Who are banshees, mythical creatures? Banshees - who are they? Irish mythology

The mythological bestiary is rich in mysterious creatures endowed with special abilities and harbingers of change. The banshee is a representative of Irish mythology, a female harbinger of death. She has several incarnations and marks death with a soul-chilling cry.

Origin of the creature image

Mentions of the harbinger of death come from Ireland. Similar creatures exist only in Breton and Welsh myths. Researchers claim that the girl-messenger of death is related to Celtic mythology and is its brightest representative. The essence of the mythical creature is not defined. There are three versions explaining who a banshee is.

1. The literature of the Middle Ages makes it possible to believe that the banshee is. This version is not the only correct one - according to research, fairies prefer to live in society and lead a normal human lifestyle. The banshee loves solitude and does not tolerate communication with people.
2. A more common version is that banshees are mourners who did not fulfill their duty during life and fulfill it in the afterlife.
3. In most legends, the banshee appears in the form of the patroness of the family, whom she... Researchers are confident that the banshee is also the ancestor of the chosen family.

Mythologists are sure that the banshee patronizes only the families of the indigenous people of Ireland.

Different names for the same creature

The main name of the female harbinger of death is translated from Irish as “woman of the Seeds.” But in some parts of Ireland there are other names for the messenger.

In the southwest she is called the mourner. In the southeastern regions she is called a terrible and dangerous woman. And closer to the east its name is bochenta. In other counties the messenger of death is called bayb and baw.

Banshee Form

The Messenger of Death has the ability to take on any form. Information about the true form of a banshee varies, but she always appears in the form of a girl. She may appear as a beautiful maiden with long hair wearing a white cloak. In other legends, she looks like a little old woman or a scary, decrepit witch with matted black hair. Some mythologists claim that the messenger takes on the appearance of a girl during the day, and at night chooses the image of an old woman.

In different descriptions of the mourner, common features are clearly visible:

• long hair;
• white long robe;
• bare feet.

Many myths note the tear-stained eyes and general pallor of the messenger seeking peace and

In some records you can find other images of the messenger - a witch in a black robe, an old woman in a green dress, or a tear-stained diva. But researchers and adherents of traditional mythology still prefer a female messenger of death dressed in white and with long blond hair.

Adherents of the version about the patroness of the family describe the mourner as the ghost of one of the innocent relatives who died early, who protects the family and warns of imminent death.

The main distinguishing feature of the messenger is her cry. It is described as a high-pitched cry or howl that fills with fear and terror. The cry of a banshee signifies imminent death to those who hear it.

Banshee in Celtic mythology

Celtic mythology depicts the banshee as the harbinger of death. Many people consider her to be an evil spirit who kills people, but this opinion is wrong. The spirit only warns with its howl, and only the one for whom it is intended can hear it.

Several messengers in one place can herald the death of many people from illness or weather disasters. Another version of the meeting of mourners speaks of the death of a strong man.

The girl's irritability is described in many legends. So, one traveler confused the messenger with an ordinary woman and was going to insult her. The angry mourner pushed the man away, leaving palm marks on his body that remained for the rest of his days.

According to another legend, seeing the mourner, one Irishman mockingly offered her to wash his shirt. The girl, who was in a good mood, agreed, but the angry messenger was capable of strangling the careless traveler with his own clothes.

There are other legends that describe the essence as the patroness of the clan. They note the lack of cruelty and vindictiveness in the messenger. She is not bloodthirsty and tries to gently warn the erring traveler, warning that reckless adventures can end in much worse events. Therefore, you should be careful with the messenger - she represents the other world and can be dangerous.

In the legends of King Arthur, banshee fairies inhabited the enchanted forest and lured travelers, endowing them with passion and making them forget about everything. Later they left victims devoid of will and reason. They walked mindlessly through the forest until the end of their days, unable to think.

The image of a banshee in modern culture

The Herald of Death is gaining popularity in modern times and is often mentioned in cinema, literature, comics and computer games. The image of the mourner in some works changes beyond recognition.

In the TV series Supernatural, a ghost drives a victim crazy with a high-pitched scream and then feasts on his brain. In Charmed, a banshee is a demon with the ability to turn other powerful witches who can sense pain into similar creatures. Marvel comics named after the messenger one of the superheroes capable of creating supersonic waves. The Banshee character is also popular in Japan.

The Japanese anime presents the messenger as a young girl crying amber tears that reveal memories of her master's life. If her tears do not burn away, then the owner will soon die.

Modern art increasingly presents the banshee as an evil character bent on murder. Therefore, it is important to remember the true purpose of the mourner and distinguish the literary image from.

Myth is not at all a fantastic story about the dawn of humanity, it is a timeless one that accompanies human development at all stages of history. Naturally, the “shells” of myth change; it transforms from irrational interpretations into ideological forms of substantiation of the world order. Religions are a transitory phenomenon, but myth, being a universal category, is coeternal with man: it is either in a latent state, or returns to its active form. The most actively manifested mythological tradition in Europe can be considered British, in particular Irish mythology, where the mythopoetic tradition is invisibly intertwined with works of art and integrated into everyday life modern man, becoming part of his worldview.

Characteristics of the Banshee image: myths and legends of the peoples of the world

Banshees are a type of fairy, an element of Irish and Scottish folklore. In the literary translation it is “magical woman”, but the literal translation of her authentic name is bean sí or bean sídhe, which means “woman of the hills”. Appearance The banshee is not exactly defined: to some she comes in the form of a sad, pale girl with eyes red from tears or a dead maiden from a family, and to others she appears in the form of a frightening old woman with protruding teeth and deathly pale skin with spots.

The only thing that unites all interpretations of this image is her long hair. Most often, the hair is silvery, gray in color, but there are several legends from around the 15th century where she shows people crimson-bloody hair. The banshee is found in legends in different clothes, this is a gray cloak over a green dress, and a white dress glowing in the darkness, and even a shroud.

Banshee - guardian of the clan and harbinger of death

Irish mythology considers the main functional purpose of the Banshee to be guardianship over ancient families. She foresees the imminent death of one of the members of the clan and foreshadows it to his relatives with loud crying. Some American legends of the 18th century say that her heartbreaking scream caused glass to burst. In the form of the Banshee, it is not clear who is capable of making such sounds at all, because her moaning does not belong to any language, it is rather a synthesis of dog barking, slurred speech, the cries of wild ducks, wolf howls and the desperate lamentations of an abandoned child.

When in legends one of the people sees a Banshee, this means the imminent death of him or his friend.

For example, there is a legend about how a farmer met a long-haired old woman in a white dress by the river; when he greeted her, he saw how pale she was. The man felt terrified, and when he decided to go home, the old woman turned to him and stood up to her full height, towering about 4 meters above him. The farmer had already said goodbye to life when the woman simply stepped into the water and disappeared. The next day the farmer learned that his neighbor had died.

Banshees: who are these creatures - a unique brand of Ireland or one of the popular images of mythological characters who foretell death?

In Ireland, the image of the Banshee is considered unique. Although in the British Isles there are those who perform similar functions and have a similar appearance, the Banshee is a household name, known throughout the world.

Few people will remember the washerwoman Ben-Niye, the sufferer Kiheriet or the evil Baavan Shi, when there is a well-replicated cinematic story of the Banshee as a crying long-haired girl in a white dress.

In other mythological systems there are also harbingers of death: in Slavic mythology it is a brownie, in Sumerian-Akkadian it is Anku.

With so many mythological analogies, the original image is somewhat blurred, and it itself acquires a wide variety of functional features. It is important to turn to the Irish source to understand the image of the Banshee, who these creatures are and what function they perform, because if you come across a description of the Banshee as a succubus who kills men, this is clearly not an Irish source.

Characters raised by the image of the Banshee: the Scottish analogy in the person of Bunny and Baavan Shi

There are several prototypes of the Banshee in the British Isles. Who these characters are and how they differ from their prototype, Scottish mythology will tell us. It is from there that we know the image of Baavan Shi. Unlike the protector of the Banshee family, this fairy is malicious, she feeds on the blood of men. You can protect yourself from them with the help of iron. With her beautiful appearance, the fairy lures men into her lair and drinks them dry. A distinctive feature of Baawan Shi is her beautiful long golden hair and a green festive dress, under which are hidden deer hooves.

In turn, Bunny is the opposite image of the evil Baavan Shi. This is a little washerwoman by the river, washing the bloody robes of people who are destined near death. Bunny are women who died during childbirth; they will leave this world only when their real hour of death strikes.

There is a belief among the peoples of the Scottish Highlands that if you sneak up unnoticed by Bunny and stand between her and the water, she will answer any three questions. Nevertheless, she will also demand the same in return, and you need to answer her as truthfully as possible.

Banshee this is a sad harbinger who, with her blood-curdling howls, warns people of imminent death.

Harbingers of death in Celtic mythology

The banshee or banshee is a native of Ireland and is firmly rooted in Celtic folklore. Her name literally translates to “woman from the hills.” According to some legends, she is a beautiful fairy, in other legends the banshee is presented in the form of a ghost who wanders the earth, trying to find peace, and some purely Irish families believe that this is the spirit of their ancestress, who protects and warns the family about the imminent death of one of them. family members.

Although banshees are often mistaken for fairies, fairies prefer to live in society, while banshees are solitary creatures, which makes them more related to spirits and.

Banshees can take on many forms, be it animals, fog or trees. But most often she appears before people in the form of a beautiful girl, or a wrinkled and decrepit old woman. This creature is described to children as a beautiful golden-haired woman who wears a white dress and a silver cloak. She is pale and her eyes are red from sobbing. It happens that she appears before the traveler in the form of a gray-haired old woman, also dressed in white.

There are more frightening descriptions of this ghost. In some legends, the banshee is described as an old woman with tangled black hair, scary and sharp teeth, and one nostril. They are dressed in a green dress or shroud. Foreshadowing the imminent death of a person, they wander among the trees or fly near his house.

Contrary to misconceptions, banshees are not evil spirits, but only messengers. Their howls can only be heard by those people who are destined for imminent death. But, if this person is truly great, then others will hear the banshee’s warnings.

Although these creatures do not pose a direct threat to people, encounters with them, as with any otherworldly force, can be very dangerous. There are tales of men who tried to offend a banshee by mistaking her for an ordinary woman. As punishment, the banshee left marks on their bodies in the form of her palm, pushing them away from her. Such marks remain with people until the end of their days, indicating the crime they committed.

There is a legend about how a certain Irishman met a banshee by the river and, laughing, invited her to wash his shirt. If the banshee is in a good mood, she can actually take off your clothes and wash them without being noticed, but you need to be careful if the banshee is irritated. Instead of washing a shirt, it can also strangle the beggar.

Another story tells that a man stole a comb from a banshee, which she used to comb her long hair, and took it home. The banshee found him and, with threats, returned the comb back to her.

However, banshees are not vengeful by nature. They are always ready to demonstrate to the guilty that everything could have ended much worse, thereby preventing them from making new mistakes.

Banshee in the modern world

Nowadays, banshees often begin to appear on the pages of books, comics, films and computer games, but they are presented there not at all as caring spirits whose task is to warn a person, but as evil creatures whose goal is to kill.

An incredible monster is represented by the banshee in the 1970 film "The Cry of the Banshee", which was summoned by an evil witch to destroy the hated family of witch fighters.

In 2006, she appeared in the film "Banshee. Music of Death", and in 2011, the American horror film "Howl of the Banshee" was filmed.

She has also appeared in Marvel's Silver Banshee comics, Ghostbusters, and Supernatural. In all stories, she is the representative of evil.

Irish folklore is rich in amazing and interesting images. One of the brightest can confidently be called a banshee. Who are banshees and why do they appear? How do people's encounters with these creatures end? Read on!

Banshee: the meaning of the word and its origin

In order to understand the meaning of this word, you should look in the dictionary. It comes from the English banshee, which, in turn, is the closest relative of the Irish bean sidhe, which can be translated as “woman from the other world.”

Different names for the same character

An interesting fact is that the banshee has different names in different parts of Ireland. Of course, the most common is bean sidhe. But, along with the generally accepted designation, there are also local names. For example, in counties such as Tipperary, Mayo and Limerick, it is customary to call this character bean chaointe - “crying woman”. By the way, sometimes in Tipperary (and at the same time in counties Laish and Kilkenny) a banshee is called a bochenta. Residents of the southeastern part of the country call the banshee badhdh. This definition of banshee means a woman who is scary, aggressive and very dangerous. It is worth noting that in the Middle Ages the Irish called the goddesses of war with the same word. In the south of counties Wicklow and Kildare, Carlow and Wexford, the name bow is common. But in Waterford, banshees are usually called bibe.

Origin of the image

So who is a banshee? This is a character from Irish folklore who appears near the home of a man whose days are numbered. In fact, the woman messenger notifies the man himself and his loved ones about this. She does this with the help of moans, sobs and screams. Most likely, the researchers say, the myth of the banshee arose on the basis of an old tradition: once upon a time a woman had to be present at a funeral, singing a special funeral song. At the same time, the woman sobbed and wailed loudly. Another version says: the concept of a banshee is inextricably linked with the legend of the ghost of a murdered woman. According to the third version, this is the mother who died during childbirth.

This hero of Irish folklore has no direct analogues in the culture and beliefs of other peoples. Researchers suggest that the roots of this image go back to Celtic mythology. Patricia Lysaft, a professor at Dublin University, devoted more than 20 years to studying the image of the banshee. In her works, she notes that the Irish themselves practically do not think about the origin of this character, they simply take it for granted. However, Patricia managed to systematize the data about him.

1. Fairies are one of the opinions about who banshees are, widespread in the literature of the 19th-20th centuries. Today this identification has lost its relevance. The fact is that fairies are social creatures. They live in groups, and their lifestyle is similar to that of humans. Banshees are solitary creatures, and their entire connection with people is solely a warning of death.
2. Ghosts are a much more common opinion. Some Irish people say that the banshee is the ghost of the mourning woman. There is a belief that if during life the mourner did not fulfill her duties, then after death she will certainly become a messenger spirit.
3. The patroness of the clan is the main version. According to her, the banshee is the progenitor of the family, a kind of patron spirit. Only truly Irish families can boast of having such a spirit.

Appearance

Now that you know who banshees are, let's talk about what they look like. The appearance of these loud-voiced creatures causes serious controversy even today. Someone says that a banshee is a beautiful girl in a long light cloak. There is a hood on her head. Some people like the version according to which the spirit appears in the form of a wrinkled, decrepit old woman. The only thing about which there is no doubt is the hair - it is generally accepted that it is very long and light, possibly gray. It is very rare to find a description with dark or red hair, wearing colored clothes. According to the descriptions, the banshee's cloak is very long. Shoes are rarely mentioned in legends; it is generally believed that the spirit appears barefoot before people.

Irish legends

To date, three main stories related to the banshee are known. According to the first, a man accidentally meets a ghost at night, mistakes him for an ordinary woman and tries to offend her. The creature pushes the man away, leaving marks of fingers and palms on his body.

The second plot of Irish legends says that a man meets a banshee while doing laundry. He laughs at her and offers to wash his shirt too. There are two main versions of the further development of events: the spirit can actually wash the shirt, quietly removing it from the man, or it can simply strangle the one laughing at her with the collar of his own clothes. The third legend tells of a traveler returning home and accidentally encountering a banshee combing her hair. Having obtained the bone comb of the spirit, the traveler returns home, but soon the owner comes for her thing, threatens and demands it back.

Evil spirits or simple messengers?

Contrary to popular belief, researchers of Irish legends assure: banshees are not evil ghosts, but just messengers of approaching death. Usually the howls of the spirit are heard only by those who are about to die. But there are also cases when eerie screams are heard by other people. In this case, a great person or the most respected relative must die.

Image in culture

The meaning of the banshee and its image have often been used in world culture. This is how Ray Bradbury wrote the story “Banshee”. The same creature was also mentioned in the novels of Clifford Simak. Charles de Lint compared the cry of the heroine of his book “Taste the Moonlight” with the cry of this spirit. Strange creatures also appeared on the big screen. In 1970, a film called “The Cry of the Banshee” was released. In 2006, another film was shot with this creation - “Music of Death”. Another film appeared in 2008 and was released in our country under the name “Night Watch”.

Computer games

The character of Irish folklore also appears in computer games:

• ghostly creatures fly and deafen everyone with their screams in the game World of Warcraft;
• Banshee is one of the most powerful fighting machines in the BattleTech universe;
• in the GTA world, banshees are the fastest cars;
• Those who have at least once played the game “Cursed Lands” are also familiar with banshees - here they call ghosts in long black robes;
• A banshee also appears in the game Mortal Kombat - here it is Sindel.

Banshee(Banshee, Benshee, Baavan Shea, White Shea) - in Irish folklore and among the inhabitants of the Scottish Highlands there is a special variety.

They are called differently in different parts of Ireland. A common and widespread name is Irl. bean si, consisting of bean - woman, and si - Shi, which together translates as a woman from the Seeds, from the other world.

In Irish mythology, these are fairies into which gods from the Tribes of the goddess Danu turned after the sons of Mil, the ancestors of the Irish, appeared on the territory of modern Ireland. These gods and goddesses were forced to go deep into the earth and live under the hills, in the thickets, hide among swamps in enchanted forests and among the clouds in magical skies. According to Celtic beliefs, banshees can take on any form - clouds, shadows, bushes, mist, girls, etc.

The author of the theosophical work “Demonology and Witchcraft,” Sir Walter Scott, believed that the banshee is not so much a creature with an appearance as an ominous death howl that fills the nights with terror in the vastness of Ireland and the highlands of Scotland. People imagine the banshee as a woman with long flowing black hair, in loose robes, with eyes swollen from tears, or as a vile and ugly old woman with matted gray hair. A banshee can be a pale-skinned beauty in a long shroud, and sometimes appears in the form of an innocent maiden who died early - a relative of the family.

One of the central aspects of the legends and traditions about the banshee is the idea that the banshee is the patron spirit of the family that she notifies of death, that is, there is a hereditary connection between them - it can also be the ancestor of the family. According to legend, not all Irish people have banshees. In oral and literary sources, families whose death is heralded by a banshee are designated as families with "O" and "Mac", that is, the banshee is believed to accompany truly Irish families. However, the list of surnames of such families is much wider, as it also includes families descended from the Vikings and Anglo-Normans, that is, families that settled in Ireland before the 17th century.

The banshee is described as a female figure. They appear as floating luminescent phantoms of their former selves. At night, their image glows brightly, but is transparent in the sunlight. Banshees are described as women dressed in white (sometimes green or black), with beautiful long hair, which they comb with a silver comb. However, this is not always a romantic image of a beauty. Most banshees are old and withered, but those who die young retain their former beauty. The hair of a moaning spirit is wild and unkempt. Her dress is usually tattered rags. Her face is a mask of pain and anguish, but hatred and the fire of rage burn brightly in her eyes. Very often, signs of a real monster are visible in the appearance of a banshee: sometimes they will find membranes between her fingers, sometimes fangs, or saggy breasts.

Banshees are intangible and invulnerable to weapons. In addition, moaning spirits are highly resistant to magic. They are completely immune to charm, sleep and immobilization spells. Holy water poured on them causes severe damage to them.

Banshees can sense the presence of living creatures up to five miles away.

They hate all living things and therefore make their homes in the deserted countryside or ancient ruins, and remain there forever. The ground surrounding the lair of the groaning spirit is strewn with the bones of animals that heard the cry of the banshee. Banshees devastate any area where they live. They kill without mercy. Banshee has a powerful effect on vegetation. Flowers and delicate plants wither and die, and trees become twisted and sickly, while the hardier plants, thistles and others, thrive.

A banshee's treasure varies greatly and often reflects what they loved in life. In most cases, this is a supply of gold and precious stones. Other banshees, especially those who frequent their former homes, display better tastes, preserving great works of art and sculpture or powerful magical artifacts.

Banshees hunt at night, taking the form of beauties and seducing belated travelers. They are especially attracted to those who themselves have recently acted as a game beater - such people have an attractive smell of blood.

Banshees feed only on the blood of young boys; these creatures are not interested in the blood of their diet. Before drinking the blood, they dance with the victims, hypnotizing them. They can take part in a conversation, but give themselves away with a strong, incomprehensible accent. Occasionally, hungry banshees attack women, and then their victims turn into the same monsters.