Today we're starting a new label for Bards and Tales: TIPS. This will cover recipes, how to buy certain fruits and veg, quick fixes and more. When something pops up on various feeds, it will be shared here :)
Let's start with how to choose the right watermelon:
Irish Faeries: Abhartach
The
Abhartach is known by many as The Irish Vampire due to his fondness for the red
stuff. However this Derry-based tyrant was, in fact, a dwarf, and probably
mythology’s most terrifying result of small-man syndrome.
Abhartach
is the Irish word for dwarf. He is short in stature, but aside from that, not
much is known of his appearance. Except that when he gained the powers that
allowed him to wreak havoc on all of Ireland, he was ‘strangely changed’ in
appearance, and had glowing green eyes that could be seen from far away, and a
smell that stretched even farther.
Abhartach
is said to have possessed magical abilities and used them to take what he
wanted from the people of the village of Slaghtaverty. Those who refused would
be struck with blight or illness, crushed by stones, or simply found dead in
their homes, faces twisted in pain. He was also known to drink the blood of his
victims and could only be killed using a sword made of yew and then buried
upside down.
According
to Bob Curran, a professor of Celtic history and folklore at the University of
Ulster, the Abhartach is most likely the influence for Bram Stoker’s Dracula
and not Vlad the Impaler. He says that the real Dracula’s castle is located
between Garvagh and Dungiven in Northern Ireland.
Growing up,
Abhartach was bullied for his size, but managed to ingratiate himself to a
local druid who knew a lot about various incantations and spells. One day,
Abhartach and the druid went missing along with many scrolls and texts.
When he
returned he took revenge on all who wronged him by taking whatever he wanted
from them. The people of Slaghtaverty convinced a neighbouring chieftain to
deal with Abhartach, some say that this was Fionn mac Cumhaill, and others say
it was a man named Catháin.
Either way,
the chieftain killed Abhartach and buried him standing up, according to their
customs. The next day however, Abhartach returned more powerful than ever, this
time demanding a bowl of blood from his victims.
Again, the
chieftain killed and buried him, and again he returned more powerful than ever,
this time spreading his terror over the whole of Ireland.
The
chieftain consulted a druid who told him that he had to kill Abhartach with a
sword made of yew and to bury him upside down. After this was done, Abhartach
never returned.
The burial
place of Abhartach is not lost and is said to be under a hawthorn tree and some
stones on a dolmen near the village of Slaghtaverty. In 1997, an attempt was
made to clear the land, but a brand new chainsaw malfunctioned three times when
trying to cut down the tree. While trying to lift the stone, a steel chain
snapped, cutting the hand of one of the workers allowing his blood to soak into
the ground.
Source:
Babylon Radio by Thomas Cleary
Via Celtic Bard Jeff (FB)
The Púca is present in the folklore of not only Ireland, but also Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, and Brittany. So pretty much every Celtic region.
The
appearance of Púcai is hard to define, simply because they are shapeshifters.
They often take on a human form with animal features or will just take on the
form of animals like a horse, cat, or rabbit. Some depictions of Púcai describe
them taking the shape of a goblin wearing a long black coat.
In Wexford,
it is said to take on the form of an eagle; in Roscommon, it appears as a black
goat; while in Laois, it takes on the form of a boogeyman character.
Like the
leprechaun, Púcai are not really considered either good or evil, and are often
seen as a trickster. However, they do seem to enjoy human misery a lot more
than the leprechaun does. Taking the shape of a large black horse and trampling
crops during the night. If cows or chickens see the Púca they will be so
traumatised that they will no longer be able to produce milk and eggs. Farmers
would leave a portion of their crops for the Púca to take in order to appease
the creature temporarily. This tradition is still upheld by some farmers today,
who leave a ‘Púca’s share’ in order to placate it.
On a Púca’s
more peaceful side, they have also been known to appear to people who are just
about to be involved in a serious accident or happen upon a malevolent spirit.
Finally,
Púcai have been known to play practical jokes on local people. Targeting drunks
coming home late at night, enticing them onto their backs, and taking them on a
wild ride before dumping them off in the early hours of the morning.
‘Púca’ is
the Irish word for ghost or spirit. While the Púca is most likely a creature of
celtic mythology, there are some who believe that it originally comes from
Norse myth, with all Scandinavian languages having similar words for an evil
spirit.
The Púca
has been referenced in the texts of several famous writers, including W.B
Yeats, Brian O’Nolan, and of course, William Shakespeare.
Apparently,
the only human to ever successfully ride a Púca was High King of Ireland Brian
Bóru. He controlled the magic of the creature by using a special bridle made
using three hairs from the Púca’s tail. Thanks to his physical prowess, Brian
stayed on the Púca’s back until it became exhausted and surrendered to him.
After his
victory, Brain forced the Púca to make two promises: that it would no longer
torment people and ruin their property, and that it would never again attack an
Irishman unless he was drunk or had evil intent.
Source: Babylon
Radio by Thomas Cleary
Via Celtic Bard Jeff (FB)
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