both of these creatures take the form of beautiful horses who intend to drown the guliable and unweary. We can also see hints of the will-o'-the-wisp in the Nøkken's glowing yellow eyes.

As a tool for teaching and keeping people safe the Nøkken, Kelpie and Will-o'-the-wisp are all equally brilliant. They teach us to be weary of water, to stay away from its treacherous edges even if flowers tempt us closer. We are taught not to talk to strangers or go near wild animals, no matter how beautiful they or their music may seem to us. And if we see strange glowing lights we most definitely must run away as fast as we can!

So the next time you're walking past a lake or river and hear a piece of enchanting music, I hope you'll remember these warnings and turn the other way. 
Better safe than sorry.

Folklore Portraiture.

'Eyes as Big as Plates' is a stunning series of photographic portraits by the talented Riitta Ikonen (Finland) and Karoline Hjorth (Norway).

"Inspired by the romantics’ belief that folklore is the clearest reflection of the soul of a people, 'Eyes as Big as Plates' started out as a play on characters and protagonists from Norwegian folklore. During a one month residency at the KINOKINO Centre for Art and Film in the South West of Norway, the Norwegian photographer Karoline Hjorth and I collaborated with sailors, farmers, professors, artisans, psychologists, teachers, parachuters and senior citizens... The series has since moved on to exploring the mental landscape of the neighbourly and pragmatic Finns. In June 2012 Finnish senior citizens modelled in the wilderness of south and eastern Finland."

Click HERE and HERE to see more photos from the series.

I love the look and feel of these portraits - bringing the everyday and the mythical together in a perfect mix of strange and spooky. They have an extremely earthy, natural look to them, despite their subjects wearing modern day clothing. 

That last photo definitely reminds me of my trip to find the treasure of Callow Pit the other day. Mist and fog are my very favourite weather types - the whole world feels more magical when its covered in fog, and maybe a bit more frightening too!

I would love to find out which characters from Finnish/Norwegian folklore these portraits are based on, so that I could gain a better understanding of the photos - plus the characters just look so interesting! I'm sure their stories must be more than wonderful.