Pooka,pookha,puka/Kelpie/Aughishkha
Leslie Sitek
Debbie Lum <db...@quiknet.com> wrote:
>Hi,
> I looking for the description of and any information about the
>following three Celtic/Gaelic creatures:
>The Pooka. I have seen it as anything from a spiit that takes the form
>of an animal, to a race of the Sidh capable of assuming any animal form.
>The Kelpie. I have seen it represented as anything from an aquatic horse
>monster, to a race of shape changers, toa n aquatic being like the
>Nix/Nixie/Necksa.
>The Aughishkha (the Water Horse). I have seen it represented as either a
>horse spirit, or malevolent aquatic horse monster.
> Is there anything more definitive, are there any sources, how if
>at all are they different?
>Thank you,
>Debbie
1. I have a book "Sheakspeare and the Welsh" by Frederic J. Harries,
published by Llanerch, UK; ISBN 0947992642.
Chapter XV is called: "Sheakspeare's "Puck" and the Welsh "Pwcca".
There is a "pauky" in Scotland, "pooca" in Ireland and in Iceland
(where many Irish bards either settled or were taken as prisoners) a
"puki".
In Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream, we have a "merry
wanderer of the night" who is given the name of "Puck":
"That fights the maidens of the villigery;
Skim milk, and sometimes labour in the quern,
And bootless make the breathless housewife chrn,
And somtime make the drink to bear no barm
Mislead night wanderers, laughing at their harm....."
In Brecon is a Puck Valley/Cwm Pwcca
2. In the book "Celtic Lore" by Ward Rutherford, published by
Aquario\an/Thorson; ISBN 1-85538-134-6 mentions in Chapter 15 "The
Gods Dethroned" pwcca's:
These crearures were not menacing, merely playful.
Channel Islands: pouque; especially connected with the megalithic
monuments
Irish: puca
Welsh: pwca
Cornish: bucca
English: Puck
How the manifest: as will-o'-the-wisp, postergeist, hole repertoire of
tricks, sometimes cruel.
According to this book they exchange human babies for their own; as
far as I know this was mainly the habit of the Tylwyth Teg (in Wales;
I am not familiar with the habits of the Irish Tuatha De Danann).
I know though that pwcca from different countries/regions differ in
their habits:
The Newlyn bucca could be bribed with gifts of fish.
The Breton "corrigans", so given to exchanging babies that the term
"Little Corrigan" was applied to any infant whose parantage was
dubious, could be placed by those willing to join their dance among
the dolmens and menhirs, riciting the days of the week.
3. In "More Wesh Fairy and Folk Tales" by W. Jenkyn Thomas, Cardiff
University of Wales, 1957 the chapter "Evil Spirits" is also about the
"Pwca".
It mentions the Pwca of the Trwyn as a pranksome and mischievous
spirit.
"The whole country was full of spirits like it or worse. They had many
names - bwgan, bwci, bwbach, ellyll, cythraul, gwiddon, gwyll were
some of them."
4. Cambrian Superstitions by W. Howells, 1831; reprint by Llanerch;
ISBN 0947992685 doesn't contain the word Pwcca or Pwca as far as I
know (I read it some years ago). It does mention the ellyll that is a
simular type of ghost I think.
I hope I did add things new for you research.
Leslie Sitek
---------
In the book _Faeries_ by Brian Froud we find the following two tidbits
of
info:
1) "Pixies often take the form of hedgehogs, known in dialect as
urchins."
(page unknown - the book doesn't have page numbers!)
2) "The Phooka is an Irish goblin with a variety of rough beast-like
forms. He appears sometimes as a dog or a horse, or even a bull, but
he
is generally jet-black with blazing eyes. As a seemingly friendly,
shaggy, sway-back pony Phooka offers the unwary traveller a welcome
lift; but once astride he is taken for a wild and terrifying gallop
across the wettest and most thorny country, eventually to be dumped
headlong into the mire or deposited in a ditch. The chuckle is that
of
the Phooka as he gallops away."
"Phooka sometimes takes the form of an eagle and carries men on
his back."
--------------
Puck/Pooka/Phooka (and so on) is NOT an evil folkloric being. He is a
classic Trickster type, a prankster who is totally amoral by human
standards. Puck is the English name for him; Robin Goodfellow is
another name for Puck. Whether or not there's a tie-in to the Robin
Hood legend is still open to debate.
The Kelpie is, indeed, a water horse, and more perilous, generally,
than
the Phooka; he does, sometimes, drown folks he tricks into riding him.
-------------------------------------
If you want to read more about him in his many forms and guises, any
book
by Katherine Briggs is bound to have stories about him.
------
Some detaills I picked up from a discussion about the Pwcca in
alt.mythology some months ago.
Regards,
Leslie Sitek
Leslie Sitek
Debbie Lum <db...@quiknet.com> wrote:
>Hi,
> I looking for the description of and any information about the
>following three Celtic/Gaelic creatures:
>The Pooka. I have seen it as anything from a spiit that takes the form
>of an animal, to a race of the Sidh capable of assuming any animal form.
>The Kelpie. I have seen it represented as anything from an aquatic horse
>monster, to a race of shape changers, toa n aquatic being like the
>Nix/Nixie/Necksa.
>The Aughishkha (the Water Horse). I have seen it represented as either a
>horse spirit, or malevolent aquatic horse monster.
> Is there anything more definitive, are there any sources, how if
>at all are they different?
Hello Debbie,
I have a small story about the Water Horse of St bride's Bay, Dyfed.
The Ceffyl Dw^r, of Water Horse, was one of the most firmly believed
spectres in rural wales in the past.It was generally a small but
beautiful horse which tempted unwary travellers to ride but suddenly
galloped away throwing the rider to destruction, except ministers who
were allowed a peaceful jouney.
The Water Horse was often seen on the shore , dappled, grey or like
the sand in colour. One was seen in St Brides Bay after a storm. A
farmer caught it and harnessed it to the plough . Everything went well
for someweeks. Then, apparently seized with an impulse, the Water
Horse dragged both plough and ploughman through the field at a furious
pace, down to the shore and into the sea, disappearing in the waves.
(From: "Myths and Legends of Wales" (1987) by Tony Roberts)
According to this story a Ceffyl Dw^r is not a Pwcca, but a worse type
of (strong) "ghost".
Regards,
Leslie Sitek
Leslie Sitek
sit...@pop.pi.net (Leslie Sitek) wrote:
>Debbie Lum <db...@quiknet.com> wrote:
>>The Pooka. I have seen it as anything from a spiit that takes the form
>>of an animal, to a race of the Sidh capable of assuming any animal form.
>Chapter XV is called: "Sheakspeare's "Puck" and the Welsh "Pwcca".
>English: Puck
>--------------
>Puck/Pooka/Phooka (and so on) is NOT an evil folkloric being. He is a
>classic Trickster type, a prankster who is totally amoral by human
>standards. Puck is the English name for him; Robin Goodfellow is
>another name for Puck. Whether or not there's a tie-in to the Robin
>Hood legend is still open to debate.
Hi,
There is a 17th century ballad "The Mad Merry Prank of Robin
Goodfellow". Here he is a spirit of the forests and waxing vegetation
who was virtually identical with Jack-in-the-Green - the midsummer
male sacrifice and 'Green Man' - and he was later to become closely
linked to the elusive legendary outlaw Robin Hood.
Together with Maid Marian as his Queen, Robin appears in guise of the
May King in the Morris dancing/dramas of the Beltane fertility
revelries.
The frontpiece of this book shows a sort of fertilty dance with Robin
Goodfellow in the middle (like this he would be procecuted for
exhibitionism in our days ;-)) of two concentric circles. Between
these two circles ordenary people dance.
Regard,
Leslie Sitek
Sandy Fleming
In article <4m5272$c...@neptunus.pi.net>, Leslie Sitek
<sit...@pop.pi.net> writes
>
>In Brecon is a Puck Valley/Cwm Pwcca
>
are fond of saying that Shakespeare actually stayed in the region for a
while (possibly whilst writing A Midsummer Nights Dream?) and even
reckon on being able to point out a house or two where he stayed.
I'm told that Cwm Pwca & Shakespeare's Cave are in an inaccessible
region of the hills, unfortunately, and it would be dangerous to attempt
to visit the place.
This info is all based on local hearsay - although the cave & the cwm do
exist and go by these names!
--
Sandy Fleming
Leslie Sitek
Debbie Lum <db...@quiknet.com> wrote:
>Hi,
> I looking for the description of and any information about the
>following three Celtic/Gaelic creatures:
>The Pooka. I have seen it as anything from a spiit that takes the form
>of an animal, to a race of the Sidh capable of assuming any animal form.
>The Kelpie. I have seen it represented as anything from an aquatic horse
>monster, to a race of shape changers, toa n aquatic being like the
>Nix/Nixie/Necksa.
>The Aughishkha (the Water Horse). I have seen it represented as either a
>horse spirit, or malevolent aquatic horse monster.
> Is there anything more definitive, are there any sources, how if
>at all are they different?
Hello Debbie,
I think I have information that is more complete than my earlier
postings.
>> >Debbie Lum <db...@quiknet.com> wrote:
>> >>The Pooka. I have seen it as anything from a spiit that takes the form
>> >>of an animal, to a race of the Sidh capable of assuming any animal form.
>> >Chapter XV is called: "Sheakspeare's "Puck" and the Welsh "Pwcca".
>> >English: Puck
>> >--------------
Puck says in a scene of the Midsummer Night's Dream:
"I'll follow you, I'll lead you about, around,
Trough bog, trough bush, though brake, through brair.
Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound,
A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire;
And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn
Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire at even turn."
> Thank you for the references and information. Thank you
>especially for the source books. The last one I mentioned, the
>Aughishkha may also be spelled "Each-Uisge or Usiage-Baugh" literal
>meaning "Water Horse". Have questioned whether or not they may be a
>"race" vs. "spirit". Have read a fictional account which states they are
>a race of the Sidh, capable of assuming the form of any animal, but
>cursed because they would only remained changed for limited amount of
>time. At any rate, thanks again for the sources.
>
I know a little bit about the Sidh. But because I'm mainly focused on
the Brythonic Celts, I thought others would be more qualified to
answer.
I'll try anyway.
From the Irish 'Lebor Gaba/la' ('Book of Invasions') from 1168 (Later
redaction 'Anna/la Ri/oghachta E/ireann('Annals of the Kingdom of
Ireland, by the four Masters') 1848-1851;
Six peoples immigrated to Ireland:
1. group of Cessair
2. grand-daughter of Noach
3. group of Partholon,
4. the people of Nemed
5. Fir Bolg or the men of Zak
6. Thuatha De/ Danann or the children of Danu and the Melesians.
The members of Fir Bolg became the 'bad guys'; The Thuatha De/ Danann
became the devine race.When the Melesians came the Thuatha De/ Danann
settled in the caves and the hills of the si/th. Hereafter the Thuatha
De/ Danann got a lowere status and were given the title Good People
and Fairies.
The Thuatha De/ Danann consisted of three social ranks:
tuathach - chieftains
de/ - gods
da\n - artsmen and other talented people
Their is no Brythonic account left about earlier peoples (as far as I
know) of Britain (in Llyfr Guyn Rhydderch, White Book of Rhydderch:
1. the island was empty (name Myrddin's Precinct)
2. the island was inhabitated by 'people' (name Island of Honey)
3. the island was conquered by Prydein son of Aedd The Great (name
Britain).
The race of the gods, The Thuatha De/ Danann or People of Dana, were
migrants of the 'islands of the north of the world' and brought with
them four gifts - a sword, a spear, a cauldron and a rough-hewn block
stone - and 'science, magic, wisdom, art and Druidism'. With such a
combination they were invulnerable to all enemies, until the arrival
of the Milesians. Forced to cede their land to them, some of the
Thuatha returned to their northerly islands, while others took up
residence in the prehistoric tumuli, the sidhs.
The Milesians are considered the authentic Celtic race and their
predecessors left them the four gifts and much of the rest.
Water sources of all kinds were considered were certainly regarded as
junctions withe the 'Otherworld'. So, too, were the prehistoric
tumuli, the irish sidhs.
Consistent with this is that Druidic training took place in 'remote
caves and forest santuaries' (Pomponius Mela). The Irish word 'uamh',
usually translated as 'cave', was also used to designate the vaulted
inner chamber of a tumulus - the 'sidh' - with its Otherworld
connotations.
In Britisch literature the horse godess is represented by Rhianon. In
the Welsh story of the Mabinogion that takes his name Pwyll, Lord of
Dyfed, visits Gorsedd Arberth. 'Gorsedd' means both a throne and a
mount and is cognate with the Irish sidh. This particular one has a
similar property to the Irish Hill of Tara in that whenever anyone of
royal blood sits on it a marvel will occur. The marvel Pwyll sees is a
mysterious woman on a grey horse. She proves to be Rhiannon who
becomes his wife. When later her infant son - whose birth is linked
with the foaling mare - vanishes, she is accused of murdering him and
made to stand at the mounting-block outside her husband's court to
bring visitors to it on her back.
The dwellers of the sidhs mingled with the living and tried to lure
them to the Otherworld. It could be fatal to taste food (often a magic
apple) of the Otherworld.
Bonfires round november and december are often on mounds (sidhs).
The misterious Celtic godess Diana could be the same as Dana the
founder of the Thuatha De/ Danann. Their could be als a link to the
Arianrhod. Arianrhod and Rhianon could be originally be the same
godesses.
Further there could be the development Diana --> Dana ---> ana.
Ana --> Aine gives a possible connection to the Munster (Ireland) sidh
woman Aine.
One could argue that the many St Ana's in the Celtic regions could be
related to the godess(es?) Aine/Rhianon/Diana/Dana.
The horse godesses Rhianon (British) and the Irish Macha have much in
common.
The Wesh expression "Tylwyth Teg" means "The Fair Folk", the fairies.
The word "tylwyth" is congate with the irish word "tuatha" and
identifies them with the Thuatha De/ Danann of ireland. The Tuatha, we
know, took over the megalithic tumuli, the didhs. The cornish
'piskies', the Breton 'bonnes dames' and Channal island fai^taux
favoured similar accomodation, on wich account they must be left
undisturbed.
The woman from the sidh, the banshee, palely beautiful and with her
tresses of flowing hair, was an omen of disaster whose dirge could be
heard among the glens and lochs of Ireland and Scotland
The Macha could also manifest herelf, as she did to Cu Chulainn and
King Cormac, in the guise of Washer-at-the-Ford. the twelfth-century
Norman leader Richard de Clare, known as Strongbow, was warned of the
defeat of his troops by the apparition of a hag washing at a ford
'till the red gore churned in her hands'. In Scotland she was the
web-footed "ban nighechain"; in Brittany, the kannered-noz or
kannered-loar washing the shroud wich which would be shortly be worn
by whoever had the misfortune to encounter her. In Wales she
was the black Gwrachyribin or Cyoeraeth stirring the waters with her
bat-like wings and foretelling misfortune or death with her
blood-curding shriek.
Among the not so menacing sidh-dwellers were: pouques (Cannel
Islands), puca (Ireland), pwcca (Wales), bucca (Cornwall), corrigans
(Brittany) and Puck (England). (For more details about bucca's etc.
see my earlier postings).
Many of the repetoir of tricks of these sidh-dwellers were the same as
the Tuathan gods employed against the Melesian invaders, according to
the twelfth -century 'Book of Leinster'.
Some sidh-dwellers could even be positively beneficient. If so
disposed a Cornish 'pisky' might thresh a farmer's corn for him during
the night or, by knocking, warn tin miners of immanent danger. The
'bonnes dames' have even been known to help a weary housewife or
skivvy.
The fairies could change themselves into animals. In Ireland,
Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man one finds the dangerous Water
Horse which emerges from the lake, taking on human shape in the
process.
Especially the Welsh and Scottish Water Horses were dangerous; the
Irish and Manx ones were less sinister and could help with household
chores (like the bonnes dames), though if ill-rewarded they would take
offence and vanish or do worse.
The Water Horse's feminine counterpart could sometimes choose a mortal
mate.The husbands of these mare-wives are not alowed to exploit their
equine nature. If they do she vanishes, never again to be seen.
Traces of horse lore survive in such costums as the hallowe'en 'White
mare' in county Cork, the Mari Llwyd (Grey Mare) in South Wales.
There are too other creatures als cows (Brindled Cow, Grey Cow) and
bulls (Bull with tree cranes, Great bull of Donn) who could emerge
from the water or are otherwise of devine decent.
---------------------------------------------------------
Most of the information about the sidhs I got out of these books:
1. Celtic Lore, The history of the Druids and thair timeless
traditions, by
Ward Rutherford, published by Aquarian/Torsons; ISBN 1-85538-134-6;
2. The Celtic Tradition by Caitlin Matthews, published by Element
Books Ltd.,
Longmead, Shaftesbury, Dorset, England, 1989.
3. Canbrian Superstitians, comprising ghosts, omens, witchcraft,
traditions,
&c., by W. Howells, 1831; facsimile reprint 1991 by Llanerch
Publishers,
Felinfach, Wales;ISBN 0947992 68 5
Regards,
Leslie
^^
(OO)
----------------------o0o------o0o---
Name: Leslie Sitek
E-mail: sit...@pi.net (Leslie Sitek)
-------------------------------------
cdu...@freenet.vcu.edu
Phouka:(pooka)The Irish word 'Pouka' is sometimes used, as
'Pouk' or Puck, was in Middle English, for the Devil. More
usually he is a kind of bogy or bogy-beast, something like the
Picktree in Northern England, who takes various forms, most
usually a horse, but also an eagle or bat, and is responsible
for people falling as well.(ENCLYCLOPEDIA OF FAIRIES)
GORDON