Cailleach

Not a goddess of beauty or kindness She rules the dark time of the year and the weather it is said. Her name can vary depending on where we hear her story, in Scotland it is Cailleach Bheur or Carlin, and in Britain She is known as Black Annis. The name Cailleach is said to mean ‘Old Wife’, but it is literally ‘Veiled One’, according to one source it is an epithet applied to those that belong to the hidden worlds. The name Bheur is said to mean ‘sharp’ or ‘shrill’, for cutting winds and the northern winter. She is said to be the daughter of Grainan, ‘little sun’, the sun that in the old Scottish calendar shines from Samhain to Imbolc. The legends say that She has been the creator of hills and mountains when she carried rocks across the land and accidentally dropped them on her way. That makes her associated with the creator gods and goddesses. Another story connects her with Brigid. In that one Cailleach is the old hag or crone during the winter, but when spring arrives She is either transformed into a stone boulder or drinking from the Well of Youth, and when that has happened either Brigid takes over the months of summer or Cailleach herself is turned into Brigid. In other stories the two of them are…

“And I believe him.” The king said this with great sternness even his worst of knights could tell that he was deathly serious. The king tried to keep his voice level and said “Did you hear anything about any kind of magic that they are using?” for the king knew that the barbarians had powerful mages. “No I did not” said the messenger “but I did over hear them talking about the god Cailleach aiding them.” At this Treasach’s heart skipped a beat because he knew that Cailleach was a very powerful…

the Wulver and the blue men of Minch. The Wulver is a benevolent werewolf from the Shetland area. It looks like a man with a wolfs head. It is known to leave food to poor families. The Blue men are blue skinned men that dwell in the waters between Lewis and Mainland Scotland. They are known to sink boats and drown sailors. The creation of Scotland has been told in many different ways. Some people say that the Cailleach or old hag created the land . Others say that the land was created by a…

I knelt beside my bed, hands pressed together, praying for the Gods make my parents death quick and painless. I wanted my parents death so intensely, so long had I dreamed of this day. It may seem selfish of me to be asking for this, but it had been nearly four years since I'd set foot beyond these walls and my patience had long since worn thin. I did not asked to be born cursed. It was simply the fate I had been given and I blamed no one, not even the goddess Cailleach Bheur who placed this…

spirits throughout the Winter months. At this time of year the animals and food supplies needed protection as well, so on Samhain the Celts would petition their God's for this protection. Samhain is also known as the night of the Great Sabbat for the witches which in Scottish Gaelic is Ban-Druidh. On this night all the witches of Scotland would gather together to celebrate and cast their spells. People claimed that on this night witches could be seen flying around in the night sky on…

associated with healing. Sex Goddess In legend, Morgan/Morrigan has many consorts - Dagda, Arthur, Merlin, The Green Knight (The Green Man?), King Uriens, Sir Accolon, Ogier the Dane, and the Fairy King. (She was, however, unsuccessful in Her bid for the affections of Sir Lancelot and Chuchulain.) Goddess of Many Names She has many attributes, associations and titles - Queen of Fairy, Mermaid, Sea Priestess, Healer, Teacher, Prophetess, Mother Goddess, Moon Goddess, Queen of Witches, Queen…