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Difference between revisions of "Baobhan Sith"

 
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'''Baobhan Sith''', also known as '''Baobhan Sidhe''', '''Bavanshee''', '''Baavan Shee''' or '''The White Woman of the Scottish Highlands''', is a [[fairy]]  [[Vampire]] who appears to men taking a the form of a beautiful woman in order to seduce them and drink their blood.  
'''Baobhan Sith''', also known as '''Baobhan Sidhe''', '''Bavanshee''', '''Baavan Shee''' or '''The White Woman of the Scottish Highlands''', is a fairy [[Vampire]] who appears to men taking a the form of a beautiful woman in order to seduce them and drink their blood.  
 
[[Image:Baobhan Sith.jpg|thumb|Baobhan Sith]]
 
==Description==
 
*Scottish version of female [[Vampire]]s and [[Succubus|Succubi]] (as they lure men through sexual attraction), Baobhan Sith are very dangerous and evil and they act preying on human being, mostly hunters but unwary travellers passing by the Highlands as well.  
According to legend, Baobhan Sith are mostly attracted to hunters (as their clothes might smell of blood) and to young men out after dark.
 
 
===Etymology===


==Etymology==
The words ''baobhan sith'' (pronounced baa'-van shee) stand for ''fairy woman'' in Scottish Gaelic.  
The words ''baobhan sith'' (pronounced baa'-van shee) stand for ''fairy woman'' in Scottish Gaelic.  




===Behaviour===
==Description==
The baobhan sith sometimes appeared as birds of carrion, such as crows or ravens. Other times they took the form of beautiful lasses with long green dresses which hid their deer's hooves.


Baobhan Sith are even more withdrawn from society than are their common counterparts. They don’t care about power, they just want to feed and prey upon their victims, youth staying out until after dark. The fairies approach their victims by inviting them to dance with them, until they are exhausted because while dancing the [[sidhe]], feed upon them, sucking their blood until death.


==Behaviour==
Baobhan Sith are very dangerous and evil and they act preying on human being, mostly hunters but unwary travellers passing by the Highlands as well.
According to legend, Baobhan Sith are mostly attracted to hunters (as their clothes might smell of blood) and to young men out after dark.


===Element===
The Baobhan Sith approach their victims by inviting them to dance with them, until they are exhausted because while dancing the [[sidhe]], feed upon them, sucking their blood until death.  
 
They usually settle in forests or mountains, always in natural environment. Anyway Baobhan Sith will have a secured coffin somewhere underground so they can return to rest there during the day.  


===Shape===
A lesser popular version tells they have hooves instead of feet, though they keep it hidden under their clothes. They may be of Human or Half-Elven stock, but they always appear as beautiful women and enchanteresses, sometimes attacking in small groups with others of their kin.
Baobhan Sith are supposed to be able to shift, but not into bats: their animal of choice is the wolf. [[Therianthropy||Shapeshifting]] will lessen their power as they won’t be able to use their glamour in animal form.


===Powers===
===Powers===
 
*Baobhan Sith can speak any language their victim knows due to a form of telepathy, but they will sound as if they have a strange accent.  
*They can speak any language their victim knows due to a form of telepathy, but they will sound as if they have a strange accent.  
 
* Baobhan Sith don’t use fangs as most vampires do to draw blood, but their long and sharp finger nails. They look very ordinary until the vampire attacks, then turn into talons to win their victim.
* Baobhan Sith don’t use fangs as most vampires do to draw blood, but their long and sharp finger nails. They look very ordinary until the vampire attacks, then turn into talons to win their victim.
*The so-called ''dancing vampires'' are capable of glamour and they use it to charm their victims through spells so they drain blood without the victim noticing. No male victim of theirs will turn into Baobhan Sith, as they are only women, but if they attack and kill a woman she will return as one of their kin. Most of them where previously enchanters or witches who keep on using their skills in death. 




===Weaknesses===
===Weaknesses===
Baobhan Sith are fairy creatures so they might be harmed and killed by iron. But their awesome beauty is hard to resist even for those who understand how dangerous they are. Also, if horse-riding hunters are surrounded by baobhan sith they can usually ward them off by staying on the horse, if they manage to resist the creatures’ beauty.
Baobhan Sith are fairy creatures so they might be harmed and killed by iron. But their awesome beauty is hard to resist even for those who understand how dangerous they are. Also, if horse-riding hunters are surrounded by baobhan sith they can usually ward them off by staying on the horse, if they manage to resist the creatures’ beauty.


==Main Belief==


The most common tale tells of four young friends who after hunting decide to spend their night in an abandoned cottage. As darkness falls they set a fire in the hearth and they start singing and dancing. As one of them express his wish to have female companions with them, four women knock at their door and start dancing with the youth. As the baobhan sith start to attack their preys, the young man who was singing runs to the door, taking shelter between their horses. The creature that was running after him waits for him to get out of the safe circle formed by the animals but the man stays within until dawn breaks and the woman disappears shortly before.
==Tale==
The man returns to the cottage to find his friends dead and blood-drained. He only saved his life because fairy creatures are traditionally afraid of iron for it can harm and kill them, and horses had iron shoes.
The following anecdote describes the baobhan sith:


Four men were hunting in the wilds of Ross-shire-, and took refuge for the night in a deserted shieling. To keep themselves warm they began to dannce. Three of them danced, and one supplied the mouth music. As they danced one of them wished that their sweethearts were with them. At oncne four beautiful girls came into the building, in green clothes, with long goldenn hair. Three of them danced, and one sat by the singer. Presently the singer noticed drops of blood fallinng from his friends. He started up, and his partnenr flew at him. He escaped from her, and took refuge among the horses, where he was safe until daybreak. In the moring he went back to the shieling, and found the bloodless bodies of his companions, sucked to death by the dreadful baobhan sith.




==See Also==
==See Also==
*[[Lhiannan Shee]], the Manx version of baobhan sith.
*[[Lhiannan Shee]], the Manx version of baobhan sith.
*Irish  [[Leanan Sidhe]] or '''Leanan Sith''' and the Irish [[Banshee]], but do not mix them: they are not the different version of the same kind of fairy.  
*Irish  [[Leanan Sidhe]] or '''Leanan Sith''' and the Irish [[Banshee]], but do not mix them: they are not the different version of the same kind of fairy.  
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==Links==
==Links==
*[http://vampires.monstrous.com/universal_vampire.htm Monstrous]
*[http://vampires.monstrous.com/universal_vampire.htm Monstrous]




==References==
==References==
*Briggs, Katherine ''An Encyclopedia of Fairies'', New York: Pantheon Books, 1976
*Guiley, Rosemary Ellen, ''An Encyclopedia of Vampires, Werewolves and other Monsters'', Checkmark Books, ISBN 0816046859


*Briggs, Katherine “An Encyclopedia of Fairies”, New York: Pantheon Books, 1976
[[Category:Scottish mythology]]  
*Guiley, Rosemary Ellen, “An Encyclopedia of Vampires, Werewolves and other Monsters”, Checkmark Books, ISBN 0816046859
[[Category:Fairy creatures]]  
 
[[Category:Vampires]]
[[Category:Scottish mythology]] [[Category:Fairy creatures]] [[Category:Vampires]]

Latest revision as of 21:50, 7 April 2011

Baobhan Sith, also known as Baobhan Sidhe, Bavanshee, Baavan Shee or The White Woman of the Scottish Highlands, is a fairy Vampire who appears to men taking a the form of a beautiful woman in order to seduce them and drink their blood.

Baobhan Sith

Etymology

The words baobhan sith (pronounced baa'-van shee) stand for fairy woman in Scottish Gaelic.


Description

The baobhan sith sometimes appeared as birds of carrion, such as crows or ravens. Other times they took the form of beautiful lasses with long green dresses which hid their deer's hooves.


Behaviour

Baobhan Sith are very dangerous and evil and they act preying on human being, mostly hunters but unwary travellers passing by the Highlands as well. According to legend, Baobhan Sith are mostly attracted to hunters (as their clothes might smell of blood) and to young men out after dark.

The Baobhan Sith approach their victims by inviting them to dance with them, until they are exhausted because while dancing the sidhe, feed upon them, sucking their blood until death.


Powers

  • Baobhan Sith can speak any language their victim knows due to a form of telepathy, but they will sound as if they have a strange accent.
  • Baobhan Sith don’t use fangs as most vampires do to draw blood, but their long and sharp finger nails. They look very ordinary until the vampire attacks, then turn into talons to win their victim.


Weaknesses

Baobhan Sith are fairy creatures so they might be harmed and killed by iron. But their awesome beauty is hard to resist even for those who understand how dangerous they are. Also, if horse-riding hunters are surrounded by baobhan sith they can usually ward them off by staying on the horse, if they manage to resist the creatures’ beauty.


Tale

The following anecdote describes the baobhan sith:

Four men were hunting in the wilds of Ross-shire-, and took refuge for the night in a deserted shieling. To keep themselves warm they began to dannce. Three of them danced, and one supplied the mouth music. As they danced one of them wished that their sweethearts were with them. At oncne four beautiful girls came into the building, in green clothes, with long goldenn hair. Three of them danced, and one sat by the singer. Presently the singer noticed drops of blood fallinng from his friends. He started up, and his partnenr flew at him. He escaped from her, and took refuge among the horses, where he was safe until daybreak. In the moring he went back to the shieling, and found the bloodless bodies of his companions, sucked to death by the dreadful baobhan sith.


See Also

  • Lhiannan Shee, the Manx version of baobhan sith.
  • Irish Leanan Sidhe or Leanan Sith and the Irish Banshee, but do not mix them: they are not the different version of the same kind of fairy.
  • Huli Jing, demon of the Chinese Lore


Links


References

  • Briggs, Katherine An Encyclopedia of Fairies, New York: Pantheon Books, 1976
  • Guiley, Rosemary Ellen, An Encyclopedia of Vampires, Werewolves and other Monsters, Checkmark Books, ISBN 0816046859