In Celtic nythology, the Morrígan is a complex figure embodying war, fate, and sovereignty. She’s often depicted as a shapeshifter and appears as a crow on the battlefield to foretel doom or victory. As a goddess of war, the Morrígan decides the outcome of battles. In this role, she may bless or curse kings and… Continue reading Celtic Myth: The Morrigan
The Grey Mare of Ballachulish is a haunting tale of a supernatural horse found on the moors near the village of Ballachulish, Scotland. The mare is seen on misty nights where she blends into the mist like a liminal being. If unfortunate enough to be caught on the moors during a misty night, the ghostly… Continue reading Scottish Folklore: Grey Mare of Ballachulish
The Moirai or Fates are Ancient Greek deities, three sisters who weave the destinies and lives of mortals. Clotho is responsible for spinning the thread of life; Lachesis decides on the fortune or unfortunate paths and the length of an individual’s thread of life; lastly, Atropos, chooses when an individual dies by cutting the thread… Continue reading Greek Myth: The Fates
Pocket watch Image from Pinterest Alternate history is a term readers and writers will often come across as a sub-genre. It is a sub-genre that fascinates me and I often incorporate this into my writing. But what really does writing “alternate history” really involve? A new guide by AUS author Jack Dann The Fiction Writer’s… Continue reading What is Alternate History?
In Norwegian legend and folklore in the days before Yuletide, the Oskoreia ride through the skies. This ghostly horde of the restless dead and witches spreads terror through the wintry night sky. The Oskoreia is not dissimilar to the continental European legend of the “The Wild Hunt”. There is a common root throughout all these… Continue reading Norwegian Legend: the Oskoreia
Town of Tipperary - Amergin Bard “Are you a witch? Are you a Fairy? Or are you the wife of Michael Cleary?” These are the haunting lines of an Irish children’s dancing rhyme still remembered in modern Ireland today. It tells of a brutal murder, madness a strong belief in the Fair Folk. In Tipperary,… Continue reading Irish Folklore: The Fairy Wife
A samodiva (plural: samodivi) is a wood nymph from the Balkans, specifically in Bulgaria. Samodiva translates ‘samo’ (alone) and ‘diva’ (wild/divine). The first part of the name signifies avoidance of humans and the second part indicates the wild or divine nature. These nymphs are forest spirits who appear as beautiful young women. But the Samodivi… Continue reading Slavic Folklore: Samodivi
Art - Marek Hapon The likho is part of Eastern Slavic fairy tales. Although not as frequently mentioned as the witch Baba Yaga, the likho assumes many guises from an old woman clad in black or a male goblin-like being. The common feature in both is the likho has only one eye. In the pre-Christian… Continue reading Slavic Folklore: The Likho
Nidhogg (Old Norse Níðhöggr, “He Who Strikes with Malice”) is one of several serpents or dragons in the Nine Worlds. The most famous serpent is Jormungand or the Midgard-serpent but Nidhogg is a dragon trapped beneath the Yggdrasil and constantly gnawing at its roots and corpses. Nidhogg is a force for chaos by destroying Yggdrasil,… Continue reading Norse Myth: Nidhogg
Funerary statue of a siren with a shell lyre, c. 370 BCE In Ancient Greek mythology, the sirens are vaguely described by various sources but are usually interpreted as being large birds with the heads of women. In the classic Ancient Greek legend The Odyssey attributed to Homer, the hero Odysseus’s ship is attacked by sirens… Continue reading Greek Myth: Sirens
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