Maresch the Midwife

Maresch the Midwife

by | Apr 15, 2014 | A to Z Challenge, Fairytales and Folklore

There is a story in Michael Scott’s book Irish Folk and Fairy Tales Omnibus, of a Sidhe named Maresch who helps deliver the early arrival of a baby while the husband is absent having been caught in a storm.  Once the baby is born, Maresch then burns a fire that makes...
Lamphyr

Lamphyr

by | Apr 14, 2014 | A to Z Challenge, Fairytales and Folklore

Lamphyr are my own creation. They are gaunt, wraith-like men shrouded in dark grey cloaks. The most notable feature about them is that they have no eyes, yet they can still see with the aid of the lamps they carry with them. They are generally unpleasant fellows who...
Kannon

Kannon

by | Apr 12, 2014 | A to Z Challenge, Fairytales and Folklore

Kannon is the Japanese goddess of mercy, compassion, and pets. She is usually depicted as female, but can also be depicted as male, which I think is pretty interesting. I’ve read somewhere that androgyny is quite prevalent in myth and lore, but it’s not something I’ve...
Janus

Janus

by | Apr 11, 2014 | A to Z Challenge, Fairytales and Folklore

I was a big fan of Greek and Roman mythology as a kid. When I first read about Janus, he became an instant favorite, though that might have been influenced by the fact that he seemed to be the only god that was uniquely Roman.   Janus is a two-faced god that is...
Iord

Iord

by | Apr 10, 2014 | A to Z Challenge, Fairytales and Folklore

Iord (or Jord) is the Norse personification of earth. “Jord” is also the Swedish word for “earth,” which is pretty cool. In terms of god relationships, Iord is a consort of Odin, mother of Thor, and daughter of Night.   Interestingly, Night is the daughter of the...
Hook

Hook

by | Apr 9, 2014 | A to Z Challenge, Fairytales and Folklore

Not the Hook from Neverland, but the Hook from “Crack, Crook, and Hook” infamy. I wrote about Crack and Crook earlier and their misadventures in stealing from the king’s treasury. Well, the story that includes Hook seems to precede that.   See, Crack,...