Artwork from a poster of Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow
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Illustration of a Dullahan by CrystalSkullSociety
The Dullahan is a fairy that comes straight out of Irish folklore (one of my favorites - and yes, I have books planned around the mythology). The creature is, of course, headless, and it can either be riding on horseback or driving a coach. Thomas Crofton Croker says it can also be a man or woman. The title isn't gendered - it's just a basic term for a malevolent entity without a head.
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Illustration of a Dullahan by Mikiko .art
According to most sources, the Dullahan is an omen of death, sort of like the Banshee. But while the Banshee warns the prospective dead of their untimely fates, the Dullahan comes to collect their souls. It's said that if the Dullahan so much as utters a person's name, that person will die.
Strangely enough, the Dullahan is afraid of gold, and the precious metal is the only thing known to deter the creature. I don't know about you, but I'll be carrying a lot more gold from now on...
The most interesting piece of information I've found on the Dullahan, though, is that some people believe it originated from an old god called Crom Cruach/Crom Dubh ("the crouching darkness"). Crom Cruach/Crom Dubh was apparently a pagan god of Ireland before Saint Patrick destroyed his stone idol and banished him to hell.
I hope you enjoyed October 2023's favorite folktale!
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