This Dark Land

Dwarfs are a very well known creature that often features in folktales and legends. They are still a very popular character to use in fiction particularly fantasy fiction such as The Lord of the Rings . They are very small creatures no more than two feet tall and often described as ugly with long pointy ears and bulbous noses. Dwarfs are believed to have originated from Germanic, Norse and  English folklore. They lived in secluded mountainous regions and are commonly associated with the element of earth due to their love of mining for treasure, metal craft and forging. The most interesting folklore surrounding dwarfs comes from Norse mythology where they were first recorded in the 13th century which spoke about dwarfs being responsible for the forging of Thor's hammer and the spear of Odin. In Norse mythology Dwarfs are depicted as being pitch black creatures and their ancestral home was Svartalfheim, an underground network of mines. About the Author S....

The Knockers are fairy creatures well known in Welsh, Cornish and Devon folktales. They are also known as Bucca in Cornish tales and Bwca in Welsh. Knockers are tiny creatures, no more than two feet tall similar in appearance to other fairies such as dwarves and goblins that live underground. They were said to be spindly limbed with only slits for mouths and dark beady eyes. Like a lot of fairies they have a mischievous side! Knockers became well known when mining became a popular industry when humans began mining in their underground homes. To some they were malevolent but to others they were helpful . They earned their name as Kockers as they would knock underground leading the miners to valuable mineral deposits in return for food, proper Cornish pasties were their favourite treat? But they could turn nasty and scare the miners and play tricks on them. Knockers could not stand the sound of whistling and bad language, they often showered the perpetrators with a shower of s...

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...

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, In...

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...

Also known by the names of Ban-Side/ Bean-Sidhe which translates from old Irish as "woman of the fairy mound." Fairies were believed to live in hollow hills unreachable to mortal folk. The Banshees are death omens. The first recorded tale of a Banshee was in 1437  where one was heard wailing before the death of King James 1 of Scotland. They were depicted as having red eyes from eternal weeping and long hair. In some tales they wore green dresses with veiled faces, in others they were dressed in white. Appearing either as virginal young maidens or old wise crones, they were most commonly seen by moonlight. Banshees were often heard to be wailing a mournful lament or keening whenever someone was about to die. It was said their wails could be so horrific it could shatter glass, and it was considered a most terribly bad omen if one of their hairs should fall on you. It was said that banshees were often attracted to noble Irish and Scottish families. In Irish mythology ...

Dryads and Hamadryads are wood nympths who first appeared in ancient Greek Mythology. Old tales depict Dryads as female nature spirits who lived in trees and forests giving them an atmosphere of deep magic. They were said to be very fond of Oak trees which have long been celebrated in many ancient nature based religions such as Druidism, Wicca and Paganism. The word Drys translates into Oak in ancient Greek. In ancient works of Greek art they are often depicted as being pursued by Satyrs, their male counterparts. They were shown as being very shy creatures that could only be found in very secluded places but were very fond of the Greek goddess Artemis to whom they would appear. They were not immortal but lived very long lives and were tethered to their tree homes. The Hamadryads were different to the Dryads in that they were such a deep integral part to their trees that if it died they would also perish. Because of this it was said that the Greek gods would punish a...

"When Ankou comes, he will not go away empty" Ankou is the faerie embodiment of death and is an important figure in Celtic folklore which came from the ancient regions of Brittany, Cornwall, Wales and Ireland. He is probably better known for his other names; The Grim Reaper, Father Time and Death. His role was to collect the souls from the recently departed and transport them to the Otherworld. He would carry out his task dressed all in black in a robed costume and cowl which covered his entire face. It is said that no one alive has ever seen his face, because just looking upon him will bring out your own demise. There are many tales surrounding Ankou. It is believed that Ankou was once a young and cruel prince. One day whilst out in the forest hunting he encountered Death who challenge him to a contest where the winner was the first to kill a black stag. Anjou subsequently lost to Death and his forfeit was to collect human souls forever more. Mant tales from...