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Many a fisher-man from Turnberry met a watery end attempting to follow the haunting melody from the rocks where the Sea People would bask in the sun. The singer, a Sea Witch lamenting her own children lost to the sea.

#ayrshirefolklore #wyrdwednesday
art: Frank Frazetta 1966

The #boobrie is a mythological shapeshifting entity inhabiting the lochs of the west coast of #Scotland. It commonly adopts the appearance of a gigantic water bird, but it can also materialise in the form of various other mythological creatures such as a water bull.
Source: https://www.ancientpages.com/2017/02/09/boobrie-shape-shifting-mythical-horror-bird-from-scottish-highlands/
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#FolkloreThursday theme #monsters
The Boobrie is a shapeshifting entity that preys on otters, & livestock transported on ships.
It generally takes the appearance of a giant water bird, but is "larger than seventeen of the biggest eagles put together" #AyrshireFolklore
🎨 unknown

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Along our coastline there are numerous folk tales of Sea Witches, characters in lore often portrayed as women, who have a magical bond with the sea and the weather elements. One such tale takes place at Turnberry Castle.

#legendarywednesday #ayrshirefolklore
art: Frank Frazetta

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My late grandfather would recount the tale of the merfolk that basked in the sun, on rocks that stretch out to the sea, beyond Turnberry Lighthouse.
Their mesmerizing singing captured the heart of many an Ayrshire lad and lassie.

#SeaFolkSaturday #AyrshireFolklore

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A 'black shuck' is known to haunt woodland around Ayr. These large, red-eyed black dogs from folklore have both malevolent & benevolent natures, more often seen as an omen of death. This shuck however, was attempting to save a child from a wolf.

#faustianfriday #ayrshirefolklore

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The Kelpie is described as resembling a horse when in water, but on land it retains it's hooves when appearing human, leading to its association with the devil

Robert Burns alludes to this in his 1786 poem 'Address to the Deil'

#FaustianFriday #ayrshirefolklore