The Rise of the Golems




Golems were first cast in Jewish folklore and have even been mentioned in the Bible. Made from only clay or mud by their creators with a sprinkling or arcane magic they can be transformed into animated beings. Maybe it was these creatures who served as inspiration for the tale of Pinocchio and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein?

It was believed that the mystical Kabbalists were able to create golems who were seen as heroes who could protect the Jewish community from anti-Semitic attacks. There is a tale of Rabbi Judah Loew of Prague who saved his people by creating a golem to protect them. Using clay from the banks of the Vltava river he brought to life a golem who could make himself invisible and even summon spirits from the dead in order to protect his people. The rabbi was able to deactivate the golem by removing the shem from his mouth, but after a time he was forced to destroy his creation after his golem had grown vengeful and violent. However the rabbi stored the broken fragments of his beloved golem in the attack of his synagogue where the golem could be reactivated if needed. 

The most recent development surrounding this particular golem was during the Second World War a Nazi reputedly broke into the synagogue located in Prague and was killed in mysterious circumstances whilst trying to destroy the golem's remains.




In Jewish folklore Golems were seen as heroic forces of power who could protect the Jews and seek revenge in times when they were powerless. One tale recounts how a group of rabbis were able to create a calf out of earth to prevent themselves from starving. They were not seen as intelligent creatures capable of independence but obedient servants to their masters, much like a robot.

When you consider what a golem is you can see how the tale of the Ginger Bread man has been shaped by golem folklore which is still just as popular as it was in the middle ages. Even today golems are very popular just think of the recent film Ex-Machina where a multi-millionaire tech genius creates a series of human-like robots to serve him. It's a great film do go and watch it!


About the Author

S.J.Budd is a writer of all things weird and creepy. Previously her tales have been featured on Deandman's Tome,  Sanitarium Magazine, Dark Gothic Resurrected, Liquid Imagination, Aphotic Realm, Aurora Wolf, Aphelion, Blood Moon Rising Magazine, The Wild Hunt, Danse Macabre, Shadows at the Door, Inner Sins, Bewildering Stories, Siren's Call and many more.
She lives at www.sjbudd.co.uk  and  @sjbuddj 
Spells and Persuasions, her debut collection of short stories of horror and dark fantasy is available now in paperback and kindle from Amazon

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Blood lust of the Red Caps

Image
The red cap was a murderous goblin who lived in abandoned castles on the Anglo-Scottish borders. Their caps were red as after every kill they took off their caps to dip in the blood of their victims. They were depicted as short ugly creatures with sharp teeth and of course, red caps!  Their eyes were also said to be blood red and they had bloody red talons with which to catch their prey. Red caps wore iron boots and would travel far and wide most often preying on weary travellers lost in the dark. Some ancient Irish folktales depict red caps as being vampiric in nature, to survive they must kill for blood. If their red caps dry out they perish. About the Author S.J.Budd is a writer of all things weird and creepy. Previously her tales have been featured on Deandman's Tome,  Sanitarium Magazine, Dark Gothic Resurrected, Liquid Imagination, Aphotic Realm, Aurora Wolf, Aphelion, Blood Moon Rising Magazine, The Wild Hunt, Danse Macabre, Shadows at the Door, Inner S
Read more

Imps: They just want to have fun.

Image
The imp, said to be similar to a goblin  is a rather ambiguous figure prominent in British folklore. Some tales from the Middle Ages depict imps as being familiars, creatures that serve witches whilst in others they are regarded as god's assistants. They are first mentioned in Germanic folklore where they are depicted as small demons who like to wreak havoc and play mischievous tricks. Hence the word "impish" is used to describe someone with a playful nature. Imps are said to be small creatures, like goblins and gnomes.They are considered to be different from their green cousins. the moorland Pixies due to their demonic nature. Imps are generally considered immortal, but  legend has it they can be harmed. They are not considered attractive but small and squat like with big ears and noses. Since the middle ages they have garnered a somewhat bad reputation but they only play tricks and cause mischief because they seek human companionship as they are considered to
Read more

Beware the Pixie Fires of the Will O' Wisps

Image
A will o' wisp is an ghostly light often seen by lost and weary travellers in the dead hours of night whom they lure astray, most commonly spotted near bogs, swamps and marshes. They form a big part of English and European folklore and are also known as Jack o'lanterns, Elf fire, Hinky Punk and Fox Fire.  In Wales will o's wisps are called  Ellylldan which means fire fairy. There is a tale of Iolo the bard who followed an ellylldan from the Welsh mountains to a boggy valley where it led him on a wild chase. Will o wisps were commonly seen around the fenland swamps of East Anglia before they were drained at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was advised that one could escape from a will o wisp by lying face down until they went away. In Devon and Cornwall will o wisps are more commonly known as Pixie light and upon the wild moors where travellers can be "pixie-led" by strange lights which entice travellers away from the safe routes and
Read more