Leaves Falling in a Quiet Place

by R J Darby

  Leaves Falling in a Quiet Place

  A book of spirit, soul, and sorrow in Ireland

  A novel by R.J. Darby

  Copyright Notice

  ©

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, please contact the publisher.

  All legends are based in Celtic history and have been thoroughly researched, however for the sense of story, a few details have been modified. All poems and songs are subject to copyright time outs and are public domain. The copyright of the new works is also retained to the publisher of this book.

  Index

  Background Folklore

  Chapter One: A Noise In A Quiet Place

  Chapter Two: Dances In Darkness

  Chapter Three: Escape

  Chapter Four: A Tale Of Love And Loss

  Chapter Five: Far Away Yet Close To Home

  Chapter Six: Truth In The Shadows

  Chapter Seven: A meeting

  Chapter Eight: A Farewell of the Fairy Kind

  Chapter Nine: Dusty books

  Chapter Ten: Divide and Conquer

  Chapter Eleven: Green eyes on the prize

  Chapter Twelve: What A Merrow Can Tell You

  Chapter Thirteen: A Sight Most Unwelcome

  Chapter Fourteen: A Face They Know

  Chapter Fifteen: The Forest Of Phantoms

  Chapter Sixteen: A Rude Awakening

  Chapter Seventeen: A New Chapter

  Chapter Eighteen: A Battle

  Chapter Nineteen: All that remains

  Background Folklore

  Folklore cards (if you want to dive deeper into the world, the easiest way is to reference here. The author hopes that this book is a truly magical experience for you and that you are charmed by the luck of the Irish

  The leprechaun

  leprechaun

  /ˈlɛprəkɔːn/

  Noun

  (in Irish folklore) a small, mischievous sprite

  The leprechaun legend has Irish roots but has spread worldwide. The leprechaun Is a fairy, like many of the creatures within this book. Traditional descriptions have many correlations to other kinds of fairy, such as size, love of nature, and a passion for trickery.

  Leprechaun descriptions are usually of little men with green skin and almost entirely green attire. There are, however, also records of female leprechauns. These also wear green and are often redheads.

  Leprechauns have a deep love of treasure, but mostly gold, which is where the story of a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow comes from. It is said that a leprechaun will store his or her treasures here. If a human is fortunate enough to catch a leprechaun (though maybe fortunate is the wrong word!), then this mystical creature of the Irish countryside will grant the captor one, two, or three wishes. The most common stories state one or three. Leprechaun are bound to their word, but this is something that they will take very literally, much like djinn (otherwise known as a genie) from middle eastern history.

  Making a wish with a leprechaun is dodgy business, you will always get what you asked for, but will rarely get what you want with these wily tricksters. An example of one of these twisted wishes is hidden within these pages.

  Aside from being glorious fun for the prankster creatures, the leprechaun will try to keep away from humans, seeing them as untrustworthy beings. This is understandable considering the human fascination with finding them to force their wishes to come true and because of this, catching a leprechaun is incredibly difficult. The most likely area to find them in, however, is the depths of the rural lands of Ireland. They prefer to be in nature, most notably borrows.

  Leprechauns are exceptional cobblers and pride themselves in gaining great talent in this field of expertise.

  Like many fairies, they also have a love of sweet foods, drinks, and treats, which also seems to be a trait of tricksters in other cultures. Legend says that if you drop a handful of sugar near these creatures, then they will not be able to move until they have counted out each grain. This is an easy way to capture a leprechaun if one should appear in the vicinity. The frustration at having to do this, however, will not end well for the person who has irked them in this way.

  Banshee

  /banˈʃiː,ˈbanʃiː/

  noun

  (in Irish legend) a female spirit whose wailing warns of a death in a house.

  The word banshee literally translates as 'woman of the fairy,' which sounds much less threatening than many believe.

  The banshee is an ancestral spirit that forewarns of death, which gives her a dark reputation. Contrary to popular belief, the banshee only warns of evil. She does not cause it. Furthermore, she can only warn five major Irish families. These are the O’Neils, O’Bryons, O’Conners, O’Gradys, and Kavanaghs.

  The banshee warns of a death in two ways, either by the screaming of the name of the person who will pass or by appearing. She can appear in a number of forms; a young woman, a stately matron, or withered hag. Some stories also say the banshee can appear as a crow, weasel or stoat which are all animals of witchcraft. This can lead to some complications, particularly in the 'human' forms. However, she can be distinguished by her behavior. The banshee appears by lakes and rivers when death is coming. They will be found watching the clothes of the soon to be deceased, letting the blood run in the waters from them.

  Banshees are highly respected despite their fearsome connotations and are often linked to families of high classes, as opposed to their counterparts, the Bean Sidhe. Banshees are often associated with noble Irish lineages, and are seen as a sign of prestige–only the most important families could have a Banshee dedicated to mourning the loss of one of their rank.

  A banshee can be asked three questions when met by a human. Only once has the banshee chosen to ask a question according to legends, however, the content of that question changes with each version of that particular story.

  Bean Sidhe

  /ʃiː/

  Noun

  **The definition of this is often sited as a banshee, yet there are subtle differences

  Bean Sidhes are often mixed up with banshee, and indeed there are several similarities.

  According to legend, they are female spirits (in some sources, of mothers who were murdered or died in childbirth) who appear to forewarn of the death of a local individual by wailing. This is usually someone of importance, but it is important to remember that banshee will come for the highest lines.

  In some versions of their stories, the Bean Sidhe can be spotted by a riverbed, washing the blood out of the garments of the soon-to-be deceased. It is said that if a passer-by asks the Bean Sidhe can politely discover the names of those about to die and that she will even answer three questions. As a difference to the banshee, the Bean Sidhe will ask three of her own first; and the questioner must answer these sufficiently before getting their own answers.

  Pooka

  /ˈpuːkə/

  noun

  (in Irish mythology) a hobgoblin or sprite able to take on the form of various animals.

  Despite the cute name, the Pooka is the most feared fairy in Irish history. They come out only at night, adding to their scare factor, and are violent tricksters. Where a leprechaun's pranks are more irritating than fatal, the tricks of Pookas are often dangerous, sadistic, and cruel.

  Pookas appear in different forms d
epending on local traditions and oral history, but some of the more common ones are the black horse, large and dark eagles in County Wexford and even bogeyman type apparitions in Laois tales. In all traditions, however, they are said to be shapeshifters (which is a common type of fairy magic). One common shift that travels across the regions is that they will appear as goblins. This way they can claim a share of a farmer's harvest.

  Pookas are often held responsible for the trampling of horses, and it is also said that when chickens or cows see a Pooka they will be too traumatized to produce eggs or milk for weeks, adding to the deadly reputation as livestock was such a prevalent source of income and nutrition in the early days of the legend.

  Pookas are said to have mastered human speech, much like many other fairies. They are much more convincing, though. They use this talent to call their victims’ names one by one from outside of their house in the hopes of trying to draw a human out. If the person emerges, they are dragged away by the Pooka, but if no one comes outside, the Pooka will vandalize the property. It is unknown what happens to an individual who is dragged away by a Pooka. Nevertheless, the most common theory is that the soul will become trapped in Tech Duinn (The dark place where lost souls become stuck while searching for paradise), unable to return to the mortal coil.

  Gancanagh.

  /ɡænˈkænə/

  Noun

  (from Irish gean cánach, meaning 'love talker') is a male fairy in Irish mythology that is known for seducing human women.

  A Gancanagh is a male fairy that is known for seducing human women. The Gancanagh are thought to have an addictive toxin in their skin that makes the humans they seduce literally addicted to them.

  They are said to always appear with a dudeen in their mouths, which is a traditional Irish pipe and be incredibly handsome.

  The Gancanagh likes to seduce and make love to shepherdesses and milkmaids in particular, but their tastes will extend beyond this. There are no records of them seducing men, only mortal women.

  It is said that during the sedation, a Gancanagh will whisper into the woman's ears. They have an enchanting voice and promptly disappear after making love to their chosen lady. Once they have left, they leave their woman to pine for them. Few women survive after meeting the Gancanagh given that they usually die of despair and a broken heart.

  It is said that meeting the Gancanagh as any gender will bring you bad luck. Any man who has ruined his own fortune through womanizing is believed to have met the Gancanagh.

  Gancanaghs are related to the leprechaun and can be warded off with iron, like many other fairies.

  Leannán Sí

  / lʲan̴̪-an ˈʃiː]/

  Noun

  A beautiful fairy woman of the Aos Sí ("people of the barrows") who takes a human lover.

  The Leannán Sí are exceptionally stunning female fairies that attract men in a similar fashion to the way the Gancanagh goes after women. But the Leanhaum-shee is even more deadly, as she feeds off her victim’s life force like a vampire until he fades away to nothing. This makes the survival rate of her victims almost zero. By the time a man realizes what is happening to him, he is far too enchanted to care.

  Merrow

  /ˈmarəʊ/

  Noun

  A mermaid (not to be confused with the traditional kind) or merman in Irish folklore

  Merrows are the much more beautiful counterparts of Merrow-men, yet they are much more frequent in their occurrences in mythology and, indeed, real-life accounts.

  The name Merrow means 'sea maid,' and water is a large part of their dwelling and lives. Despite their compulsion towards water, they are not to be confused with mermaids. Unlike mermaids, Merrows have human-like legs instead of a tail. However, there are some key differences between a Merrow and a human; Merrows have larger, flatter feet and webbed fingers to aid in their swimming.

  The Merrow’s clothing gives it the ability to travel under water.. Once again, like so many other legends, which began in the oral tradition, which items of clothing vary from region to region. Some say her abilities come from a red-feathered cap, while others claim it comes from a sealskin cape - very different. Either way, for a Merrow to walk on land, she must abandon her cap or cape. This is a common factor in both versions.

  If a man finds and hides the discarded garments of a Merrow, the Merrow is forced to become his wife. She cannot return to the ocean. Merrows are highly desirable brides given their extreme beauty, ethereal nature, and dowry of many riches collected from the ocean floor. However, if a mirror finds her hidden magical clothing items again, she will be overwhelmed by the urge to return to the sea. This means that she will leave her husband and children.

  Many Irish families claim to descend from Merrows while entrapped by fishermen. Many argue that these tales were designed to avoid controversy in the family history, yet of course, there is no way to prove this.

  Merman (the Merrow’s male counterpart)

  /ˈməːman/

  noun

  plural noun: mermen

  The male equivalent of a mermaid or Merrow

  Mermen are rarely seen, and much less is known about them. There is significantly less written about them, and even what is written is less than complimentary. Regardless, it is known from the few legends and various accounts, that they are incredibly unpleasant to look at as they are creatures with scales and the features of a pig. They are also said to have a jaw full of long, pointed teeth.

  In sharp contrast to the antisocial and ugly Merman, Merrows are alluringly beautiful and are said to be promiscuous and lax in their relations with mortals. When it comes to intimate relationships with humans, Merrow (like most creatures from Tir fo Thoinn (the Land Beneath the Waves) are naturally predisposed to repulsion of humans but are easily tempted and exceptionally curious.

  Some accounts state that mermen are such malevolent beings that they capture the drowned souls of sailors and trap them in pots. They sink these pots at the bottom of the sea, never to release the poor sailors’ soul, unless a willing human being were to release them. Some legends tell that Merrows are their co-conspirators as they will lure men down to be drowned specifically to give their lost souls to the mermen through their singing, something which correlates with siren legends.

  Mermaid

  /ˈməːmeɪd/

  noun

  A mythical sea creature with the head and trunk of a woman and the tail of a fish, conventionally depicted as beautiful and with long flowing golden hair.

  In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including the Near East, Europe, Asia, and Africa, but this will focus on the European stories as there are so many complexities and differences; which makes sense. As a worldwide phenomenon, the mermaid has been subjected to many different evolutionary catalysts. Their first written account of the mermaid began in Greece.

  Often glamorized, mermaids are dark creatures. Seeing a mermaid for foretells of disaster, though many versions of their legends say that they actually provoke and cause them. They are known to cause shipwrecks and storms, an occurrence with thousands of report.. Famous accounts of seeing them have come from explorers such as John Smith, Henry Hudson, and Christopher Columbus.

  Selki Selkie

  /ˈsɛlki/

  Noun

  A mythical creature that resembles a seal in the water but assumes human form on land.

  Another sea-dwelling being, the selkie is a known as seal-person. It is noted that they can change forms between a seal and a human being by shedding their seal-skins when they come to land, which puts them in the shapeshifter category.

  By liking them to the Merrow, selkie have been made brides by the theft of their seal skin. Men were said to have hidden the selkie seal-skin to keep her bound to the land. Unfortunately for these men, most of the time the selkie woman has an insatiable longi
ng for the ocean. This differs slightly from the Merrow, who is said only to crave a return to the sea when finding the garment. Perhaps these legends are intertwined.

  Kelpie

  /ˈkɛlpi/

  noun

  A water spirit or fairy of Scottish and Irish folklore, typically taking the form of a horse and reputed to delight in the drowning of travelers.

  The kelpie is one of the cuter looking spirits; however these water spirits are in fact known to be quite evil. Kelpie can appear as both horse and man, occasionally woman.

  When appearing as a foal or horse, the kelpie can be identified as a perpetually soaked mane. Their cute, disheveled appearance attracts people, often innocent children, to get onto their back. Once the victim is on the back of the four-legged form, the kelpie’s skin becomes adhesive and traps its victim to them. The kelpie then rides into the water drowning their victim. They eat the victim, leaving only the heart and liver. Why these organs are left is unknown.

  As human, kelpies have been known to appear as incredibly handsome men, and less commonly beautiful in women form. Just like the Merrow and the selkie, the kelpie can be trapped on land in its human form when a key item is taken from their possession. If a person steals and hides their silver bridle, the kelpie will become stuck.

  There are many stories of women marrying kelpies in human form. This story is often used by Irish parents to keep children away from the water's edge.

  Changeling

  /ˈtʃeɪn(d)ʒlɪŋ/

  Noun

  A child believed to have been secretly substituted by fairies for the parents' real child in infancy.

  A changeling can be one of three things. They can be the infant of an Irish fairy. This is said to be because fairy births are difficult and often result in deformation. Adult fairies are obsessed with beauty so they will try to swap their child with a human baby. This is the most populated legend, particularly by more modern accounts.