😱 The Banshee

A fairy woman whose wail warns that death is near

Also known as Banshee, Bean Sídhe, Bean Sidhe

📺 "Hear that? No, that's not the kettle. Tonight's guest has the most famous voice in Ireland, and you really don't want to hear it close up."

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   |  '~~~~~~~~'   |
    \   ~~~~~~~   /
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      '~~~~~~~~~'

Origin: Irish folklore
First appeared: Irish legend (Irish oral tradition, recorded since the Middle Ages)
Pack: World Folklore

terminal-of-terror monster banshee

💀 Facts

Her name comes from the Irish bean sídhe, 'woman of the fairy mound'
Her wailing cry foretells a death in the family
Tradition says she mourns only for certain old Irish families
She may appear as a young woman, a stately matron or a withered crone
She is often pictured combing her long hair with a silver comb
In Scotland, the bean nighe washes the clothes of those about to die

📜 Legend

In Ireland, mourners called keeners once sang laments at wakes, and the banshee is their supernatural sister. Her name comes from the Irish bean sídhe, 'woman of the fairy mound'. Tradition says she follows certain old Irish families, and her keening cry in the night means one of them is about to die. She doesn't cause the death; she mourns it before it happens. Scotland has a cousin, the bean nighe, who washes the clothes of the soon-to-be-dead at a ford.

🎭 Myth vs Movie

True or false? Make your guess, then click a card (or press r) for the verdict.

The banshee causes the deaths she announces.

✘ FALSE

She's a herald and a mourner, not a killer. Her cry is a warning.
The banshee's name means 'woman of the fairy mound'.

✔ TRUE

It comes from the Irish bean ('woman') and sídhe ('fairy mound').
Tradition says the banshee mourns only certain old Irish families.

✔ TRUE

Many tellings say she follows particular ancient families, rather than anyone at all.

🃏 Stat Card

Strength: 2
Speed: 7
Cunning: 7
Dread: 10

⚡ Powers

A wail that carries for miles
Foreknowledge of death
Vanishing into the night mist

🧄 Weaknesses

Being bound to her family
Her endless grief
The coming of dawn

Stats power the Monster Mash: terminal-of-terror mash banshee

🎞️ Legacy

Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959) features a terrifying banshee

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