#banshee mythology

[justa-rat]

Banshee.

May 8th,

Word Count: 624

You thought of her.

The last time you saw her.

How her hair slicked with sweat stuck to her face, perfectly framing her beauty. How her wide-stretched eyes stared directly onto yours. They were such a pretty shade of green. It was rare you were granted the pleasure of staring into green eyes. Her complexion was fair, her skin was so, so smooth. Not a blemish in sight, you would have said she were a goddess, had you not been wiser.

She lay in a pool of her own dark blood. The shade of crimson it embodied was near black, you only knew it was red due to how the light hit the reflections in the pool. Her mouth was still open, utterly frozen in an eternal scream. 

She looked so normal now, despite the shotgun-shell sized hole that ripped through her abdomen. Your hands still shook, the offending weapon resting in your white-knuckled grip. 

You hadn’t moved since firing the shot, your eyes stared at her form. You had to be sure, everything in your body told you she was not dead. You pumped the shotgun, leveling the sights to her skull. 

A bead of sweat dripped down your forehead, your index finger sliding over the trigger. You took in a breath.

A high-pitched screech filled the room, your eardrums ached with the noise. You staggered back, the shotgun misfiring into the stone walls. Water splashed at your feet, wetting your clothing. You felt something drip down the side of your head, vertigo, nauseam.  

Relief flooded you as the assault finally ended, but everything sounded… a little more muffled than it had before. The woman now hung in the air before you, dark hair splayed out as if she were underwater. The wound on her stomach began to slowly knit together, razor sharp teeth being bared at you. Her true form had been revealed now, her true power. 

Your fingers clumsily fumbled to reload the shotgun, backing away all the while. You missed when her eyes were green. 

You ready your aim once more - only for another ear-shattering wail to come forth. Crimson tears now streaked her cheeks, you could hardly make out the words. You still question if she uttered any,

“WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!” Her voice came out in a choked sob.

You would not be fooled. You had heard of banshee’s from your town. Her words were not true, but rather the words of another lost, poor soul. You wonder whose tragic end she had both incited and recorded. She would not have yours. 

Fighting the maddening squeal, you lift the gun into aim once more. Peering through blurred vision, you swallowed the sick slowly threatening to crawl up your throat. You aimed at her skull.

The gunshot was silent., all you could hear was the sudden relief to her horrific wails. 

Her body crumpled in the air, and once again returned to the earth. What was left of her face now flowered into gore. You stand there shivering, unable to hear your own footsteps through muffled silence. You pull out a knife, and slice away a lock of her hair. 

You don’t remember why you thought of her, of what she took from you. 

What you took from her. 

Yet as you sit next to your favorite old record player - your fingers resting on its case… You can’t help but think of her final words. How you brushed them off then, only to have them haunt you now.

Your eyes look to the horizon, your bones are old and weak now, and you can only enjoy the gentle vibrations of the music you once loved.

Why did you kill her?

[hatecomeseasy]

BANSHEE SCREAM - Full Set LIVE in Perris, CA

7.29.23

[nanamis-username]

samhain 🧡 a banshee & a dullahan

[silverycryptid]

banshee hatsune miku be like: sekAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAi de ichiban ohime-sama

[birdsofrhiannon]

Banshee by Annie Stegg

[sincerely-sofie]

It’s Narilamb fankid hours.

[ofoceansandtombsanew]

obsessed with the idea of seelie faerie prince gojou, as charming and as tricksy as all fae are. his snow-white hair eye catching and his azure eyes like gems pressed into his flesh

seelie prince satoru whose very birth shook faerieland as foretold by the stars red, blue and purple stars that soared through the sky the night of his birth

seelie prince satoru who is much more observant than his penchant for revels and merrymaking belies

seelie prince satoru who relishes in obnoxiously getting under the skin of the gentry of his court with his radical ideas that challenge the traditions that have been established for centuries

seelie prince satoru whose court is filled with political strife between three major families- the gojou, zenin and kamo. and it's really just his look this particular luck that he's bleeding out after a particularly harrowing attempt on his life. must have been that petty bastard naoya but in this particular moment, numb from poison and with a bloodied torso it really isn't going to do him any good trying to figure out who sent the now dead assassin after him

he won't die from this, he's been developing an immunity to poison. but even so, this is tough on his body as he sits in a misty forest waiting for the poison to wear off on his body with the scent of iron strong in the air

that's when he sees something that any faerie would consider the worst omen ー he sees you.

faeries are immortal folk. unless someone goes out of their way to kill them, they never die. it's what makes them stronger, far further creatures than humans with their insect-length lifespans

seelie prince satoru who even with his eyes, it's difficult seeing you clearly with poison muddling his senses but he sees the tell-tell white hair and gray skin and he knows you're a banshee

seelie prince satoru who chuckles humorlessly as he accepts that apparently, his luck has run out

he's sure of this as you slowly come closer and closer until he sees you much more clearly. your eyes are bloodshot, as to be expected of your kind. but your eyes might be the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. they're a pale lilac and your pupils are a ghostly white, shockingly light against the reds of your eyes but even that looks beautiful. he never cared particularly for the color red before but in this moment he can understand why red caps crave the color so and satoru thinks that if he is going to hear those damning cries that will seal his fate in this instant, he's glad it's you

banshees were human women that died in grief, right? that died tragedy before the grace of the gods turned them fae. death is a beautiful look on you but he wonders what you'd look if you were still colored in the shades of life that once blossomed over you like spring blooms

and so you part your lips... but rather than wail and scream, announcing to the headless riders of faerie that death is near, death is coming for gojou satoru your eyebrows knit in worry and you ask

"are you alright?" as you kneel by his side, reaching for his wounds carefully. your voice is honestly akin to hearing birdsong in the night, a juxtaposition he wasn't prepared for. "here, let me help you"

apparently the seelie prince's luck is greater still. death won't come for him yet. instead, he's become a hypocrite. an unintelligent hypocrite but he can't quite seem to make himself care in this instance when he is tended to by your cold but gentle touch and your lark-like voice drips like honey from your lips.

whether it's folk or mortal, satoru likens love to a curse that makes those around him stupid. a curse that leads to betrayals, war and frankly too much strife he desires to deal with

yet in this moment, that very curse seemed to course through his veins

stupid is as stupid does, seelie prince satoru's lips part and he asks you as if enraptured in a spell "please marry me and i'll love you more faithfully than any man, fae or otherwise"

as for you... you're simply a banshee who just happened to be in this forest when you spotted an injured elf in the distance and decided to see if he'd accept your help if he didn't outright lose his mind in fear at the sight of you. you think he might have considering the words that left his mouth

it must be the blood loss talking

unfortunately for you and much to the aggravation of suguru and kento, seelie prince satoru's most trusted advisors, satoru was very much serious and fervently keeps referring to you as his future queen when you haven't even accepted the proposal

seelie prince satoru who insists you stay in his palace, at the very least until after a revel in a few moons time he wishes to throw in your honor. as thanks for treating his injuries which are still healing, might he add. anything could happen, what if a banshee needs to herald his death and one isn't around? he would also like the time to woo you over. please? just until then

seelie prince satoru who ignores the ardent whispers that it is bad luck for a banshee to be so close the prince. that insist that death fae are like roaches. surely if one appears, there will be more banshee and dullahan that follow

seelie prince satoru who coldly states that any such insult toward the woman who saved his life will find those who said them hearing the chilling cries they so fear sooner than they'd enjoy

[theriu]

How To Silence A Banshee

Banshee: (has been shrieking and wailing for hours)

Me: (shouting through loudspeaker) This is your final warning! Stop screaming and get out of here, or else!

Banshee: (shrieks and wails louder)

Me: Alright, you asked for this! (puts microphone next to speaker)

(UNEARTHLY FEEDBACK NOISES)

Banshee: AAAUGH!!! Stop, stop, stop!!! What IS that?!

Me: No, YOU stop! I’ve told you five times, you need to leave!

Banshee: Look, it’s my JOB to warn of impending death! I’m just tryna make a living here!

Me: Well, go make your living somewhere other than a NURSING HOME. That’s rude AND lazy! Now clear out before I give you another taste of your own medicine!

Banshee: Fine! (flies off grumbling) Your noise is WAY more annoying than I am…

Me: And don’t let me catch you lurking around the intensive care unit again, either!

———

(A/N: Credit to @o-lei-o-lai-o-lord for suggesting microphone feedback as a counter to banshee screams. XD GENIUS)

For more assorted nonsense, visit my How To Guides for Mythical Creatures Masterlist!

[dusky-doe]

A ruby-inspired ikran and accompanying saddle, commissioned by @namarielart ! It was a lot of fun!

[ex0skeletal-undead]

Cry of a Banshee by IrenHorrors

This artist on Instagram

[monstergirlgang]

Monster Girl October Tarot day 8: The Banshee from Irish folklore and stories like the Triumphs of Torlough as the 8 of Cups card!

The 8 of cups card can be interpreted a few ways, mostly focusing on the need to move on or withdraw. It implies disappointment and abandonment, and marks transition periods. Banshees are famous as being spirit/fairy women who fortell the death of a loved one with their wailing. Loss can be a frightening thing, but Banshees provide advance notice that can sometimes allow listeners to prepare for the new transition in our lives.

[ruql]

"The Banshee (Bean Sidhé)"

The Banshee is a supernatural being that comes from the Irish folklore.

Some Irish believe that the souls of the deceased do not leave this world. Rather, they rove Earth in form of disembodied spirits. The Banshee is also believed to be a female spirit.

In Irish folklore, the Banshee plays the role of a predictor or an omen of death. It's blood-curdling howls and screech are said to convey the message that you or your loved ones don't have much time left.

According to some, hearing a Banshee's wail will instantaneously kill the listener or their loved ones. Some claim that it just conveys a message, but whoever it is for is destined to embrace death.

The Banshee has a significant cultural significance in Irish folklore, representing death and mourning. It has been passed down through generations and remains an important part of Irish mythology.

Both the fear of dying and the fear of being parted from your loved ones are very common. Thus, it is no surprise that "The Banshee" is considered as one of the most dreaded figures in Irish mythology.

[blogparanormalexpresso2stuff]

The Terrifying Irish Banshee Myth, Meaning, And A Personal Family Experience With The Banshee

The Irish Banshee is a legendary figure in Irish folklore, known as a harbinger of death. The term "Banshee" comes from the Irish "bean sí" (pronounced ban-shee), meaning "woman of the fairy mound" or "fairy woman." She is often depicted as a ghostly female spirit whose mournful wail or keening cry foretells the death of a family member, particularly among families of ancient Gaelic lineage.

I will also talk about my own family's sighting of the Banshee.

The legend of the Banshee has persisted for centuries, remaining a powerful symbol of the connection between the living and the dead in Irish culture. Her story continues to be told in various forms, from traditional folklore to modern literature and media, keeping her presence alive in the cultural imagination.

0:00 - The Terrifying Irish Banshee: Myth, Meaning,

And A Personal Family Experience With The Banshee

1:07 - Origins And Historical Context

2:19 - Characteristics And Depictions

4:16 - My Family's Account With The Banshee

8:27 - Cultural Significance

11:30 - Conclusion

[ice-cap-k]

Where did the fae brainrot come from? What started it? 👀

Fair warning: ramble dead ahead.

To be honest, I've always been really interested in fantasy and the idea of fairies. Tinkerbell was basically my thing growing up. I had plenty of kids' books about fairies based on gemstones and animals and things. And I was always interested in the historical side of stories. I would check out history and nonfiction books on obscure topics. Some of my favorite podcasts were educational in that they delved into the roots of modern myths and legends. Shows like Lore (which is now also a book and a TV show), The Midnight Library, 30 Morbid Minutes, Freaky Folklore, and so on and so on. Me and my dad would watch the weird side of the History channel together. And with the fun fae lore and character options in dnd, I was fairly aware of some of their cool implications.

Now, none of this particular started the brainrot. It just made me a bit more predisposed.

Because the real moment I latched onto fairies with respect to a mythological standpoint was almost exactly 4 years ago when I grabbed a random book off my local library's shelf.

This book's synopsis on the back cover painted it as a modern day mystery where a detective tracks down a missing girl and ends up biting off more than he can chew. Pretty generic setup by all means. There was nothing there to hint about any fantasy elements, and for most of the book, there weren't. It was only when you get to the end where it became clear that the girl the detective was looking for wasn't kidnapped or killed or anything like that.

No, the twist was that she was reclaimed by her fairy husband from another life.

In truth, the book turned out to be a modern take and twist on the story Torchmarc Etain, or The Wooing of Etain. Up until that point, I had never heard of the story and knew little to no celtic/irish mythology. Little fae mythology in general, honestly.

I'd say spoiler alert, but the truth is, I can't remember what the book was called or who wrote it. I still regret not writing it down because I have been trying to find it again for the past 4 years. If I had known how pivotal this stupid book would be or how hard it would be to find, I would have written its name down, or heck, never bothered to return it. The library doesn't keep a history of what books patrons have checked out and no matter how many times I walk through the isle I first found it in, Ive never seen it on the shelves again.

I looked up the original myth after I returned the book and it's definitely wild. And weird. And yeah, it's mythology, so that shouldn't come as a surprise. And as you read the myth, it discusses other things. Things like Midher's family and the Tuatha De Danann. A couple of google searches later, and Im back at the library looking for anything they have on the Tuatha De Danann and celtic myths. Honestly, they dont have much. Three books total in the non-fiction section, one of which I've read for times.

The more I looked, the more fascinated I was. The more connections I made to things I knew from various other sources. So many things I was vaguely aware of but lacked the full scope of suddenly seemed to make so much more sense. It was like I had a mess of yarn in a tangle, but you didn't realize it was all one connected strand until the knot came loose. It goes so deep and covers so much as you work your way through stories across Europe. Characters. Magic. Chaos. A mythology vast and rich but yet I hardly heard any of, overshadowed worldwide by other myths. Notably, Greecian mythology.

And don't get me wrong, I had my time where I was fascinated by Greek gods and their antics, but that fascination didn't last near as long as this one. I love looking into the good god the Dagda and his dual nature club, or the story of Nuada's death at the hands (or really I should aay eye) of Balor, only to immediately be avenged by Long Armed Lugh. There’s the Ulster Cycle and the Cattle Raid of Cooley, and how the Aes Si, fae as we know them, descended from Tuatha. How the Catholic monks who came to the land both white washed, and saved most of the myths we are still aware of because back then it was looked down on to write written records of druidic beliefs previously carried down with spoken word, but the monks went and wrote it all down anyway. I could gush about all of it.

And to top it off, like those podcasts and shows and books I enjoyed growing up, it explained how certain things got to the point they are known as today. For example, banshee were once known as ban - sidh (pronounced nearly the same). Sidh denoting fae ties, though the concept originally came from the practice of keening. Keening was a traditional form of mourning the dead. It was a vocal lamentation: crying weeping, shouting. Professsional keeners could be payed to attend funeral rights and processions when people of high birth died, as it was considered dishonerable for others of high birth to display grief in such ways. It is here where the story of the woman whose screams fortell death started to become the banshee, a creature people can easily identify. And yet... you have to go digging to find out its mythological roots.

Maybe it's just me, but I find that kind of sad.

So I keep digging. I keep looking. I keep learning. There's certainly no lack of material.

That book was my white rabbit, and I chose to jump headfirst down the hole. I've been down here long enough to realize it's probably not a phase. Maybe this version of Wonderland is where I belong, or maybe not, but I'm going to enjoy my time here and relish in the nonsense of it.

[mypieceofculture]

Mythical Aesthetics // Banshee

Banshee: a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member, usually by screaming, wailing, shrieking, or keening. Requested by @theunknownbaka-blog and @sundry-whovengerslocked

See all my aesthetics here: Directory

[cowboygirlfriends]

Okay here me out…banshee!Imogen