an Slua Sí
Whenever the subject of the fairies comes up it is best to remember that they are not the twee little things of pop culture. Even among the diverse groups of fairies though some deserve more caution and respect than others. One group that was particularly feared is the slua sí, the fairy host. In Scotland the Sluagh are considered the most daunting of the fairies (Briggs, 1976).This fairy army would travel on the wind, especially the whirlwind, which was called the séideán sídhe, fairy blast, or sitheadh gaoithe, meaning thrust of wind, and often called by the similar sounding name of sí gaoithe, fairy wind (O hOgain, 1995; MacKillop, 1998). Although most often described as invisible to mortal eyes and traveling in the form of a wind, in Scotland the Slua is also said to appear in the form of clouds (Carmichael, 1900). The Slua traveled most often at night, but was especially active around midnight (Evans Wentz, 1911). Anyone who had reason to be out at night, and more so if they were out alone, needed to be careful to avoid the fairy host. This does not mean that the slua appears only at night though, and in fact the fairy host may appear anywhere at any time.
In Ireland it was said that the slua sí would often force a human to go along with them while they engaged in their malicious endeavors (O Suilleabhain, 1967). In tales these endeavors often included kidnapping brides, a common theme in many different types of fairy stories. A hapless traveler out alone at night or wandering where they shouldn't be might be taken up by the slua and find themselves with no choice but to go along where the fairies took them. People taken this way might be said to be "in the fairies" (O Suilleabhain, 1967). In folklore people taken by the slua sí may go as far afield as France or Spain and be left there to find their own way home, or else may be returned to the place where they were taken mostly unharmed. There are also tales of those, out traveling at night, who would see another person who had been or was being taken by the slua. To get the host to release anyone they may have taken one should throw the dust from the road, an iron knife, or your left shoe and say "This is yours; that is mine!" (McNeill, 1956).Those known to have been taken and released were gone to for advice relating to the fairies and seen as being quite knowledgeable about them (O Suilleabhain, 1967).
In Scotland some people believe that the Slua sí, the fairy host of the air, are spirits of the mortal dead*, specifically those who died with unforgiven sins (McNeill, 1956; Briggs, 1976). Alexander Carmichael described them as the ghosts of men who died full of sin and Evans Wentz related stories of the Slua as both the mortal dead and as fallen angels (Carmichael, 1900; Evans Wentz, 1911). In Irish folktales related by authors like Yeats and Hyde however the fairy host seem distinct from the human dead and appear to act like fairies in other tales, engaging in behavior such as stealing human brides. It's possible that no simple line can be drawn between the two groups, but rather that crossover existed which is reflected in the different folk beliefs.
The fairy host would appear in a sudden wind and the sound of voices, armor clinking, or people shouting (O Suilleabhain, 1967). Hyde describes it in the story "Guleesh Na Guss Dhu" this way: "he heard a great noise coming like the sound of many people running together, and talking, and laughing, and making sport, and the sound went by him like a whirl of wind..." (Hyde, 1890, p 76). Some say it appears as a dust devil which moves over roads and hedges as the Good Neighbors travel (JCHAS, 2010). When the whirlwind appeared people would avert their eyes, turn their backs, and pray, calling on saints or their guardian angels or else saying "Good luck to them, the ladies and gentlemen" (O hOgain, 1995, JCHAS, 2010, p. 319). This was done to avert any harm caused by the close proximity of the Host and to hopefully avoid drawing their attention. The sidhe gaoithe (fairy wind) which was a sign of the presence of the fairy host, could bring illness or cause injury as it passed by, contributing to its fearsome reputation (MacKillop, 1998). The Slua had a reputation for being mercurial and prone to malicious behavior and unlike more sedentary types of Fair Folk they are not easily appeased but most often must be warded off, usually with iron, driven away, or out-witted.
I've only encountered the Slua Si once and that is enough for me. Their reputation is what it is for a reason.
References:
MacKillop, J., (1998) A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology McNeill, M (1956). The Silver Bough, volume 1
O Suilleabhain, S., (1967). Nosanna agus Piseoga na nGael
O hOgain, D., (1995) Irish Superstitions
Briggs, K., (1976). A Dictionary of Fairies
Carmichael, A., (1900) Carmina Gadelica
Evans Wentz, W., (1911). The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries
Hyde, D., (1890) Beside the Fire
JCHAS (2010) Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society
*This may tie into the idea seen on the continent of the Wild Hunt as spirits who travel the air and can take people.
In Ireland it was said that the slua sí would often force a human to go along with them while they engaged in their malicious endeavors (O Suilleabhain, 1967). In tales these endeavors often included kidnapping brides, a common theme in many different types of fairy stories. A hapless traveler out alone at night or wandering where they shouldn't be might be taken up by the slua and find themselves with no choice but to go along where the fairies took them. People taken this way might be said to be "in the fairies" (O Suilleabhain, 1967). In folklore people taken by the slua sí may go as far afield as France or Spain and be left there to find their own way home, or else may be returned to the place where they were taken mostly unharmed. There are also tales of those, out traveling at night, who would see another person who had been or was being taken by the slua. To get the host to release anyone they may have taken one should throw the dust from the road, an iron knife, or your left shoe and say "This is yours; that is mine!" (McNeill, 1956).Those known to have been taken and released were gone to for advice relating to the fairies and seen as being quite knowledgeable about them (O Suilleabhain, 1967).
In Scotland some people believe that the Slua sí, the fairy host of the air, are spirits of the mortal dead*, specifically those who died with unforgiven sins (McNeill, 1956; Briggs, 1976). Alexander Carmichael described them as the ghosts of men who died full of sin and Evans Wentz related stories of the Slua as both the mortal dead and as fallen angels (Carmichael, 1900; Evans Wentz, 1911). In Irish folktales related by authors like Yeats and Hyde however the fairy host seem distinct from the human dead and appear to act like fairies in other tales, engaging in behavior such as stealing human brides. It's possible that no simple line can be drawn between the two groups, but rather that crossover existed which is reflected in the different folk beliefs.
The fairy host would appear in a sudden wind and the sound of voices, armor clinking, or people shouting (O Suilleabhain, 1967). Hyde describes it in the story "Guleesh Na Guss Dhu" this way: "he heard a great noise coming like the sound of many people running together, and talking, and laughing, and making sport, and the sound went by him like a whirl of wind..." (Hyde, 1890, p 76). Some say it appears as a dust devil which moves over roads and hedges as the Good Neighbors travel (JCHAS, 2010). When the whirlwind appeared people would avert their eyes, turn their backs, and pray, calling on saints or their guardian angels or else saying "Good luck to them, the ladies and gentlemen" (O hOgain, 1995, JCHAS, 2010, p. 319). This was done to avert any harm caused by the close proximity of the Host and to hopefully avoid drawing their attention. The sidhe gaoithe (fairy wind) which was a sign of the presence of the fairy host, could bring illness or cause injury as it passed by, contributing to its fearsome reputation (MacKillop, 1998). The Slua had a reputation for being mercurial and prone to malicious behavior and unlike more sedentary types of Fair Folk they are not easily appeased but most often must be warded off, usually with iron, driven away, or out-witted.
I've only encountered the Slua Si once and that is enough for me. Their reputation is what it is for a reason.
References:
MacKillop, J., (1998) A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology McNeill, M (1956). The Silver Bough, volume 1
O Suilleabhain, S., (1967). Nosanna agus Piseoga na nGael
O hOgain, D., (1995) Irish Superstitions
Briggs, K., (1976). A Dictionary of Fairies
Carmichael, A., (1900) Carmina Gadelica
Evans Wentz, W., (1911). The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries
Hyde, D., (1890) Beside the Fire
JCHAS (2010) Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society
*This may tie into the idea seen on the continent of the Wild Hunt as spirits who travel the air and can take people.
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