LBB Ire 120-231
8/2/06
5:28 PM
Page 120
Myths
& Folk Tales The Banshee by Lady Francesca Speranza Wilde
he Banshee is the spirit of death, the most weird and awful of all the fairy powers. But only certain families of historic lineage, or persons gifted with music and song, are attended by this spirit; for music and poetry are fairy gifts, and the possessors of them show kinship to the spirit race—therefore they are watched over by the spirit of life, which is prophecy and inspiration; and by the spirit of doom, which is the revealer of the secrets of death. Sometimes the Banshee assumes the form of some sweet singing virgin of the family who died young, and has been given the mission by the invisible powers to become the harbinger of coming doom to her mortal kindred. Or she may be seen at night as a shrouded woman, crouched beneath the trees, lamenting with veiled face; or flying past in the moon-
120
p120
Job no:8350 Title : LBB Ireland Client : WKT Scn : #150 Size : 165.1(w)165.1(h)mm Co : M8 Mac J Dept : DTP D/O : 07.08.06 (Job no:000000 D/O : 00.00.01 Co: CM0)
DIC
Job no:8 Scn : #1 Dept : D