#Les Encantades

[laurawithslblues]

A dreary night

And ever when the moon was low,And the shrill winds were up and away,In the white curtain, to and fro,She saw the gusty shadow sway. Sometimes she still wanders the empty rooms at night, breaking the silence with the doors upon their hinges creaking. She peers through the windows on many a rainy night, a dreary night, still waiting for his return. After a while, she remembers, alas, he will not…

[kniteracy]

The Long Route Home

From Lira: I only made it to the last couple of days of the Faire, but I was glad I got to see what I did. And no matter how hard I looked, I didn’t run in to the Queen or anybody in her retinue. I guess I really am on my own now. At least I have what seems to be a relatively stable place to call ‘home’ now; inasmuch as home could be like, a house, with no neighbours, no family, no coworkers.…

[aerroughneck]

.lovelysweet., Cosmopolitan, Enchantment - Sword and Sorcery, Les Encantades, ND/MD, No Match, Uber Event

Blog: https://aerlinnielfantasy.blogspot.com/2023/03/battle-is-about-to-begin.htmlFlickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/aerlinniel_vella/52723031653/in/dateposted-public/

[useless-catalanfacts]

I guess this message would make more sense in Halloween, but I don't want to wait that long lol. Are there any well known ~haunted places~ in the Catalan Countries?

Yes! There are many legends about haunted places. Most of them can be divided in two groups: ànimes en pena (spirits) and encantades (Moorish ladies under a spell who guard a treasure cave).

1. Ànimes en pena

"Ànima en pena" literally means "soul in sorrow", but it's similar to a ghost. It's the spirit of a person who can't go to the Other Side because they are damned, weren't buried properly or as a result of how they died. This person will look the way they looked on earth (no white blankets here) and sometimes with an added punishments (be on flames, be chased by dogs, can't dismount their horse, riding the skeleton of a horse, etc). Some of them only appear under certain circumstances, like at night. The particular details depend on each legend: depending on the circumstances and how grave their punishment was, they can be a simple spirit or more similar to the Wild Hunt motif.

There are places that are said to be haunted by an ànima en pena. Many of them are just a dead person who asks the living to say a message on their behalf or finish something they left unfinished, and then they can go in peace. But others are damned for eternity. I will explain the most famous one in Catalonia.

The most famous one is Count Arnau (Comte Arnau), also called Count Evil (Comte Mal) in Mallorca. I made a post about him a long time ago, but it's always a good moment to bring him back. Count Arnau (might be the real Arnau de Mataplana) was Medieval noble who committed various sins. Some say he was forced to marry a 7-year-old when he was 15, but he was actually into another woman who was a nun in the monastery of Sant Joan de les Abadesses. Catholic nuns make a vow of chastity, but n'Arnau ignored the holy laws, seduced her and had sex with her. Some versions say that the nun died shortly after joining the monastery, and on a stormy night n'Arnau stole her corpse from the grave and rode away carrying her on his horse, but in his madness he couldn't see where he was going and fell down a cliff. It's also said he did not keep his promises to his feudal subjects and did not pay his servants what he owed them.

For his sins, he was punished to roam eternally as an ànima en pena, riding a black horse on fire and chased by diabolical dogs. Since at least the 16th century, people from the area have been saying they see him on stormy nights.

Sant Joan de les Abadesses monastery, Comarques Gironines, Catalonia. x x.

The ruins of Mataplana castle: Count Arnau's castle. Comarques Gironines, Catalonia. x x.

In many other places of Catalonia they have similar legends of the Wild Hunt. Many of them have to do with a nobleman or a hunter who ignored God to go hunt a specially big hare and is now damned to hunt eternally. Or, like in Gréixer, he killed the priest and ran away to the forest, so now he's eternally running in that forest and can't ever stop.

Gréixer, in Guardiola de Berguedà. Where the hunter hid and is now forever running. One example of the many damned hunters. x x.

2. Encantades

The second kind of haunted places are those hunted by an encantada ("enchanted woman"). This is not to be confused with dones d'aigua ("water women"), a being of Catalan mythology who are also called encantades in some areas of the Northern half of Catalonia, which is related but different.

Here I'm talking about the immortal spirits of Moorish women who guard treasures. This kind of legend is very common in the Valencian Country, the south of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands (the areas that were ruled by the Islamic kingdoms for a longer time).

Still from the Disney movie Aladdin.

The legend is always the same: in the Middle Ages, when the Christians conquered this land, the Moors had to run away but they always had the hope that they would come back home. For this reason, they left their riches and treasures hidden (usually in a cave), which is guarded by an enchanted woman, who is immortal until the spell is lifted. Many have tried to find these treasures, but beware: there is always a trick.

This post would never end if I listed every town, cave or small lake that has a legend like this. There are many, and each will have some difference to how the woman was enchanted or what will happen if you steal from it. I will tell three as an example.

This is the legend told of the encantada of Planes: every 100 years, an enchanted Moorish woman leaves her hiding place in the little lake (called Barranc de l'Encantada, "the Enchanted Woman's little lake"), wearing a diadem of pure gold. She will talk to the first farmer she sees working in the nearby fields and ask him "which one do you want to keep: the gold diadem or me?". If the farmer answers the diadem, it means he's greedy so she will kill him. If he chooses her, she will take him to the cave, where he will remain under a spell forever.

El Barranc de l'Encantada in Les Planes, Central Valencian Country. x.

In the Benidoleig cave, the legend says that two Moorish men who had stayed after the Conquest had an old book that said how to retreive the treasure. They proposed to two Christian men to go get it together, following the books instructions: they would need to go at night, when they reached the cave they would read out a magic spell, burn some herbs, and when they reached the treasure chamber throw a cat without any black hair on it.

And so they did it: at night, they entered the cave. They found an enchanted Moorish woman who asked the Moorish men "why are you bringing enemies to the treasure?" but they ignored her and continued walking in. They followed the first part of the ritual and reached a treasure chamber with mountains of gold, silver and pearls, guarded by a black man under a spell, still as a statue and armed with a mace, which he held as if he were about to strike. Scared of the statue, the men doubted, but blinded by the riches they sacrificed the cat to take the treasure. In that exact moment, the black man came to life and threw away the cat, because it did not fulfil the requisit of not having any black hair. The men were sad that they couldn't make it and turned around to leave, but one of them used the moment to put a handful of gold and pearls in his pockets.

When they arrived to the cave's entrance, it was closed and they couldn't leave. One of the Moorish men said that is because one of them must have stolen a part of the treasure, and that if they don't put it back they'll be stuck there forever. The man confessed and gave it back, and the cave's mouth opened again.

There are many similar legends where the people looking for the treasure get trapped inside because of their greed.

The Benidoleig cave, Central Valencian Country. Nowadays it can be visited. x.

The last one I'll tell is from L'Albir. This is said to have happened in a cave called mina d'Ocre.

On a rainy day, a shepherd called Pere Joan took shelter in the cave. He heard a woman's voice coming from deep inside the cave that told him "Pere Joan, I'm here inside. You're a man with a good heart, come in!". Pere Joan was scared and didn't move, but the voice repeated it three times, until he decided to go. Inside the cave, he met the encantada who thanked him for having entered and told him she was a Moorish princess under a spell: she could only leave for 3 days every 100 years, and whoever breaks the spell will be lucky forever and all of his wishes will become true.

The encantada told him how to break the spell: "tomorrow night you must bring me 3 slices of blessed bread. You'll have to hold one on each hand and the other with your mouth. But be aware that I will look like a terrible, huge and ugly snake. But don't worry, it will still be me and I won't hurt you."

The next day, Pere Joan obeyed. Holding the bread in his hands and mouth, inside the dark cave he closed his eyes out of fear. Then, he felt how something took the bread from his left hand, then the right one... And then he opened his eyes and saw, right in front of his face, the monstrous snake. He got so scared that he ran away without thinking, and as he was leaving the cave he could hear the snake turn back into the princess and shout this curse: "for not having believed me and not breaking the spell, misfortune will always follow you, wherever you go!".

And it's true: until the day he died, Pere Joan was always lonely, poor, ill and sad. And we don't know what happened to the princess, but it's most likely that she's still waiting in her cave, for the next 100th year for someone to break the spell.

Coast of L'Albir, where the mines d'Ocre cave is located. Alacant, Valencian Country.

I used to hear a story like this when I was a child, too. I don't remember it exactly, but it was about a man who entered a cave where the encantada and the treasure were only visible in full moon nights. The encantada told him how to break the spell and leave with the treasure, but he got too greedy and didn't make it out of the cave before the moonlight rays stopped reaching the cave, so he lost it all and got trapped, if I remember right.

Once again, there are many legends of haunted places like these. And many people have firmly believed that they are real.

I hope this was interesting and answers your question. As always, everyone is welcome to add more to this post if yours is missing.

[tanzania2023]

20 de juliol - Hadzabe i Detonga

A les 7:00 del matí, ja esmorzats, marxem direcció al llac Eyasi. Vaig quedar ja fa uns mesos amb el Gorjo, que es el guía / contacte amb els Hadzabe. L'Stanley el coneix, aquí tots es coneixen.

Els Hadzabe es una tribu dels últims que queden al món com a caçadors-recolectors. No conreuen ni tenen ramats, només cacen (els homes) i recolecten (les dones).

La carretera deixa anar molta pols però és una mica millor que la d'ahir.

Trobem el Gorjo, que ens espera al punt de control, ens saludem i puja al cotxe. Es molt simpàtic i porta unes rastes que li queden de conya.

Seguim endins per una carretera més difícil fins que arribem a una esplanada amb un arbre on estan els Hadzabe esperant. Fem les presentacions xocant els punys i un d'ells, força jove, ens explica coses que el Gorjo va traduint. Ens ensenya fletxes i ens explica per a que serveix cadascuna. Una pels monos, un altre per ocells, un altre pels Pumba, etc. Ho explica rient i fent una mica el tonto. El llenguatge que fan servir es molt similar al dels bosquimans de Namíbia, amb sons fets amb la llengua sonant "clec". Es quasi impossible de reproduir.

Després el Gorjo ens diu que anem a caçar. Marxem amb tres d'ells per l'estepa, i els anem seguint. Ells van a la seva i molt simpàtics no semblen. Un es un nen d'uns 10 anys.

Anem caminant buscant algo per caçar fins que el nen, uns 20 minuts després, arriba amb un ocellet de color groc que ha caçat.

Se'l penja al coll i anem fins una ombra on fan foc amb un pal, hi posen l'ocellet al damunt i se'l jalen amb quasi totes les plumes i tot. Apa, ja han esmorzat. Ens n'han ofert però hem declinat amablement.

Havent-se fotut el pobre ocell, es lien un porret de marihuana i se'l fumen. El Gorjo diu que tot el dia fumen herba, tant homes com dones.

Tornem a l'esplanada on hi ha les dones assegudes al terra i unes quantes criatures petites. Les fotografiem (ens fa cosa però és deixen). Una nena petita porta un vestit de princesa com la de Frozen que ves a saber d'on l'han tret. La Joana es fixa amb una altra nena d'uns dos o tres anys, li pregunta com es diu però no entenem que diu, fins que el Gorjo ens diu que ha dit "María" i es posa a riure. Diu que alguns noms els treuen dels turistes.

La nena li pregunta al Gorjo si ell va amb els homes blancs (que som nosaltres) i desprès li diu que ella també té una persona blanca a casa (es una nina, entenem). Ens posem a riure i ens mira com extranyada. La Joana li dóna una samarreta, l'hi posa i li queda com si fos un vestit. La nena sembla contenta, però la mare ni fu ni fa.

Després s'ajunten tots i fan un ball. Per acabar, passem per una zona on tenen una mica d'artesania i els hi comprem algunes cosetes. Una de les noies es guapíssima. Paguem amb dòlars i el Gorjo s'encarrega d'explicar quin valor tenen els bitllets i de comptar-los.

Després els canviaran per Shillings (moneda de Tanzania) als conductors dels turistes.

Ens acomiadem i el Gorjo ens porta ara a veure els Detonga, que son ferrers. En arribar ens esperen unes cinc o sis dones més elegants i netes que les Hadzabe, i més guapes. Saludem dient "Seiyu" i donant la mà a tothom, literalment.

Hi ha tres nens petits, un es diu "Diners" i l'altra "Pneumàtics". Tal qual.

Entrem a una cabana i ens pregunten coses com ara quantes vaques vaig pagar per la meva dona, si tenía més dones, quants fills i si erem tots quatre la mateixa família o erem dues families.

Després es posen a batre blat de moro per fer farina amb una pedra i fan que la Joana i la Montse ho facin també. Tot això, cantant i donant palmades. Qualsevol cosa que diuen o diem ho acaben aplaudint.

Ens miren constantment i nosaltres les mirem constantment. El Manel els ensenya fotos del Pol i l'Aina i riuen encantades.

Després vesteixen la Joana i la Montse amb vestits i joies i ens fem fotos a la sortida.

A continuació anem a una altra zona on hi ha els homes fent puntes de fletxa. Agafen ferralla que han trobat (canonades velles, aixetes, candaus, etc) i ho fonen allà mateix. Amb un clau llarg fan una punta de fletxa en 10 minuts. Aquests puntes després les compren els Hadzabe per caçar, amb els diners que fan aguantant els turistes.

Comprem algunes coses més pagant més diners del que valen però fent-ho a gust. Es el que cal fer.

Finalment ens acomiadem dient "ezebé" i anem al càmping del Gorjo (es el propietari) i dinem allà el picnic. El Gorjo ha portat polenta, que es típic, i vedella feta a trossos que està boníssima. Ens la mengem amb les mans, com déu mana.

Acabem fent un cafè molt bo a Karatu, al Lilac cafè.

[punishertruther]

"eh, que yo no he dicho nada de que fuese malo, solo he comentado que te lo comiste con ganas." levantó las manos riendo antes de ponerse de nuevo a calcetar. "sí, pero aun así, en embarazos múltiples es común que te suba más el azúcar." explicó. "dios y que lo digas. ¿sabes cuándo me viniste a ver al hospital hace dos semanas? cuando te marchaste me tuve que poner una bolsa de gel en la entrepierna porque pensé que se me caía." reconoció entre risas y es que alicent había estado insaciable y elle había estado ahí para satisfacerla más que encantade. "creo que hoy las terminaré, pero no sé qué más hacerles porque peluches de ositos y tal ya nos han regalado un montón." toda la familia y amistades se habían volcado al máximo con el embarazo y en la fiesta que dieron les regalaron muchísimas cosas. "¿quizá unos dragones? ¿qué te parece?"

no dudó en fulminarle con la mirada ante aquellas palabras, rodando los ojos después y riendo con suavidad. "te recuerdo que ese día me quedé sin café porque criston no me avisó que me tocaba el recreo y estuve desde que me preparaste el desayuno hasta que llegue a casa sin comer." se defendió mientras dejaba a un lado su móvil y tomaba el vaso de zumo para darle un trago. "sí, también, pero también es diferente, no sé, pero sí." comentó asintiendo con suavidad, observando a rhaenyra con atención mientras este calcetaba las flores que había hecho para las niñas. "oye, pero si he estado siguiendo todas las instrucciones que me ha estado dando la ginecóloga, además de las rutinas de ejercicio que naerys y tu preparasteis, por no hablar de la ingente cantidad de sexo que hemos tenido." comentó con el ceño ligeramente fruncido. al ver las flores, una amplia sonrisa se dibujó en sus labios y asintió con suavidad. "son muy bonitas, cariño." y un puchero se dibujó en sus labios. "genial." asintió con suavidad, acariciando su vientre con suavidad mientras disfrutaba de los rayos del sol y la brisa que corría en aquellos momentos.

[jaumesclub]

🎬#11 #CINEJAU Salutacions, cinèfils entusiastes i amants de la gran pantalla! 🎬🍿 Us donem la benvinguda a un nou i emocionant episodi de "CINEJAU", el programa que cada setmana ens transporta al màgic món del cinema i ens fa viure emocions úniques amb el nostre presentador preferit, el sex symbol Jau Fibla! 😎🌟 Aquesta setmana, com sempre, venen estrenes calentetes: 🔥🎉 "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem", amb les nostres estimades tortugues ninja que tornen amb més força que mai! 🐢🔥 Mario Casas debuta com a director amb "Mi soledad tiene alas", un drama estil "cine quinqui" que promet tensió i emocions fortes! 🎬🎭 Els amants del terror tenen la seva dosi amb "No tengas miedo", una nova pel·lícula sobre cases encantades que et farà saltar de la cadira! 😱🏚️ També descobrim "Una aventura gigante", un film d'animació sobre les línies de Nazca al Perú! ✈️🇵🇪 A més, un nou talent femení emergeix amb "Las chicas están bien", el primer pas com a directora de l'actriu Itsaso Arana! 👩‍🎬 I amb "El viaje de Harold", arriba una emotiva història que ens parla de bellesa de l'amistat en la vellesa! 👴📜 No se admiten perros ni italianos: De França arriba un drama familiar en forma d'animació en stop motion de primer nivell. En lo alto: un drama amable sud coreà que ha encantat als crítics. Un verano con Fifí: una bonica pel·lícula francesa sobre l'amor adolescent. Apart d'aquestes estrenes, us explico la meva opinió del film espanyol "ASEDIO", una obra que he gaudit recentment! 🍿🎬 I no podia faltar la secció de pel·lícules preferides, avui viatgem a 1991 per recordar la creativitat amb "El rei pescador", de Terry Gilliam! 🎩🏰 Si ets un apassionat del cinema, aquest és el teu lloc! No oblides subscriure't al nostre canal i activar la campaneta per no perdre't mai ni un sol detall d'aquest i altres apassionants programes! 📢🎊

[laurawithslblues]

Into the Fairelands

“Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyesThey call me on and on across the universe�� We’ve waited with our eyes full of dreams and memories, we’ve counted the minutes and the seconds, and now it’s time: the portals are open once again and the magic from the Fairelands calls for us, the Fantasy Faire 2024 has begun. The Faire means many different things for us. For some,…

[teresabeadle5]

Hot Chocolate by Kynne Llewellyn Via Flickr: Coat : *LE* Les Encantades - Millicent Coat. in main store. Hairband : ::C'est la vie !:: Vale Headband Hot chocolate and hold pose : LORIEN HOT CHOCOLATE PBR POST MUG. At WLRP. Hair and bangs .NONNATIVE - LANITA. Head : Lelutka evox / AVALON 4.0 Skin : [Glam Affair] Paige [Lelutka EvoX] Blush. At Anthology Lips : Shiny Stuffs EvoX Yesterday 10 Eyeshadow : Shiny Stuffs EvoX Gothic Disco Winterblush : [theSkinnery] Snowball Fight Set (LeLutkaEVOX) snowfightblush. Huntgift at Belle Epoque Decor : DRD - Cocoa Station - Snowy (PBR) Pitaya - Christmas balloons Pitaya - Early winter decor Pitaya - Holiday bushes ionic : Polar Express Line - Bus Stop

[redthundershq]

¡me gusta mucho que el equipo de baloncesto sea mixto!

¡gracias, carita gris! si bien pensamos en primera instancia hacerlo femenino como en la serie, también pensamos que hay mayor diversificación de pj's ¡les cuales estaremos encantades de recibir!

[jovvest]

por un instante, cree que realmente le tiene pavor a dichos animales, pero ríe nuevamente por lo bajo al notar que le está siguiendo el pequeño juego. ahora podía finalmente decir que la reconocía; la chica que le ayudó en su penoso accidente. la recordaba cada vez que utilizaba sus pantalones blancos—que habían sido pocas—, por si necesitaba ayuda de una persona que no le echaría en cara la torpe forma en la que se llevaba por el mundo. ' te entiendo, a mí me gusta quedarme con la imagen que me dio jurassic park, esa es la mejor. ' sonríe. admite que era fan de esas películas, incluso la tercera y las que salieron años después. observa a sus alrededores, en específico a quien da la charla quien parece no estar encantade con su presencia. ' tienes razón, escapemos de aquí y busquemos pistas, antes de que ese guía nos arranque las plumas. ' ♯ @mangjeolie .ᐟ

frunce el ceño. ' ¿miedo? ' frunce los labios. ' me dan terror. un picoteo y te arrancan un tajo de carne, ' bromea en voz igualmente baja. no sabía que sería escuchada por alguien más pero ya que la reconoce como la chica del accidente, no tiene problemas en contribuir con el humor del ambiente. porque parece que ha hablado demasiado fuerte porque ve al guía carraspeando y pidiendo silencio. le es fácil mantener la compostura y aún así no puede ocultar del todo el orgullo que siente al haber contagiado algunas risas en la castaña. ' si te soy honesta, es sólo mi niña interior quejándose. me gusta más la versión sin plumas. ' eventualmente le mira por encima con una expresión apacible. ' ¿quieres quedarte hasta el final? esas anomalías no se encontrarán solas. '

[annedaumig]

A Flair For Life

A Flair For Life

__________ Starting out to make money is the greatest mistake in life. Do what you feel you have a flair for doing, and if you are good enough at it, the money will come. Greer Garson ___________ OUTFIT: *LE* & Enfants – Toreador @ We ❤ Roleplay (Oct 4 – Oct 28) FAN: TdO* GELOSIA fan MESH BODY: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V5.0 HEAD: .LeLUTKA Ryn Head 3.1 HAIR: .:EMO-tions:. * HAIRPIECE Z…

[kniteracy]

Future Shadows

Future Shadows How would you feel, if someone came to you and said, Queen, Senator, your little life is a speck, and you will be remembered only for the children you bear? How would you feel? I don’t like these dreams and prophecies. My work is here and now, preserving peace, making the universe a bit better than it was before I entered it. Hopefully. Dodging Destiny Destiny. What rubbish. We…

[laurawithslblues]

Thyria at the Fantasy Faire

We’re extremely excited to return to the Fabulous Fantasy Faire. Join us for this amazing gathering of talented designers, enthusiasts, role-players and performers in the virtual world, getting together to enjoy the art, events, and of course, the shopping, all in benefit of the American Cancer Society, via Relay For Life (RFL). 🦋 Follow the fairies here to Drunken Brokkr & Les Encantades at…

[goldensheriff]

Sinceramente, sí. Son dos trabajos a tiempo completo. Pero los hago encantada. Aparta un momento la mirada. Hace tiempo que no puede sincerarse con nadie, y soltarle todo esto a Abigail puede ser demasiado, en tanto que casi no se conocen.

Pero por otro lado, sabe que es una buena mujer, que no le va a traicionar y que no le va a juzgar por lo que tiene que decir. Así que decide armarse de valor.

La verdad es que eso no es... osea, es mucho trabajo, pero lo hago encantad, podría pasarme el resto de mi vida entrenando a futuras rivales. Heck, if the whole industry died down, I would personally plant, grow and sow the seeds to build it back, I would, no problem.

Lo dificil es...todo lo que ha surgido desde que somos una promoción "de verdad". Convenciones de fans, que me encantan, pero me agotan, acuerdos publicitarios, entrevistas en el periodico, en la radio, spots publicitarios... darn it, mañana a primera hora tengo que ir a un talk show. And probably, in six months I'll be flying to Japan to return the favour to Osaka Pro. Aprieta un poco los labios, algo disgustada. Heavy is the head that wears the crown... or the hip that holds the belt.

I do love being a champion, I really do. Representing the company, and all the men and women that make it possible it's an honour. But sometimes I wonder if the title itself is not cursed.

Hoy es su día libre... Al menos en la clínica, porque ha pasado la mañana entrenando, primero sola y luego cuando se ha topado con Malachy esta muy amablemente le ha ayudado a practicar en el ring. Se han caído bien, Malachy le ha dicho que pese a ser inglesa es maja, a lo que Abbie no ha podido evitar reír.

Por la tarde, pero, se permite descansar. Ha salido a dar un paseo, pero no ha tenido que andar mucho antes de encontrar un local que ha llamado su atención: Una pequeña cafetería llena de libros que los clientes pueden leer o incluso alquilar, regentado por una amable mujer ya llegando a la tercera edad.

Le ha parecido adorable, y como justo eran las cuatro se ha aventurado dentro. Curiosea las estanterías hasta encontrar un libro que le llame la atención, que en esta ocasión ha sido una novela policíaca situada en un pueblecito ranchero de Missouri, y se sienta a ojearlo mientras espera a que le tomen nota.