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Category Archives: Scottish
Snarly Yow
Also known as: Black Dog, Dog-Fiend, the Werewolf, Vanishing Dog
The Snarly Yow is a local phantom Black Dog found in both Maryland and West Virginia folklore in the United States. Unlike the Black Dog of British folklore, the Snarly Yow is sometimes described not as black, but as a white, headless dog dragging a chain from its neck. It has a red mouth, glowing eyes and over-sized paws and known to be very intimidating in appearance. A few sightings will claim the beast stands on its hind legs or that it can change its size to that of a small pony.
Maryland Legend
The Snarly Yow is often found at a pass where the old National road crosses a brook and canyon. The first stories and sightings of the Snarly Yow date to 1790 where an Inn was built close by in Maryland. There are many stories of people encountering the Snarly Yow either while walking, driving, riding horseback where the phantom dog appears, follows along or chases after the car. Or just simply appears and vanishes. Variations to the stories will tell how the horse becomes spooked and throws the rider, how others have thrown sticks and rocks at the beast or even fired at with a firearm, only to have the objects pass through it. Every story ends with the Snarly Yow just vanishing before their eyes.
"South Mountain Magic" – A book written by Madeleine Vinton Dahlgren in 1882, collected many of these encounters. Dahlgren, a wealthy widow had a summer home on South Mountain where she made it her mission to collect local legends. The most striking feature of her book is that many of the stories about the Snarly Yow are all first-hand accounts ranging from a preacher, to a farmer's wife and to a mountain man who have all had encounters with the beast.
Dahlgren's book describes the Snarly Yow as an intimidating and imposing wolf-like creature that could change its size. A dark, black shadowy beast, it would mostly just block the path of any travelers coming through.
"Snarleyyow: or, the Dog-Fiend" – Is a high seas adventure novel written in 1837 by the British Naval Officer Frederick Maryatt. His book clearly features a similar large black dog known for being intimidating and formidable.
Civil War – The Civil War saw many battles, one of which, Battle of Antietam near Sharpsburg, Maryland, that claimed over some 22,000 lives in one day of fighting. A number of ghost stories rose up surrounding this battle and the Snarly Yow is just one of many such phantoms to make their appearance.
A plaque located by the road near Boonsboro, MD for a local battle that happened at South Mountain reads:
"Beware of the "Snarly Yow." Legend has it that the shadow of a black dog used to prowl the heights of South Mountain. One night, a huntsman, famous as a sure shot, encountered the beast. He aimed and fired his rifle. The shot went right through the animal with no effect. He fired again and again, each shot passing through the shadowy beast. Finally overcome with dread, the huntsman fled."
Turner's Gap – A location near South Mountain, it is the sight of a Civil War battle known as "The Midnight Battle." The Snarly Yow is known to appear here.
20th & 21st Century Encounters – Many of these stories revolve around the Snarly Yow, like any dog, either blocking the road or chasing cars that drive along National Road (Route 40). Drivers will stop, thinking they have hit the apparent dog, only to get out, find nothing is there and when they turn to get back in their vehicle, the Snarly Yow appears, baring its teeth at them before disappearing.
West Virginia Legend
The Snarly Yow is believed to roam the mountains and hills near Harpers Ferry, part of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. The stories of the Snarly Yow here begin in the 1700's when the first Germans settled in the Potomac Valley. The name comes from the Germanic words to describe this creature's howls and wails.
Civil War – The Civil War saw many battles and the town of Harpers Ferry was greatly contested by both sides, often changing hands. The Snarly Yow, just like in Maryland, is just one of many such phantoms to make their appearance.
Most of the stories regarding the Snarly Yow tell how people have claimed to shot at or run over the creature. Then, either believing the apparent dog to be killed or injured, they discover, when looking back, that the creature standing nearby. A few people report having seen the Snarly Yow standing on it's hind legs like a human. This ghost hound will appear out of thin air, alter its size and just as quickly as it appeared, vanish. Most often the Snarly Yow will appear along roadsides or in the middle of the road.
Stories of the Snarly Yow have also extended its range to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia and even Hillsboro, Virginia.
British Black Dog
In Europe, particularly in the UK for England and Scotland, there a lot of folklore regarding Black Dogs and several different such individual Black Dogs. Sightings of these dogs have been going on for over 400 years. In British folklore, seeing a Black Dog is often an omen of death. These Black Dogs are often found out in the wilderness along old roads, bridges and pathways. Sometimes the Black Dog is in association with a nearby graveyard that it protects. Like the Snarly Yow, the British Black Dogs have glowing red eyes, are large and able to change their size; suddenly appearing and vanishing. Most Black Dogs encountered in British folklore might protect a family or warn an individual of coming death; with some cases outright heralding it. While some Black Dogs are more vicious than others, it is only if they come into physical contact with someone that they attack, can the Black Dog cause harm in the way of paralysis, death and serious wounds.
The Snarly Yow differs from the British Black Dogs in that it is not an omen of death, it just seems to have a penchant for appearing, blocking the path of travelers as it scares them and then just vanishes. Other than getting startling and scaring people, the Snarly Yow hasn't ever really hurt anyone, unless you count the time a rider got thrown from their spooked horse and broke their collar bone.
The latest installment in this video game series is set in West Virginia. The game takes advantage of the state's wealth of local urban legends, cryptozoology and folklore to adapt many monsters to the game's post-apocalyptic setting. The Snarly Yow is just one of many such monsters found in the game.
Posted in American, Animal - Beast, British, Cemetary, Chase, Civil War, Cryptid, Death, Disappearing/Vanishing, Dog, English, European, Fear, Folk Lore, German, Ghost, Graveyard, Haunted, Journey/Travel, Mountain, Phantom, Road, Scottish, Size-Changer, Spirit, Travel/Traveler, Uncategorized, War, Wolf
The Headless Horseman is a popular figure found in American folklore. Often described as well, a headless rider on horseback.
The Headless Horseman is a common figure and staple of American Folklore. It has shown up for usage in various movies, T.V. series and literature outside of the original "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving. Recent t.v. series are Sleepy Hollow and Tim Burton's movie of the same name, both drawing on the same inspiration of Irving's story.
Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"
Ah yes, the classic American story. "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" first appears in a collection of short stories titled: "The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent." As far as inspiration goes for Irving's story, many seem to agree to the idea that the German writer, Karl Musäus is where the idea for a Headless Horseman from. Karl Musäus is known for having collected Germanic folktales much like the Brothers Grimm.
The story is set in Sleepy Hollow, New York during the time of the American Revolutionary War, so about 1775 or shortly after. Tradition holds that the Headless Horseman had been a Hessian Artillery man who had been killed during the Battle of White Plains, circa 1776. So, at the time the story was told and set, not too long ago. The Hessian had been decapitated by a cannonball, not a fun way to go.
The shattered remains of the Hessian's head were simply left on the battlefield while fellow soldiers carried off his body to be buried. The Hessian's body was laid to rest in the cemetery of the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow. Following this, each Halloween night, the Hessian's ghost would appear as a Headless Horseman seeking for this lost head. The Headless Horseman wouldn't or couldn't cross bridges.
The story ends with the Horseman chasing down Ichabod Crane who simply disappears after. In the short story, there's a strong implication that the Horseman may have been Brom Bones in disguise. Brom was a rival lover of Ichabod's, so what better way than to hide any possible foul play?
Texas – El Muerto
Another headless horseman legend arose during the 1800's in Texas. At this point and time, Texas was known for being a wild and lawless place that attracted all sorts of unsavory characters from thieves to murderers. The local native tribes were known to fiercely fight off these foreign invaders. To the point, that the Texas Rangers began making headway into taming a seemingly lawless frontier.
There was a dispute between the United States and Mexico over a tract of land between the Rio Grande and Nueces Rivers for where the borders between the two countries lay. In 1850, things came to a header a man by the name of Vidal who was out rustling cattle. Vidal had a bounty on his head, wanted "Dead of Alive." Two Texas Rangers by the name of Creed Taylor and William Alexander Anderson (a.k.a. "Big Foot" Wallace) had had enough of Vidal and his small gang stealing cattle and horses and sought this group of bandits.
The two Rangers along with a local rancher by the name of Flores tracked and found the bandits camp. They waited until night before striking. In a strong display of Frontier Justice, Wallace decided that killing the bandits wasn't enough, he beheaded Vidal. Then Wallace took Vidal's corpse and tied him to the saddle of a mustang so it would stay upright. Vidal's head and sombrero were then tied to the saddle as well before Wallace let the horse go loose into the hillside terrain.
It didn't take long for the stories to circulate of people seeing a headless rider to surface. Many local natives and cowboys would riddle the corpse with bullets and arrows on seeing this fearsome specter. Southern Texas became known as a place to avoid as many deeds of evil and misfortune were attributed to El Muerto.
Eventually a posse got together to capture the poor mustang and relief it of its grisly and macabre cargo near a placed called Ben Bolt, south of Alice, Texas. Vidal's body was laid to rest in an unmarked grave.
While that should have been the end of El Muerto's story, his legend continues to live on. Soon after Vidal's body was laid to rest, people continued to report seeing a headless horseman wandering the land. One couple in 1917, reported seeing the specter of a grey horse with a headless rider shouting: "It is mine! It is all mine!" and the stories and sittings continue.
Washington State – The White Skoad
Not exactly a headless horseman, if you live in Washington State and ever head out to Whidbey Island, there is a local legend about Colonel Ebey's whose head was taken by the Haida on a raid who are believed to have come the Queen Charlotte Sound. Since then, the White Skoad, a patch of white fog said to be Colonel Ebey's ghost can be seen from time to time as he searches for his head. Other versions of Colonel Ebey's ghost have him replaying his death every night at the house he lived in at the time.
Not quite a headless horseman, in the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the title character of Sir Gawain accepts the challenge of a beheading game by the Green Knight. This is a story that dates to the 14th century that has been cited as involving decapitation.
German Folklore
There are two stories that the Brothers Grimm collected about a headless horseman.
Hans Jagenteufel – In this one, near Dresden in Saxony, there was a woman who headed out early one Sunday morning to gather acorns in the forest. Near the place called "Lost Waters," the woman heard a hunting horn. Hearing it a second time, the woman looked behind her to see a headless man wearing a long grey coat and riding a grey horse. The rider rode past the woman and she gained her resolve and went back to gathering acorns.
Some nine days later, the woman returned to the same spot, once more to collect acorns. This time, she heard behind her asking if anyone had tried to punish her for taking acorns. The woman replied no, saying the foresters took pity on the poor and called to God to forgive her sins.
When the woman turned around, she again saw the same grey cloaked figure from before, only this time he carried his head under an arm. The grey figure told the woman she did well to ask God for forgiveness as he had never done so in life. The figure than went on to explain how he was called Hans Jagenteufel and in life, never heeded the warnings of his father to extend mercy to those below him and would spend his days drinking and carousing. In death, he was condemned to wander the world as an evil spirit.
The Wild Huntsman – This story is set in Brunswick, Lower Saxony. A huntsman by the name of Hackelberg. He was so proficient at his profession, that on his deathbed, Hackelberg begged god to allow him to remain on earth, giving up his spot in heaven. It would seem the request was granted and Hackelberg roamed the hereafter as "the Wild Huntsman," blowing his horn to warn hunters not to go out riding the next day. If they do, the unfortunate hunter meets with an untimely accident.
Depending on the version of the story told, the headless horseman seeks out those who have done crimes to punish them. Other times, the headless horseman is accompanied by a pack of black hounds with tongues of fire. Much like a figure from the Wild Hunt.
Indian Folklore
Jhinjhār – This is a headless horseman mentioned in the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh folklore. Where many of the European headless horsemen are entities to be wary of, the Jhinjhār is often seen as a hero.
The Jhinjhār is created during a rather violent and wrongful death when defending the innocents. Other stories say the Jhinjhār was a Rajput prince who lost his head while defending a village or caravan from some bandits. The prince refused to retreat and was beheaded. Other versions of this story say the Jhinjhār was created when a Mughal cavalryman died defending his prince.
Irish Folklore
Crom Dubh – This one is a bit of a stretch. Crom Dubh was an ancient Celtic fertility god who demanded human sacrifices every year, of which, the preferred method was decapitation. Eventually the god fell out of favor and somehow this god becomes a spirit seekings corpses and eventually becoming the Dullahan.
The Dullahan – also known as Dulachán meaning "dark man" or "without a head." This being is a headless fairy often seen dressed in black and riding a black headless horse while carrying his head under an arm or inner thigh. The Dullahan is armed with a whip made from a human spine. Death occurs wherever the Dullahan ceases riding and when it calls out a name, the person called dies. Death can also come if the Dullahan tosses a bucket of blood at a person who has been watching it.
In other versions, the Dullahan rides a black carriage. Sometimes they are accompanied by a banshee. Nothing can stop the Dullahan from claiming a victim save the payment of gold.
Gan Cean – Its name means: "without a head." It is a figure similar to the Dullahan. The Gan Cean can be warded off by wearing a gold object or placing one in its path.
Scandinavian Folklore
In a story similar to the German story of Hackelberg the Wild Huntsman, this story is about "good King Waldemar" whose' ghost still haunts the forest of Gurre. King Waldemar had prayed to God to be allowed to still hunt in his beloved forest after death. Waldemar's ghost can be seen riding a white horse and cracking his whip as he runs through the forest. His head though, is sometimes seen being carried under one of King Waldemar's arms. As any Wild Hunt goes, Waldemar has a pack of black hounds with fiery mouths accompanying him.
There is a story of headless horseman by the name of Ewen who had been decapitated during a clan battle on the Isle of Mull. This battle prevented Ewen from becoming chieftain. Both the ghost of Ewen and his horse are reputed to haunt the area of Glen Cainnir.
Posted in American, Arthurian Legend, Celtic, Cemetary, Death, Decapitation, Dog, Dutch, European, Evil, Fairy, Fertility, Folk Lore, Forgiveness, German, Ghost, Gold, Halloween, Head, Heroes, Hindu, Horse, Hunting, Irish, Justice, Outlaw, River, Sacrifice, Scandinavia, Scottish, Uncategorized, Wild Hunt
Also known as: Befana, Befanta
Etymology – Epifania or Epiphania – the Italian name for the religious holiday of Epiphany. It is thought by some that Befana's name comes from the Italian mispronunciation of the Greek word "epifania" or "epiphaenia" which means "appearance" or "surface" and "manifestation." It certainly is the source for the English word epiphany. Another line of thought is that the name Befana comes from the word Bastrina which refer to gifts given by the Sabine goddess Strina.
Perhaps I'm a bit early in posting for La Befana, the Italian Christmas Witch or Fairy. However with the holiday season, I find it easier to get her in now before January 6th arrives.
For children in Italy, Befana plays a role very similar to Santa Claus, however instead of a sleigh pulled by reindeer, she flies around on a broom, delivering her gifts of candy to good children in the first week of January. Italian children are very lucky, they not only get visited by Befana; they still get visited by Babbo Natale; both of whom bring presents and gifts.
La Befana is described as an old woman wearing a black shawl while riding a broomstick and carrying a bag of gifts. Sometimes Befana is said to ride either a goat or a donkey.
Like her counterpart of Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus, La Befana is also known for coming down the chimney to bring her gifts to children. Presents and candy for those children who have been good and coal for those who have been bad. In more modern times, the coal is actually a piece of black rock candy. Befana's being dressed in black explains her being covered in soot from going down chimneys, which she will sweep up after she's done with her visit and leaving gifts.
Where Santa will receive plates of cookies and a glass of milk as a treat or offering left out for him; Italian children will prepare and leave out a plate of soft ricotta cheese for La Befana as she no longer has any good teeth left. Other foods such as a glass of wine or broccoli may be left too.
Another aspect that Santa Claus and Befana share in common is that children will write letters to them, requesting a special need or want. Some cities in Italy will set up a mailbox for letters to La Befana in the same manner that Post Offices such as in the U.S. will have mailboxes set up for Santa. Some children will hide their notes or letters to Befana in their chimney for her to find.
La Befana also doesn't like to be seen and will smack any child caught spying on her with her broomstick. Obviously this part of the story seems a way of parents keeping children in bed while gifts are left out.
The Basic Story And Legend
There are a few different versions to the legend and story behind La Befana.
First Story
On the second hill in Via della Padella, there is a village where La Befana lives. In this story, she is said to be part fairy and part witch. La Befana spends the entire year in the company of her grotesque assistants known as the Befanucci preparing coal, making candy and toys and mending old stockings which are given out during the nights of January 5th and 6th, which is said to be the longest night of the year.
Second Story
The second story is a Christianized version and probably one of the more familiar ones.
When the three wise men were on their journey to visit the young Christ, they stopped at the home of an old woman with a broom who asked them where they were going. They told her that were following a star that would lead them to the newborn baby and savior Jesus.
The wise men asked the old woman if she wanted to come with them, but she replied that she was far too busy cleaning and didn't have time to go.
Later when the old woman, La Befana had either finished her cleaning, changed her mind about going or realized that the baby whom the wise men spoke of was the prophesied redeemer, it was too late. She was too late in coming to visit the Christ child, he had already left. Other versions of this story have La Befana getting lost on the way.
Ever since then, La Befana has been searching for the baby Christ and leaving gifts in the homes where children live in hopes that one of them is the young Christ. In some retellings, Befana has come to see and realize over her many years of searching, that in a way, the Christ Child can be found in all children and this is why she will leave her gifts.
Slight variations to this story have Befana running as fast as she could to catch up with the Wise Men that she began to fly on her broom she was still holding onto.
Another variation to the flying broom is that angels appeared, coming from the bright star in the sky and enchanted Befan's broom so she could search more easily for the Baby Jesus.
Zoroastrian Connection – With this idea in mind, the Magi, Kings in their own right, were fire priests from a privileged caste in Persia. The gifts the Magi carry in the biblical story, represent thre worlds: earthly gold, celestial incense and myrrh from beyond the grave. These three elements were linked to the sacred fires of Vedica, India and Avestica, Persia. There may be a connection between them, their gifts and La Befana with them all arriving on January 6th, the Epiphany.
In a story similar to that involving the wise men, this story too has Christian connections.
With this story, La Befana was a mother who lived during the time of King Herod. When Herod made his decree that all the first born male children and male children born that year were to be killed in his efforts to try and prevent the new king, La Befana's son was among many of those slain by Herod's soldiers.
So traumatized by grief with the loss of her son and in deep denial to his death, La Befana became convinced that her son was merely lost. She placed all of her son's belongings in a sack and went out searching for him, going from house to house. The stress from worry, caused La Befana to quickly age, becoming an old woman.
With what seemed liked forever for the grief stricken mother, yet only a few days, La Befana found a male baby in a manager. Certain that she had found her son, La Befana laid out all of her son's belongings for the infant. The baby in question was Jesus Christ and he blessed the lady as "Befana," the giver of gifts.
Every year since, on January 5th, the eve of the Epiphany, La Befana would be Mother to all of the world's children and care for them by bringing gifts of treats, toys and clothing. While some families will leave out a plate of soft ricotta cheese for her, other families will have a plate with broccoli and spice sausage along with a small glass of wine for La Befana.
In this story, La Befana is benevolent and kindly old Witch who saw the emptiness that children suffered during the long, dark nights of winter. Because of her great love and affection for all innocents, La Befana wanted the children to know that even in the darkness of winter, that kindness and hope could still be found.
Starting with the eve of Yule, typically around December 21st, La Befana would, in secret go from door to door, leaving a basket of gifts. Inside each basket would be bread, cheese, sweets and gifts for the children. A final gift, more important and precious than the others was a colored, scented candle; a Solstice candle. Families would light this candle on the night of the Solstice, the flame of this candle both symbolized and brought the light of hope for the coming year. It is a reminder that even in the darkest cold of winter, the light and warmer days of summer would come again.
Epiphany – Little Christmas
January 6th marks the final day of the holiday season in Italy. This is the day that La Befana arrives, bringing gifts and treats for children, marking the end of the Yule Season. Epiphany or Twelfth Night is also when the 12 Wise Men are said to have finally visited the baby Jesus, bringing with them their gifts.
As Little Christmas, the Epiphany is traditionally a holiday for children in Italy. In the region of Abruzzo and other Southern areas, one festivity that children celebrate is called Pasquetta and commemorates the arrival of the Magi to Bethlehem when visiting the infant Jesus. There are parades held that feature La Befana. She is sometimes accompanied by her male companion, Befano. Children will sing songs to La Befana and leave out dolls in windows. Some families will burn the dolls as a means ending the past year and bring good luck for the coming year. Family and friends will from house to house visiting each other after opening their gifts from La Befana in the morning. Firework displays are also part of many modern Epiphany celebrations. Her arrival is also celebrated with traditional foods such as panettone, a Christmas cake.
The celebration of Befana during Epiphany is huge in Italy where she has become a national icon. In the areas of Marche, Umbria and Lazio, Befana is associated with the Papal States where Epiphany has the strongest presence. Befana's home is thought to be Umbria.
The stories and traditions of La Befana are older than those of Babbo Natale; Santo Natale, the Italian names for Father Christmas or Santa Claus. She can be found going back centuries with some speculation that La Befana may be the goddess Hecate. Historically, La Befana first appears in writing in a poem written by Agnolo Firenzuola in 1549.
La Befana's festival has taken over an ancient pagan feast celebrated on the Magic Night, the 6th day of the New Year. One aspect of the Epiphany celebrations as part of an ancient holiday for celebrating the New Year, is a time for purification. This is seen in Befana's carrying a broom that she uses to sweep around the fireplaces of those whom she visits as a mean of clearing away the old, negative energies of the previous year and cleansing it for the coming New Year.
Other rites used for purification were burning effigy dolls of Befana to symbolize the death of the old year and the birth of the New Year. The end of the long winter nights and the return of the longer days of spring and summer. The coal Befana is known for leaving for naughty children has connections to sacred bonfires and is a symbol of fertility with the renewal of the earth at spring. The sacred bonfires are also seen in the ceppo or yule logs burned at this time of the year. The ashes from the burned yule log would be kept and sprinkled out in the fields for good luck and to ensure a healthy crop.
Sometimes the Ceppo is a pyramid made of wood, a tiered tree believed to have started in the Tuscan region of Italy. This tree would have three to five shelves and the frame decorated. On the bottom shelf is the family's Nativity scene and the remaining shelves would hold greenery, fruit, nuts and present. The Nativity or Presepio represents the gift of God. The fruit and nuts represent the gifts of the Earth and the presents the gift of man. The top of the tree would have an Angel, star or a pineapple that represents hospitality. Sometimes candles are attached to the outside of each shelf, which is why the ceppo is also called the "Tree of Light."
In Abruzzo, on the morning of Janurary 6th, sacristans would go from house to house leaving what is known as "Bboffe water." This water was used for devotions or sprinkled around the house ward off and keep away negative energy or magic.
In the region of Romagna, the celebration of Epiphany was a time for connecting with their ancestors, which would help to ensure a successful crop and fertility for the coming year. This connection is seen in the Befanotti who represented the ancestors going from house to house singing Pasquella and in Befana coming down the chimneys to leave a gift.
Neolithic Connection?
The Italian anthropologists Claudia and Luigi Manciocco make a connection of Befana's origins back to Neolithic times, beliefs and practices. They make a further connection of Befana having evolved into a Fertility and Agricultural goddess in their book "Una Casa Senza Porte" ("House without a Door").
Ancient Sabine Goddess – Strenua
La Befana is thought to be connected to the Sabine/Roman goddess known as Strenua or Strina who was a goddess of strength and endurance. This connection has been made mention in the book "Vestiges of Ancient Manners and Customs, Discoverable in Modern Italy and Sicily" by Reverend John J. Blunt. Strenua presided over the New Year, Purifications and Well-Being. She would give gifts of figs, dates and honey. Strenua's festivities were opposed by early Christians who viewed them as too noisy, riotous and licentious.
On January 1st, twigs were carried from Strenua's grove, likely located in or near Via Sacra where she had a temple, in a procession to the citadel. This particular rite is first mentioned happening on New Year's Day in 153 B.C.E. This is the year when the consuls first began assuming their office at the beginning of the year. With the switch and change over from the Julian to the Gregorian Calendars, it's not clear if January 1st had always been the date that Strenua's New Year celebration had been observed or if it had been held on the original New Year's Day, a date sometimes thought in this case to have been March 1st.
The name Strenia is thought to be the origin for the word strenae, which were New-Year's gifts that the Romans exchanged to promote good omens. Various strenae have been branches or twigs and money. Another name for these gifts is Bastrina and it is thought to have given their name to La Befana.
According to a Johannes Lydus, strenae is a Sabine word meaning "wellbeing" or "welfare". It is unknown how accurate this may be as many words attributed to the Sabines are only singular, one word or there and no surviving scripts or inscriptions have been found. Saint Augustine says that Strenia was a goddess responsible for making a person vigorous or strong. And if you haven't guessed it, the root for the word strenuous.
There seems to be a lot of strong agreement that Strenua rites and celebrations survive in the festivities surrounding La Befana.
Other Mythological Figures Possibly Connected To Befana
Giubiana – An old woman or crone and festival of the same name held in the Northern Italy region of Lombardy. An effigy of Giubiana and sometimes her male counterpart and spouse, Ginée who is the personification of January. An effigy of Giubiana is burned to ashes to symbolize the burning away of the old year and the end of winter.
Nicevenn – La Befana has been connected to the Scottish figure of Nicevenn as a source of inspiration for her legend and traditions. With Nicevenn or Gyre-Carling as she was also known, it was considered unlucky to leave any unfinished knitting lying around lest she steal it.
Perchta – A southern Germanic goddess from the Alpine countries. She is sometimes identified with the Germanic goddess Holda. Both goddesses are known as a "guardian of the beasts" and making an appearance during the Twelve Days of Christmas; overseeing spinning. Perchta is a goddess who went from being benevolent to more malevolent with the passage of time and rise of Christianity. At one time during the Yule Season and Epiphany, Perchta will leave a silver coin for those who have been good and she reportedly will slit open the bellies of who haven't and stuff them with straw and pepples. Thankfully, Perchta has become more tempered again and will leave coal instead if someone's been bad.
Befana Poems And Songs
There a number of different songs sung about Befana with slightly different versions found in different regions of Italy.
The following is one version:
Con le scarpe tutte rotte
Col vestito alla romana
Viva, Viva La Befana!"
The English translation is as follows:
The Befana comes by night
With her shoes all tattered and torn
She comes dressed in the Roman way
Long life to the Befana!
A poem by Giovanni Pascoli:
"Viene, viene la Befana
Vien dai monti a notte fonda
Come è stanca! la circonda
Neve e gelo e tramontana!
"Here comes, here comes the Befana
She comes from the mountains in the deep of the night
Look how tired she is! All wrapped up
In snow and frost and the north wind!
Here comes, here comes the Befana!"
Posted in Agriculture, Ancestors, Children, Christian, Christmas, Crone, Deity, Donkey, Earth, Fairy, Fertility, Festival/Holiday, Fire, German, Goat, Grief, Guardian, Home, Italian, Mother/Motherhood, Murder, Music, Neolithic, New Year, Pagan, Presents/Gifts, Prosperity, Punishment, Purification, Resurrection, Roman, Sabine, Scottish, Solstice, Spring, Weaving & Spinning, Winter, Witch, Yule, Zoroastrian
Also known and spelled as: boogerman, boogeyman, boogieman, boogie man, boogyman and bogyman
Pronounced – boo g-ee-man, boh-gee-, boo-
The term or name bogeyman is often used to describe an entity or monster that causes an irrational source of fear. The bogeyman's appearance is frequently nebulous and vague, leaving much to the imagination. This has led some people to believe that it may be a shape shifter that can reflect what a person most fears.
Stories of the Bogeyman vary by culture and even from home to the next as it is a creature often used by parents to keep children from misbehaving. For many children, that irrational fear of the unknown, that unknown terror under the bed, in the closet, lurking just outside a window, coming through unlocked doors and down chimneys is very real. Even if parents didn't tell stories to frighten children, there would still be this irrational fear of the unknown for many. Many though, outgrow this irrational fear as they grow up and often find there truly is nothing to fear.
Possible Historical Connections
Tracing the name and origins of the name bogeyman is a bit murky and there have been many ideas and theories put forward.
A few sources place the appearance of the word bogeyman in the English language from the Scottish word bogle, which means "ghost" or "hobgoblin" which dates to around 1505. Other sources will place the word bogeyman to around 1836 as another name for the Devil. It certainly seems to have become popular with the works of Scottish poets such as Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott.
Another idea is that the word comes from the Middle English word bugge, meaning a "frightening specter." Other similar words to this are boggard, bogy, bugbear, the Welsh bwg, the Scots Gaelic bòcan and the German word bögge; all of these words refer to a goblin or frightening creatures.
Bog Men
This idea is a rather interesting source for the Bogeyman as a "boggy man." Bog men can be found periodically preserved in peat bogs. In these stories, the bog men arise from the dead much like zombies to attack the living.
Indonesian Pirates
The name bogeyman may come from the Bugis people who were pirates from Indonesia and Malaysia. Its likely that English and French sailor brought home stories of the bugis where it becomes anglicized to bogeymen. They would tell their children "if you're bad, the bugisman will come and get you!" Eventually, the word bugis changes into the word bogey. Etymologists tend to disagree on the Bugis being the source for the Bogeyman as the word and term had been in use long before the Europeons started exploring and colonizing Southeast Asia.
There's a claim that Bogeyman is a reference to Napoleon Bonaparte who had been nicknamed "Boney" by the British. He was used as a threat for British children of the time and that somewhere along the line, Boney becomes Boneyman and further becomes Bogeyman.
Snot Your Friend
The most interesting connection of the bogey man is the relationship of its name as a slang term for snot and boogers.
A Monster By Any Other Name….
Nearly every culture around the world has its own version of the bogeyman. Some faceless monster used to keep unruly children in line and from misbehaving.
There's a long list of them that can be given too.
Afghanistan – The Bala or Newanay Mama, which means "The Monster or Crazy Person", is used to scare children when they won't sleep or take their medicine.
Albania – In South Albania, there is the Katallani "the Catalan" a monster which relies on the historical Catalan occupation of the region centuries ago used to scare children. In South Italy, there is the Gogoli, "the Mongol" another historical use of the Golden Horde that is used to frighten children into behaving.
Algeria – The H'awouahoua is a chimerical monster made up of many different animal parts with eyes that are blobs of flaming spit and a coat made from the clothes of those children it eats.
Azerbaijan – A monster called Khokhan ("xoxan") is used for scaring children into behaving.
Bahamas – The "small man" is the name given to an entity who rides in a cart that pulls itself. He picks up any child found outside after sundown. Anyone taken by the small man becomes a small person and rides with the small man forever. The term "rollin' cart" has been used to scare children into behaving themselves.
Belgium – Oude Rode Ogen (Old Red Eyes) is known throughout the Flanders region, it is believed to have originated in Mechelen and is a cannibalistic shape-shifter that is able to change from a human to a black dog. Oude Rode Ogen later becomes a children's story in the 1900's called "The Nikker" who eats children that stay up past their bedtimes.
Belize – The Tata Duende is a small wrinkled goblin with a beard, no thumbs and backwards feet who wears a large brimmed hat. He is described as a protector of the forests and animals who scares children from going out to play at night or in the jungle.
Bosnia, Croatia, Herzegovina, Macedonia and Serbia – In these countries, the Bogeyman is called Babaroga. Baba means "old woman" and rogovi means "horns." So the name literally means "old woman with horns." The specifics of Babroga vary from household to household. In one household, Babaroga will take children and put them in her sack where she will take them to her cave to eat. In another household, she will take children, pulling them up through small holes in the ceiling.
Brazil – The "Bag Man," called "homem do saco" in Portuguese, "hombre de la bolsa," "hombre del costal" or "del saco" in Spanish is one such monster or man-like creature who is known for carrying off misbehaving children in a sack. There is also another very similar creature the "Bicho Papão" or Eating Beast who will carry off children. Bicho Papão is also known as Sarronco, the "Deep-Voiced Man". Another monster is the Cuca, a female humanoid with an alligator head. Parents will sing a lullaby to their children at night about how Cuca will come take them away if they don't go to sleep. Cuca appears as a character in Monteiro Lobato's Sítio do Picapau Amarelo book series that uses a lot of Brazilian folklore. The difference between Bicho Papão and the Bag Man is that the Bag Man comes during the day and Bicho Papão comes during the night.
Bulgaria – The Torbalan or "Man-with-a-sack" is the name of the local bogeyman. In some places, a dark, hairy ghost-like creature called a Talasam who lives in the shadows of barns or in attics is what will come to scare children into behaving.
Czech Republican – A creature known as the Bubak, a scarecrow is used to frighten children into behaving. It will hide along riverbanks, making a crying noise like an infant to draw victims to it.
Congo – The Dongola Miso or "Creature with Scary Eyes" is used to scare children into going to bed on time. It is also used to warn children and adults alike about the dangers of dealing with and speaking to strangers.
China – The Ou-Wu is a witch or scary looking woman who kidnaps children that misbehave. She is popular in the southern regions of China and Hong Kong. The term is the origin for "monster" and has become used as a synonym for ugly or hideous.
Cyprus – In the Cypriot dialect, Bogeyman is known asd Kkullas.
Denmark – Here, the Bogey Man is known as busseman or Bøhman and is known for hiding under the bed where it grabs children who won't sleep. Much like in the English language, the name has become a slang term for snot or nasal mucus.
England – In Yorkshire, children are warned that if they steal from orchards, they might get eaten by a fairy in the form of a giant caterpillar known as Awd Goggie. Another similar monster is "The Gooseberry Wife" who guards gooseberries on The Isle of Wight.
Egypt – The Abu Rigl Maslukha, "Man With Burnt/Skinned Leg," is a particularly scary story told by parents to children who misbehave. The Abu Rigl Maslukha is a monster who got burnt as a child as he wouldn't listen to his parents. He will grab children and cook them to eat.
Finland – Here, the Bogeyman is known as Mörkö. In the Moomin stories, the Mörkö or Groke is a frightening, dark blue and big ghost like creature.
France – Here the Bogeyman is called "le croque-mitaine" which means "The mitten-biter." Another translation of the name is "the hand-cruncher."
Georgia – In addition to a "Bag Man," there is also the "Bua" used by parents to scare children who have misbehaved. No real description of Bua is given and its suspected there's a link between it and the the Georgian word bu which means owl.
Germany – There is the black man or Der schwarze, called so for his preference to hiding in dark places like closets, under the bed or out in the forests. There is a children's game called Wer hat Angst vorm schwarzen Mann (Who is afraid of the Bogey Man). There is also an old traditional folk song "Es tanzt ein Bi-Ba-Butzemann in unserm Haus herum" that translates as: A Bi-Ba-Bogeyman dances around in our house. Another name for the Bogeyman is Buhmann or Butzemann. And finally there is also the Grossman.
Greece – The Baboulas is said to hide under the bed, though parents will tell stories of this creature in other ways to frighten children into behaving.
Guyana – The Jumbi is the name for the Bogeyman and like many other variations, it too lives in the dark, staying in closets and under the bed. It is used to scare children to eat their food so that they can defend themselves against him.
Haiti – A tall man, with legs two floors high is believed to walk around the towns at midnight, catching and eating those people who stay outside. He called Mètminwi which seems to be a contraction of the French "maître," for master and minwi, the French word minuit" for midnight. So his name translates to "Master of Midnight." There is also Tonton Macoute or Uncle Gunnysack who would trap misbehaving children and eat them for breakfast. The MVSN, a secret police force in Haiti used this myth as a form of control as many so called Tonton Macoutes were followers of Voodoo.
Hejaz, Saudi Arabia – The Dojairah and Umna al Ghola, which means "Our mother the Monster" is used to scare children when they misbehave or outside alone at night.
Hungary – Stories of the Mumus is used to scare children. There is also the Zsákos Ember, a man with a sack. A final monster is the Rézfaszú bagoly or "Copperpenis Owl" and whose description is that, a giant owl with a copper penis.
Iceland – The Grýla, is a female troll who would take misbehaving children and eat them during Christmas Eve. Fortunately, she has been dead for quite some time. She is the mother of the Yule Lads who are Iceland's version of Santa Claus.
India – There are a number of different names for the Bogeyman in India. In North India, the Bori Baba who carries a sack is used to frighten children. There is also the Chownki Daar, a night security guard who will come and take children away if they won't go to sleep. In South India there is the Rettai Kanna (the two-eyed one) or Poochaandi who used to threaten children in the state of Tamil Nadu. There is also the Buchadu or Boochodu is used similarly in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Bihar parents use the demon Bhakolwa for scaring children. In Karnataka, there is the demon Goggayya, the "terrible man," central Kerala has the Kokkachi who will take away disobedient children. More bogeymen like creatures are the Oochandi of South Kerala, the Gongo of West Coast India, a male ghost called Buva or Bagul Buva among the Marathi speaking people is used for scaring children and finally there is the Kaan Khowa used by Assamese parents who will eat children's ears if they don't go to sleep.
Indonesia – The Wewe Gombel is a ghost that kidnaps children who are abused by their parents. She takes them to her nest on top of a palm tree where she cares for the children until the parents realize what it is they have done. If the parents decide to change their ways, the Wewe Gombel will return the children. The Wewe Gombel's story originated with an event that took place Bukit Gombel, Semarang.
Iran – The Lulu is used in Persian culture to frighten children into behaving. The Lulu is also sometimes called the Lulu-Khorkhore or "bogeyman who eats everything up."
Iraq – There is the Saalua from ancient folklore. She is a half-witch, half-demon ghoul used by parents to scare their children. Saalua is mentioned in a story found in the 1001 Arabian Nights. She is known too in other Gulf countries.
Italy – The "L'uomo Nero" or The Black Man is used, he is a tall man wearing a heavy black coat and either a black hood or hat to hide his face. Alternately, he is a ghost with no legs. Parents are known for knocking under the table and pretending someone knocked on the door as they say: "Here comes l'uomo nero! He must know that there's a child here who doesn't want to drink his soup!" Unlike other monsters, L'uomo Nero doesn't actually harm or eat children, he just take them away to a strange, frightening place. There is a lullaby used with L'uomo Nero who keeps a child with him for a whole month. Black is also used as a pun in politics in Italy as the color is associated with fascism. Unfortunately it also has negative, derogatory racial puns and slurs associated with the color black. Other places in Italy, the name babau is used for the Bogeyman.
Japan – The Namahage are demons that warn children not to be lazy or cry. During the Namahage Sedo Matsuri or "Demon Mask Festival," villages wear demon masks pretending to be these spirits.
Korea – The Dokebi is a monster used against misbehaving children. Other variations to Dokebi are the Mangtae Younggam, an old man who carries a mesh sack to carry away kidnapped children in. Other places they have the Mangtae Halmum, an old woman with a mesh sack.
Macedonia – Aside from the Babroga, there is also the Strasilo (the "frightener") who comes out at night, hides under beds, in forests, caves and basements. It is said to grab and eat children.
Mexico – El Cucuy is an evil monster that hides under children's beds at night. He will kidnap and eat any child who disobeys their parents. He is described as being a small humanoid with glowing red eyes. Sometimes he is believed to have been a child who was a victim of violence that has come back to life.
Myanmar – The Pashu Gaung Phyat is used to threaten children with. The name means Malayu Headhunter. In Burmese, the Malays were called "Pashu," which may have come from Bajau or Bugis. Many ethnic groups in Eastern Malaysia were notorious for being headhunters right up until the 1970's with the Wa tribe.
Nepal – There is the "Hau-Guji" in Nepali. The Newars tell of an ape-like monster called Gurumapa who enjoys eating children. There is a story told of this creature found at Itum Bahal in the inner temple of Kathmandu.
Netherlands – The bogeyman is known by many names, some of these names are: Boeman, Boezeman, Boezehappert, Jan Haak, Mannetje met de haak, Bullebak, Boevent, Beukèl, Haantje Pik, Tenensnijder, Boelekerel, Nekker, Krolleman, Heintje Pik, Okkerman and so on. Many of these are known for hiding in the water. As Boeman, it is depicted as a creature that resembles a human, dressed all in black with sharp claws and fangs and will hide under the bed or in closets. It too will take those children who have misbehaved and won't go to sleep and lock them away in his basement for a period of time.
Norway – The Bogeyman is called Busemannen, much like the Boeman of the Netherlands, it is depicted as a creature that resembles a human, dressed all in black with sharp claws and fangs and will hide under the bed or in closets. It too will take those children who have misbehaved and won't go to sleep and lock them away in his basement for a period of time.
Pakistan – The Bhoot or Jin Baba is used by parents to scare children into behaving. This creature is a ghost Djinn. In other places it is known as Kathu Ki Maa.
Philippines – There are a number of different bogey man like monsters. The Pugot, Sipay, Mamu and Mumu. Among the Kapampangan people, there is the Mánguang Anak or Child-Snatcher.
Poland – Places like Silesia or Great Poland use the bebok (babok or bobok) to scare children into behaving. Another creature is the Hastrman, a scarecrow that much like the Czech Republican Babuk also hides along riverbanks, making noises like an infant to draw people to their doom.
Portugal – The Portuguese brought Bicho Papão (the Eating Beast) or Sarronco (Deep-Voiced Man) to Brazil. They also have an "homen do saco" or Bag Man. The difference between Bicho Papão and the Bag Man is that the Bag Man comes during the day and Bicho Papão comes during the night.
Quebec – In this province of Canada, the "Bonhomme Sept-Heures" or 7 O'clock Man is used to scare children into behaving if they won't go to bed or else he takes them to his cave to eat them.
Romania – The Bau-Bau is used by parents to scare children into behaving.
Russia – The Babay is said to hide under the bed. The Babay is described as an old man with a bag or a monster who will come take them away if they misbehave. Similarly spelled, is the Babayka who comes at night for misbehaving children.
Serbia – The Bauk is an animal-like creature from Serbian mythology, it is described as hiding in dark places such as holes or abandoned houses where it waits to grab and carry of its victim to eat. It can be scared away with light and noise. It is known for having a clumsy gait.
Singapore – The local bogey man stories here are of Ah Bu Neh Neh or Matah who will snatch up misbehaving children. Matah is a variation off the Malay word Mata-Mata which means spy or spies and is used as a nickname for the police.
Spain – El Cuco, El Coco or El Bolo, a shapeless figure or hairy monster who eats children that misbehave when they won't go to bed is used in place of the Bogeyman. Parent will sing lullabies or tell rhymes to their children about the dangers of refusing to go to sleep or else El Coco will come eat them. The nursery rhyme for El Coco is thought to have originated in the 17th century and has since changed over the years. El Coco has also traveled overseas to the Spanish-speaking Latin American countries. There is also the El roba-chicos or child-stealer who is used in many Spanish speaking countries. Incidentally, Coconuts received their name from El Cuco due their resemblance to the Spanish bogeyman. Another shapeless monster is El Ogro or Ogre that is also described as being hairy and will hide in closets and under beds where it will eat misbehaving children if they don't go to bed. There is also the El Sacamantecas or "Fat Extractor" who is used for scaring children into good behavior by killing people to take their fat.
Sri Lanka – The Sinhalese people tell stories of the Gonibilla, "the sack-kidnapper" who will come day or night to carry off misbehaving children.
Sweden – The Bogey man is known as the Monstret under sängen or "Monster under the bed."
Switzerland – The Bogeyman is called Böllima or Böögg and is an important figure in Springtime ceremonies as he or it symbolizes winter and death. In the Sechseläuten ceremony held in the city of Zürich, the effigies of Böögg are burnt.
Trinidad and Tobago – Many use folklore as a means of scaring misbehaving children into obey. The most common word used is the Jumbie. Many of their "Jumbies" are the Soucouyant, Lagahoo, La Diables and Papa Bois to name a few. The name Bogeyman will also be used in many urban areas. It can also be called "The Babooman."
Turkey – The Gulyabani is a gigantic and strange monster that scares both children and adults alike.
Ukraine – The Babay is also present here just as it is in Russia.
United Arab Emirates – The Om Al- Khadar wa Alleef, meaning Mother of green and leef "bark" is used to scare children. She take the appearance of a tall woman who long hair flows in the wind. She is often used by parents as a means of getting children to stay indoor after sunset and go to bed. What's interesting is that the Palm tree is used as the inspiration for this figure due to the scary sounds it can make when the wind blows, its height and how in the dark, it can resemble a woman.
United States – Aside from the classic Bogeyman, there is also the Jersey Devil used to scare travelers and the old British stories of Bloody Bones or Rawhead and even Tommy Rawhead told in the U.S. South. During the Cherokee Corn Festival, young men will wear caricature masks making fun of politicians and using them to scare children or chase after young women. This was known as a Booger Dance and the dancers are referred to as Booger Man. In areas of the Pacific Northwest, the bogey man will appear as a green fog. Other places the Bogeyman will scratch at windows, hide in closets or carry them off in a sack. Warts in some children's stories are said to be transmitted to someone by the Bogeyman. Among the Pennsylvania Dutch, the term "der Butzemann" is used for male scarecrows and female scarecrows are Butzefrau.
Yukon – In this province of Canada, the Quankus take and puts misbehaving children into a large sock, carrying them away at night. Quankus too is used by many parents to scare children into going to bed.
Posted in British, Celtic, Demon, Fear, Folk Lore, Ghost, Irish, Monster, Pirate, Punishment, Scottish, Shape-Shifter, Spirit, Undead
Bodach
Etymology – Scottish & Irish – "a boorish old man", Modern Scottish Gaelic – "old man"
In the Scottish Gaelic language, the word breaks down to "bod", meaning "penis" and its suffix "' –ach", that translates to mean "someone who has a penis."
Plural: Bodaich
Pronunciation: ˈbōdək, ˈbäd-
Historically, the word and name Bodach comes from the Scottish Gaelic term for an "old man" referring to a mature person. It had once been used as a derogatory term to refer to peasants and farmers (bothach) by the warrior class of the Scots. In more modern times, the term is used more affectionately then its former derogatory intent.
In Irish, the word bodach also means a churl or clown, referring to someone who was an old or churlish person, serf or peasant. There are some children's stories where the word bodach is translated as curmudgeon or the name Nod is used in its place.
In time, the word bodach found its way into the English language by the British, who used the word to refer to a mythological being or spirit much like a goblin, bugbear or bogeyman. Here the bodaich is used as a cautionary story for keeping misbehaving children in line. Behave or else the bodach will come down the chimney to take you away!
There are certain regions of Wales and Scotland where the term bodach is used for a type of imp or fairy. Frequently, this is one of the more mischievous, shape-shifting types.
Omen Of Death
In Walter Scott's Waverley (1814), a much more formidable form of the bodach as the bodach glas (the Dark Grey Man) is a harbinger of death.
While not used very often, bodaich do appear from time to time in literature. The bodach has altered a bit of its appearance into modern literature. In Dungeons &Dragons, the name has a minor spelling change to bodak and becomes an undead entity, largely black in color. The same description of black, shadowy creatures is used in Dean Koontz Odd series where they appear at different sites just before a disaster takes place. The same type of shadowy creatures appears in the movie "The Eye." Even W. B. Yeats make mention of a bodach in his prose The Hour-Glass where a bodach appears to the character, the Fool and attempts to trick him out his money with a riddle.
Posted in British, Celtic, Death, Fairy, Folk Lore, Irish, Monster, Punishment, Scottish, Shape-Shifter, Spirit
Wulver
Found in the folklore of the Shetland Islands of Scotland, is the wulver, which is described as being a humanoid being with a wolf's head and covered in short brown fur all over. Wulvers were never human to begin with and are a type of spirit being or fairy.
Wulvers dig their homes in the side of a steep knowe (a knoll or hill). The most famous wulver is known for fishing out on a rock in the water known as "Wulver's Stane." It was not uncommon for the wulver to leave a few fish on the window sill of a poor family's home. The last reported sighting of a wulver was in the early 20th century.
Liminal Beings
The ancient Celts believed the wulver to be evolved or descended from wolves and that the wulver represented a transitional stage between wolf and man.
Werewolves!
A few websites catering to the lore and study of werewolves have tried to categorize wulvers as a type of lycanthrope or werewolf. The problem with this is that werewolves are shape-shifters and the wulver is most definitely not.
Thanks to folklore and the likes of Universal Studios' The Wolfman, werewolves are known for a reputation of being mindlessly violent monsters. The wulver on the other hand is known for keeping to itself and is peaceful when left alone. Wulvers are also known for being kind-hearted and guiding lost travelers back to their villages.
Possible Reality Behind The Myth
There is a medical condition known as hypertrichosis in which there is an excessive amount of hair growing all over the body.
It's possible that sightings of the Wulver may have been those born with this condition given the isolation of the Shetland Islands centuries ago would lead to families marrying into each other and passing on genes that cause this genetic condition.
This would likely explain too a wulver's kind-heartedness as a person trying to reach out to those who shunned and cast them out due to their appearance through no fault of their own other then the quirk of genetics.
Posted in Celtic, Fairy, Folk Lore, Liminal, Outcast, Protector, Scottish, Spirit, Wolf
Also known as: The King o' the Cats
The King of the Cats is a folk tale that comes from Britain. The earliest version of this story was found written in a letter by Thomas Lyttelton, the 2nd Baron Lyttelton. The story was first published in 1782 by Walter Scott who reported it as being a well known nursery tale from the Scottish Highlands. The story "The King of the Cats" continues to be seen and used in many places of modern references, from William Shakespeare to video games and even in comic books such as Batman where Catwoman's brother is referred to as The King of the Cats.
The Basic Story
One winter night, a man comes bursting home through his door calling out to his wife and startling the family cat: "Who's Tommy Tildrum!?!"
Startled, the man's wife asks him what the matter is and who this Tommy Tildrum is.
The man proceeds to tell his wife how he was working in the cemetery digging a new grave when he had fallen asleep. He woke up hearing a cat's meow and when he looked out over the edge of the grave hole, he saw a group of nine black cats all carrying a small coffin with a gold crown laid upon it. That at every third step the cats took, they'd all meow again in unison. Eventually the group of cats made their way towards the man. One of the cats stood before the man and said: "Tell Tom Tildrum that Tim Toldrum is dead."
With that, the family cat burst out with: "Old Tom's dead! Then I'm the King of the Cats!" as he rushed up the chimney, never to be seen again.
Variations of the Story
A variation of this story from Ireland has a man selling a calf at the November fair in Macroom, County Cork. After he's sold the calf, he leaves the fair late in the evening and on his way, passes by the Inchigeelagh graveyard where a cat puts its head through the railings and tells the man: "Tell Balgeary that Balgury is dead." The rest of the story pretty much follows its English counter-part with the family cat running out on the door once the man returns home to tell his story.
Continuing the Irish Connection
A king or lord of cats is also found in a couple of early Irish stories. In some versions of the Imtheacht na Tromdhaimhe (The Proceedings of the Great Bardic Institution) in which there is a dispute between the bard Senchán Torpéist and the king Guaire Aidne mac Colmáin of Connacht. The dispute led to Senchán cursing all mice with a dozen of them being killed in shame. This in turn led to the death of several cats that were responsible for keeping the mice population in check. In retaliation, the king of the cats, Irusan son of Arusan tracked Senchán down with the intention of killing the bard. However, Irusan was killed by Saint Kieran instead.
This story was later rewritten and published in Lady Jane Wilde's book Ancient Legends of Ireland as "Seanchan the Bard and the King of the Cats" in 1866. Fame poet and author W.B. Yeats republished it in 1892 in his book Irish Fairy Tales. The story is also retold again as "the King of the Cats Came to King Connal's Dominion" in Padraic Colum's The King of Ireland's Son published in 1916.
Fairy Connection
In the original story, the family cat Tom and the cats seen in the grave yard are described as being black cats with a spot of white. In Celtic fairy lore, the Cat Sith is a fairy creature described as being a large black cat with a spot of white on its chest.
Posted in British, Cat, Celtic, Fairy, Folk Lore, Graveyard, Irish, King, Scottish


In part 1 of "Weaving Fate", I looked at some of the different myths associated with weaving, the fates, and life and death. In this part I will look at the myth of Athena and Arachne.
"When someone was good at weaving, people said their gift came from Athena. But Arachne, a mortal girl and a fine weaver, insisted that her gift was her own." (Wilkinson, 2009:37) Athena then challenges Arachne to a weaving contest. In her work, Athena showed the gods triumphant over the mortals, while that of Arachne "depicted the various infidelities of her father, Zeus" (Wilkinson, 2009:37) and Athena tore up Arachne's work in a fit of rage. "A humiliated Arachne resolved to hang herself. But Athena decided that this was too harsh a punishment and transformed Arachne into a spider instead, so that she could continue weaving" (Wilkinson, 2009:37) (See also Grimal, 1991:51).
Grimal, P. (1991). The Penguin Dictionary of Classical Mythology. London, Penguin Books.
Harris, S.L. & G. Platzner. (2001). Classical Mythology: Images & Insights. Fourth Edition. New York, McGraw-Hill.
Wilkinson, P. (2009). Myths & Legends: An Illustrated Guide to Their Origins and Meanings. London, DK Publishing.


Investor advocate Rick A. Fleming said legislation imposing user fees on investment advisors would not increase the nation's budget deficit.
Critics of user fees say spending government funds to police advisors is a waste of money and that the Securities and Exchange Commission's higher budgets in recent years should be able to cover the costs of more advisor examinations.
Higher spending for user fee examinations would match the revenue collected from advisors, Fleming told securities industry experts last month.
"In fact, even without authorizing user fees Congress could increase the direct appropriation to the SEC without increasing the deficit because the SEC is already required to collect transaction frees from SROs (self-regulatory organizations) that offset its appropriation," he said.
Congressional Budget Office auditors estimate the deficit, or the gap between what the government takes in and what it spends, will come in at $506 billion at the end of the fiscal year Sept. 30. This figure is about $170 billion lower than in the last fiscal year but slightly higher than April estimates.
Under the user-fee proposal, the Securities and Exchange Commission would levy fees on SEC-registered advisors so that SEC compliance officials can administer exams to more advisors to weed out fraud.
Key industry groups and the SEC's Investor Advisory Committee have backed the measure but skittish lawmakers are wary of the fees as they represent deeper intrusion of government into the affairs of investment advisors.
Other critics argue that the SEC's bigger budget should be enough for the agency's Office of Compliance and Examinations (OCIE) to police advisors without levying user fees, which some critics consider another tax that would widen the nation's deficit.
The SEC's budget for 2013 is $271 million, an increase of more than 30 percent from 2009.
"Well … this is where things get tricky in Washington, D.C.," Fleming told a gathering at the 38th annual Southwest Securities Conference in Dallas.
With midterm elections in November, it's unlikely that Capitol Hill lawmakers are going to pass much in the way of legislation.
Only 9 percent of all registered investment advisors were examined by the SEC in 2013, leaving gaps and opportunities for rogue advisors. "This equates to a frequency of approximately once every 11 years, a rate that many observers find unacceptable," Fleming said.
Fleming also said the growth of the SEC's budget "has been dwarfed by the number and complexity of registrants," leaving SEC examiners with a low overall coverage rate.
In the past 11 years, the number of SEC-registered advisors has grown by 40 percent to 11,500 advisors, and the amount of assets managed by those advisors has gone from $20 trillion to an estimated $55 trillion.
In comparison, the OCIE staff has grown only about 10 percent over the same period and the SEC files complaints against advisors on a monthly basis.
Other budgetary priorities have taken precedence over user fees. Priorities include technological upgrades for the SEC's filings database and the development of a system for tracking tips, complaints and referrals, Fleming said.


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You are here: Home / Odds / How do magicians saw a woman in half and When was the trick first performed?
How do magicians saw a woman in half and When was the trick first performed?
April 2, 2020 by Karen Hill
Even when you know it can't really be taking place, it's hard not to gasp when the magician begins to saw through the box and edges toward the trapped woman's abdomen.
One of the most sensational and popular of illusions, it was first performed in 1921 by P. T. Selbit, an English magician and inventor, and then by the outstanding illusionist Horace Goldin.
The stunt is designed so that a woman appears to be lying full length in a box that rests on a table. Her hands, feet, and head protrude through holes in the ends of the box, and in some versions of the trick, her wrists and ankles are tied with ropes, which come through the sides.
The magician (perhaps with a helper) then proceeds to saw the box in half, using either a two man crosscut saw or a rotary power saw. The two halves are then separated, but you can't see inside because metal sheets have slid down over the cut ends of the box. Finally, the two halves are pushed together again, the sheets of metal removed, and miraculously the woman is whole and very much alive.
If it weren't for skeptical audiences, magicians might consider using fake limbs or a fake head, but members of the audience are frequently invited to come up on stage and hold the woman's hands and feet.
The fact is, the illusion involves two women. When the props are brought onto the stage, one woman is already hidden in the table. The tabletop appears to be thin, but the underside angles downward sufficiently to make space for one person. As the woman on stage climbs into the box, the one who is hidden climbs up into the box through a trap in the table and pokes her feet out the end.
She curls up, with her head bent forward between her knees; the other woman draws her knees up to her chin. Only an empty space then lies in the pathway of the descending saw.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Elevated Heparin-Precipitable Fraction of Plasma in Granuloma Annulare
Mark V. Dahl, Kenneth J. Cherney, William E. Lindroos
The levels of heparin-precipitable fraction of plasma were determined in 17 patients with granuloma annulare and 26 persons used as controls. The mean level in patients was greater than the mean level in persons used as controls (P <.05). Patients with widespread, disseminated lesions tended to have higher levels than patients with more localized disease (P <.15). New lesions were actively forming in two patients with widespread disease at the time of study, and levels of heparin-precipitable fraction in these patients were among the highest found. The significance of these findings and their relationship to the etiopathogenesis of granuloma annulare is speculative.
Archives of Dermatology
https://doi.org/10.1001/archderm.1979.04010090009012
10.1001/archderm.1979.04010090009012
Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'Elevated Heparin-Precipitable Fraction of Plasma in Granuloma Annulare'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Granuloma Annulare Medicine & Life Sciences
Heparin Medicine & Life Sciences
Dahl, M. V., Cherney, K. J., & Lindroos, W. E. (1979). Elevated Heparin-Precipitable Fraction of Plasma in Granuloma Annulare. Archives of Dermatology, 115(9), 1059-1060. https://doi.org/10.1001/archderm.1979.04010090009012
Elevated Heparin-Precipitable Fraction of Plasma in Granuloma Annulare. / Dahl, Mark V.; Cherney, Kenneth J.; Lindroos, William E.
In: Archives of Dermatology, Vol. 115, No. 9, 09.1979, p. 1059-1060.
Dahl, MV, Cherney, KJ & Lindroos, WE 1979, 'Elevated Heparin-Precipitable Fraction of Plasma in Granuloma Annulare', Archives of Dermatology, vol. 115, no. 9, pp. 1059-1060. https://doi.org/10.1001/archderm.1979.04010090009012
Dahl MV, Cherney KJ, Lindroos WE. Elevated Heparin-Precipitable Fraction of Plasma in Granuloma Annulare. Archives of Dermatology. 1979 Sep;115(9):1059-1060. https://doi.org/10.1001/archderm.1979.04010090009012
Dahl, Mark V. ; Cherney, Kenneth J. ; Lindroos, William E. / Elevated Heparin-Precipitable Fraction of Plasma in Granuloma Annulare. In: Archives of Dermatology. 1979 ; Vol. 115, No. 9. pp. 1059-1060.
@article{0a6eb6b83aa74653942d69f6b7bcd88e,
title = "Elevated Heparin-Precipitable Fraction of Plasma in Granuloma Annulare",
abstract = "The levels of heparin-precipitable fraction of plasma were determined in 17 patients with granuloma annulare and 26 persons used as controls. The mean level in patients was greater than the mean level in persons used as controls (P <.05). Patients with widespread, disseminated lesions tended to have higher levels than patients with more localized disease (P <.15). New lesions were actively forming in two patients with widespread disease at the time of study, and levels of heparin-precipitable fraction in these patients were among the highest found. The significance of these findings and their relationship to the etiopathogenesis of granuloma annulare is speculative.",
author = "Dahl, {Mark V.} and Cherney, {Kenneth J.} and Lindroos, {William E.}",
doi = "10.1001/archderm.1979.04010090009012",
journal = "JAMA Dermatology",
publisher = "American Medical Association",
T1 - Elevated Heparin-Precipitable Fraction of Plasma in Granuloma Annulare
AU - Dahl, Mark V.
AU - Cherney, Kenneth J.
AU - Lindroos, William E.
N2 - The levels of heparin-precipitable fraction of plasma were determined in 17 patients with granuloma annulare and 26 persons used as controls. The mean level in patients was greater than the mean level in persons used as controls (P <.05). Patients with widespread, disseminated lesions tended to have higher levels than patients with more localized disease (P <.15). New lesions were actively forming in two patients with widespread disease at the time of study, and levels of heparin-precipitable fraction in these patients were among the highest found. The significance of these findings and their relationship to the etiopathogenesis of granuloma annulare is speculative.
AB - The levels of heparin-precipitable fraction of plasma were determined in 17 patients with granuloma annulare and 26 persons used as controls. The mean level in patients was greater than the mean level in persons used as controls (P <.05). Patients with widespread, disseminated lesions tended to have higher levels than patients with more localized disease (P <.15). New lesions were actively forming in two patients with widespread disease at the time of study, and levels of heparin-precipitable fraction in these patients were among the highest found. The significance of these findings and their relationship to the etiopathogenesis of granuloma annulare is speculative.
U2 - 10.1001/archderm.1979.04010090009012
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JO - JAMA Dermatology
JF - JAMA Dermatology


text:
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Ride back with us to the golden age of B-Movie Western matinees and saddle up with your favorite stars as they saunter back into the spotlight in this first volume of classic oaters, THE MONOGRAM COWBOY COLLECTION Volume One. Drawing from a stable of later era Monogram matinees, this set pairs up singing cowboy Jimmy Wakely and legendary action hombre Johnny Mack Brown (the only fella tough enough to play Johnny Mack Brown was himself!) in a double quartet of cordite and cow classics. And to put the cherry in your Sarsaparilla we've also included Rod Cameron's CineColor, "bigger budget" Monogram adventure CAVALRY SCOUT!


The brand new KRONE Telematics Reporting allows reports to be made automatically. In doing so, previous reports are processed by the KRONE Telematics System and sent to a predetermined recipient at given intervals. These reports allow the user to obtain just the information they actually need for an overview of the entire fleet.


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Youth Advisory Council Cosponsoring Free Meals Friday
NEWS RELEASEHuman RelationsDec. 15, 2020
The Winston-Salem Youth Advisory Council is cosponsoring free hot meals that will be available to the public at Rhythm Lounge & Grill from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18, during the restaurant's Hung...
Nominations Sought for Young Dreamers Awards
NEWS RELEASEHuman RelationsNov. 16, 2020
The Human Relations Commission is accepting nominations for the 2021 Martin Luther King Jr. Young Dreamers Awards. Nominations are open to the public and must be received by Dec. 16, 2020.
The Young Dreamers Awards h...
Virtual Symposium Scheduled for Immigrant & Refugee Agencies
NEWS RELEASEHuman RelationsOct. 27, 2020
The Human Relations Department is co-sponsoring a virtual Newcomers Symposium on Tuesday, Nov. 10, for organizations throughout North Carolina that assist immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers in some capacity, in...
Winston-Salem Selected to Study Barriers for Postsecondary Students
NEWS RELEASEHuman RelationsSept. 30, 2020
The city of Winston-Salem has been selected to participate in a new initiative organized by the National League of Cities aimed at removing barriers to housing, transportation and other basic needs that can prevent...
High Schools to Hold Virtual Race Relations Forum
Students from Winston-Salem/Forsyth County high schools will discuss their perspectives on race relations during the annual Student Race Relations Forum, to be held virtually Thursday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m. and strea...
African American Heritage Initiative Accepting Submissions
NEWS RELEASEHuman RelationsAug. 14, 2020
The city's African American Heritage Initiative has created an online archive to capture the memories and recollections of African Americans who lived in Winston-Salem through the years of segregation and ...
Virtual Town Trust Talk on Racial Unrest and Social Injustice Carried Live June 26 on WSTV
NEWS RELEASEHuman RelationsJune 22, 2020
A virtual "Town Trust Talk," moderated by Wanda Starke of WXII and featuring Police Chief Catrina Thompson, Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough and James Perry, the chief executive officer of the Winston-Sal...
Human Relations Commission Issues Statement on National Unrest
NEWS RELEASEHuman RelationsJune 9, 2020 &n...
Human Relations to Assist Courts by Mediating COVID-Related Rent Disputes
NEWS RELEASEHuman RelationsMay 29, 2020
At the request of Chief District Judge Lisa Menefee, the Winston-Salem Human Relations Department on Monday, June 1, will begin mediating landlord-tenant disputes related to the non-payment of rent due to the COVID-1...
Human Relations Student Awards Banquet Postponed
NEWS RELEASEHuman RelationsFeb. 20, 2020
The Human Relations Student Awards Banquet scheduled for tonight has been postponed due to the forecast for snow this afternoon. A new date will be announced later. For more information call CityLink 311.
Students to be Honored at 40th Annual Human Relations Student Awards Banquet
NEWS RELEASEHuman RelationsFeb. 13, 2020 &...
African American Heritage Initiative Seeks Volunteers for Community Collection Teams
The African American Heritage Initiative Committee is seeking city residents to serve on one or more of the nine "collection teams" it is organizing to capture the memories and recollections of A...
Symposium on Gentrification and Related Issues Scheduled for Nov. 6
The Human Relations Department and the New Horizons Fair Housing Committee of the Human Relations Commission are holding a free day-long symposium Wednesday, Nov. 6, on gentrification and the issues it raises for ne...


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Q: scrollTo(x,y) is not working in a webview for android 4.4 I want to scrollTo the top using scrollTo(0,0) and it does not show the top position on android kitkat whereas it works well for android 4.3 and below. Any way around to scroll in android 4.4 webview

A: In Kitkat, chromium browser is used and they have removed many features from webview. Some of these bugs have already been reported to Google. Check the link below:
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=62378

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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38th Season of Esbenshade Series features musicians, dancers
Peoples Bank Theatre, located at 222 Putnam St., Marietta, announces the 2018-19 Esbenshade Series.
Musicians and dancers will highlight the 38th season of the Esbenshade Series at Marietta College, which features four performances that are free and open to the public at Peoples Bank Theatre starting on Sunday, Sept. 16.
Reserve up to four seats per performance starting six weeks before each show at peoplesbanktheatre.com or call the Peoples Bank Theatre Box Office at 740-371-5152, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.
Keb' Mo'
7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16 — Over the past two decades, award-winning singer, songwriter, guitarist and contemporary blues artist Keb' Mo' has cultivated a reputation as a modern master of American roots music through the understated excellence of his live and studio performances.
In addition to his four Grammy awards and 11 nominations, Keb' Mo' has also been awarded 11 Blues Foundation Awards and six BMI Awards for his work in TV and film.
3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11 — Since he first came to the world's attention with his deeply beautiful and original take on George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" in a viral video that dominated YouTube in 2005, the Hawaiian-born Jake Shimabukuro has virtually reinvented the four-string instrument, causing many to call him "the Jimi Hendrix of the ukulele." Ticket reservations begin Oct. 1 at 10 a.m.
Momix: Opus Cactus
7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17 — If Salvador Dali and Leonardo da Vinci were inspired by National Geographic you'd get Opus Cactus, Moses Pendleton's amazing evening-length work about the desert world. With their signature dance illusion style, MOMIX explores the mysterious creatures and cacti of the desert. Surreal, wondrous and massively creative, there's nothing like the MOMIX performance experience. Ticket reservations begin at 10 a.m. Jan. 7, 2019.
The Havana Cuba
7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 10 — In their upcoming "Asere" — or "Friendship" — tour, the All-Stars will be backed by three of Cuba's finest dancing couples. With the greatest dancers and musicians of Cuba working in tandem, the American encore of the Havana Cuba All-Stars' tour will be a spirited spectacle of song and dance, exemplifying Cuba's greatest musical traditions. Ticket reservations begin Jan. 28.
On stage in August:
– Mountain Stage, 7 p.m., Aug. 19. West Virginia Public Broadcasting's live radio show returns, featuring Natalie Prass, Red Wanting Blue, and Todd Burge.
– Paula Poundstone, 8 p.m., Aug. 25. A night of comedy with Paula Poundstone, as heard on NPR's #1 show, the weekly comedy news quiz, Wait, Wait … Don't Tell Me.
– Randy Bachman, 8 p.m., Aug. 31. Bachman has topped the charts with two different bands: "American Woman" with The Guess Who and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" with Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
Noble County Community Foundation applications accepted
Applications for the Noble County Community Foundation's (NCCF) summer 2019 funding round are now available and ...
WV Electric Auto Association to present at MOVCA meeting
PARKERSBURG – Marty Weirick and other members of the West Virginia Electric Auto Association will be guest ...
Many milestone birthday celebrations
100th birthday Cleo (Christman) Carpenter, formerly of Lewisville, OH, will celebrate her 100th birthday July 22. ...
Pottmeyer Steven and Brandy Pottmeyer of Belpre announce the birth of their daughter, Lacey Elizabeth Pottmeyer. ...
Harvest of Hope Farm to Table Dinner
The fifth annual Washington County Harvest of Hope Farm to Table Dinner and Auction will be held July 26 at the ...
Lowell community encouraged to give blood
The American Red Cross is facing an emergency need for blood and platelets after a significant shortfall in blood ...


Q: If I use too much will they burn my plants?
Q: How much worm castings and VermaPlex do I apply?
A: Well, that depends. Generally: Worm Castings - apply 20 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. of root growth WITH VermaPlex®; 40 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. WITHOUT VermaPlex®. VermaPlex® - 6 ounces mixed in 1 gallon water per 1000 sq ft root growth or 2 gallons mixed in 100 gallons water per acre. For specific applications, check out "Organic Fertilizer Applications" and "How To Use". To make a good potting soil mix, add 1/3 worm castings, 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 perilite.


Householders may soon have much more freedom to install satellite dishes and other antennae on their houses, under proposed changes to existing planning regulations that were published on Monday by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
As part of its drive to improve the take-up of broadband and digital TV, the government has suggested relaxing the rules that currently restrict the number and type of dishes and antennae that can be installed on the outside of a dwelling, block of flats or commercial buildings. The most far-reaching of these proposals would see the elimination of many of today's existing restrictions.
"We are committed to delivering equality of access to digital TV and broadband across the country and this document is an important step in that direction," said planning minister Jeff Rooker in a statement launching the consultation.
"However, we must ensure that whatever changes are made provide proper protection for the environment, particularly in sensitive areas such as national parks and conservation areas," he added.
Rooker explained that the best way of making the planning system work for the community is by asking people what they want. "I want people to tell us what the rules on satellite dishes and antennas should be," Rooker said.
Currently, householders are only allowed to install one satellite dish without planning permission. Any second dish, or any first dish that is larger than a set size, or any other type of antenna, requires planning permission.
As the government points out in its proposals, although planning permission may not be refused, the cost of an application may be a deterrent. Satellite broadband is one solution for parts of the UK where ADSL and cable broadband isn't available, but it is significantly more expensive -- especially in terms of the start-up costs. One-way satellite services are much cheaper, but don't offer a fast uplink.
Some mesh radio systems -- multi-point to multi-point broadband services -- also involve the installation of an antenna on the outside of a building, although a recent trial of mesh radio carried out by BT was not successful.
A variety of options are listed in the consultation document, including increasing the number of antennae than can be installed without planning permission, increasing the number that can be installed on the front of a house, and increasing the number of dishes that can be installed on blocks of flats.
People have until 4 July to respond to the consultation, a full copy of which can be seen on the consultation's Web site.
This is the second recent consultation from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister that is aimed at improving the take-up of high-speed Internet services. Last month the department proposed forcing builders to make new houses broadband-ready.


We've been back in Beirut to make more Stories from Hay el Matar, the radio drama set in contemporary Damascus. In November 2018 the BBC will broadcast three 45 minute stories developed from the Arabic language drama that we have been working on over recent years, and continuing our collaboration with Syrian writer Hozan Akko, studio maestro Karim Beidoun, Raffi Feghali (who translated and adapted) and an brilliant cast of 18 Syrian and Lebanese actors. It's such a pleasure to work with such an outstanding group.
Then there's How To Burn a Million Quid by Sean Grundy and Cara Jennings. The story of the KLF and how – driven on by the voice of Ken Campbell and the words of Illuminatus Trilogy, they came to make some quite extreme decisions. This will be Podcast on BBC Sounds very soon. Features Paul Higgins, Nick Burns, Kevin Eldon, Polly Kemp, Jeremy Stockwell, Ronnie Jhutti and Kate O'Sullivan.
And our latest hot potato is a drama about Robert Mueller's investigation into the Trump campaign's possible collusion with Russia. This story constantly mutating and we are making an investigative drama alongside real events.
In February we have the Old Man in the Moon, set in present day Iran as two characters remember the revolution, 40 years ago.
Boz Temple-Morris is nominated for the Audio Production Award for Best Drama Producer of the year. Having won in 2016 he gleefully broke off chunks of the Award for all our brilliant collaborators.
We are about to make an announcement about our drama Podcast which, after years in the oven, is almost ready to emerge, piping hot and ready for consumption.


Drop chains are often used with privacy cubicle curtains to provide clearance for sprinkler systems to provide full coverage in the event of a fire. Using drop chains is an alternative to adding mesh to the top of the cubicle curtains to meet fire code requirements in many areas. In addition, drop chains can bridge the gap between a curtain and the curtain track system that may be mounted higher than the height of the curtain. Connectors are utilized to set a maximum spacing between curtain carriers. For taller curtains, the use of connectors directly between the carriers helps make it easier to open and close the hand drawn curtains. Curtain-Tracks.com offers common lengths, but can also customize lengths to meet your exact needs.


A belly button piercing is a favorite type of piercing that is in the area around the navel, and this is why some people also refer to it as a navel piercing or umbilical dip piercing.
For most people, it heals quickly without any problem which is in about six months but for others, it may take up to nine months.
However, if you take good care of it by keeping it clean and ensuring that the piercing is by a professional, then you should not have any problem with yours.
Although cases of rejections are not very common, they can still happen with this type of body art, but the shape of your navel will give an indication of this and so your piercer should advise accordingly.
It is a charming body art if you get it right, and you can accessorize it with some fine jewelry to create a breathtaking appearance.
Cultures from all over the globe have a rich history of body modification, and this goes back centuries. Body modification ranges from simple things such as tattoos and piercing to other more extreme procedures such as sharpening teeth and neck stretching.
In ancient times puncturing your body intentionally was a sign of manliness and courage, and so people would pierce different places including their belly buttons to show their courage.
Some historians also claim that the Pharaohs in ancient Egypt believed that having an earring on the navel was a sign of their readiness to transition from the earthly life to eternity.
Although there are no accurate records on the history of belly button piercing, all evidence points towards it being as old as most other forms of body art.
From the Egyptian aristocrats to the jungle tribes in the Amazon, navel piercing has always been a part of the tradition of most societies.
However, the modern form of this body art is only a couple of decades old and most people will often credit Alicia Silverstone for popularizing it a 1993 music video by Aerosmith.
Christy Turlington also showed her navel piercing at a London fashion show in 1993, and this also helped to increase its popularity with her fans.
Choosing the right jewelry for your belly button piercing is one of the most important decisions that you have to make when getting this beautiful body art.
Before you even think about going to a piercer to get the piercing you have to do some research on the materials that make the jewelry that you will have on your belly button.
It is more important to do this for the navel than other places because it is a very sensitive area and the metals will be coming into contact with your body fluids. Having an unsuitable metal could cause your jewelry to corrode, rust or tarnish and this can be a disaster in such a sensitive place.
One of the best metals that you should have is surgical stainless steel because you will never have to worry about allergic reactions or deterioration. Surgical Titanium like the kind that you find on denture implants is also perfect as it can hold anything without corrosion and rust.
For those that are allergic to metal then Tygon Plastic is an excellent alternative, and robust 14 karat gold will also be ideal for your navel piercing if you prefer something shiny.
However, before you go for your expensive gold ring, it is important to keep in mind the fact that it is soft and can bend when warm and so you should remove it when sunbathing.
Once you choose a perfect jewelry for your belly button piercing the next step is to go for the actual procedure.
The procedure is the most important part, and so the first thing that you will need to do is to conduct some proper research so that you can find the best piercer and most preferably one that specializes in piercing the navel.
Although various people have a different pain threshold, it is important to know that the procedure is not as painful as most think.
Finding a good piercer and booking an appointment should not be a problem because there are many available, and a tattoo shop will be the best place to start your search.
The room where you will get the piercing should be spotlessly clean and make sure that the chair has a plastic covering to prevent any germs from coming into contact with your piercing and also to catch the fluids.
Before the procedure starts, make sure that the piercer washes both hands thoroughly and wears a mask and a new pair of surgical gloves.
After the preparation, the next step entails exposing your navel and scrubbing it with a surgical wash to sterilize the area before you pierce it. It is important to ensure that your piercer gets a look at your navel before the procedure so as to know how to go about it or if it is pierceable.
After sterilizing the area, the next step is to pierce it with a surgical needle and then finish by threading your sterilized jewelry in place.
Before you leave the piercer will need to wash the area to get rid of any fluids and also pat it dry. The procedure is not very painful, and you will only feel a slight prick or pinch, but some piercers will still prefer to give their customers some topical anesthetic.
Your navel piercing is just like any other wound, and so you need to protect and take good care of it. And so you should take maximum caution and always wash your hands before you touch the piercing.
You might not always remember to clean your hands and so the best thing will be to avoid touching the navel area unless you are cleaning it. It is also natural to get preoccupied with your new piercing, but you should avoid fiddling with it.
Moving your beautiful navel jewelry around will add extra irritation to the site, and so it will not heal fast. It is also important to avoid wearing very tight clothes or those that will keep on rubbing on the area.
Cleaning is vital for your belly button piercing as this is what prevents infections and also helps it heal fast. Although it is advisable to keep the area clean, you should not wash it more than twice a day because if you keep on disturbing the wound, it will not heal fast enough.
You should use liquid soap and make sure that you clean your hands first and disinfect them if possible before you touch the piercing. When cleaning, you should rub the soap gently around the ring but make sure that you move it as little as possible.
After rubbing the soap, you can rinse it with some warm water or wipe it with a damp cloth and finish by patting with a cloth so as to leave it dry.
It is also advisable to rinse your navel piercing with salt water after washing. To do this, you should mix a quarter teaspoon of sea salt in boiling water and then leave the mixture to cool for a while.
You should then put the mixture in a small glass and then invert it on your stomach securely to create a vacuum. Allow the salt water to soak on your wound for a quarter an hour.
The salt is, ideal for getting rid of bacteria, and it can also remove any crust in the area. It is advisable to avoid swimming and using bath tabs until the wound heals and also take vitamins because they stimulate healing.
If you take good care of your belly button piercing, then you will likely not have any complications. However, even with the best care in the world sometimes the wound may develop some issues, and it is important to know the symptoms to look out for and also what to do.
You should look out for things such as discharge coming from the wound to know whether the piercing has any complications. Excessive pain, redness, and swelling, jewelry shifting its position, skin opening larger than normal are the other common symptoms.
Depending on the type of symptoms the piercing may be going through a simple irritation or infection, rejection, migration or an allergic reaction to the jewelry (metal).
Mild irritation may be as a result of things such as the ring being too tight or loose and effects of going swimming or using a bath tab. It is easy to deal with it and to continue with your routine cleaning and taking care of the cause should be enough to get rid of the irritation.
An infection is also easy to deal with, but this will depend on the extent because some severe cases might require you to visit your piercer for advice or a doctor for some medication.
Rejection, on the other hand, may not have any solution because some people just can't heal a navel piercing no matter how many times they try but this is in very rare cases.
Metal allergies are also not very common, but you might not know if you have it until you get the belly button piercing. In case your piercing portrays signs of allergy towards the metal this should not worry you because there are some remedies available.
It might happen a few hours after getting the piercing or even some days later. Itchiness around the area that may turn into a rash is a good indication of an allergic reaction.
You should contact your piercer as soon as possible so as to change the jewelry and visit a doctor for treatment. There are also some home remedies that you can use but consulting a doctor is the best option.
Once the piercing heals you will probably want to remove your jewelry and clean it or change it to something fancier than what you have. When removing the ring for the first time, there are some things that you have to do and others to avoid.
First, it is vital to ensure that the wound is healed because if it is not the hole might close or shrink. Also make sure that you wash your hands, the piercing and the area around it.
You should then twist and slide the ring to make sure that it has not adhered to the skin and in case you feel any pain, you should go back to the piercer for some expert examination.
However, if it is not painful and you can remove the ring make sure you clean it and also sterilize the new ring before you insert it.
A belly button piercing is beautiful and very trendy, but one cannot overemphasize the importance of using a professional to get one and also having some evaluation. Evaluation is important because it helps to determine whether your navel is pierceable to prevent rejections and severe infections.
The only other thing that you have to keep in mind is that you will need to take a lot of care for the wound as it heals.