Beware the Banshee's Cry: The Folklore & History of Messengers of Death

by Steven J. Rolfes

Overview

Gaze with Trembling Breath Upon the Dreaded Banshee

Journey to the Emerald Isle and beyond as you explore the history and mystery of banshees. These beings bridge the gap between life and death, myth and reality. From the Morrigan to the Doppelgänger, Steven J. Rolfes examines what messengers of death are and how they have captivated humanity for centuries.

Rolfes presents numerous examples of banshees, such as the ghostly maiden who appeared at Lady Fanshawe's window and the omens leading up to President Lincoln's murder. Experience the phantom washerwomen of Brittany, the Japanese ikiryo, the death hag of Wales, Scotland's Specter of the Bloody Hand, and much more. From ghostly white women in Germany to avian creatures in the jungles of Sri Lanka, this book will thrill you with tales of banshees across the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738778273
Publisher:	Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
Publication date:	09/08/2024
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.72(d)

About the Author

Steven J Rolfes is the author of numerous books on Ohio and Cincinnati, including Historic Downtown Cincinnati (with Kent Jones), Cincinnati Theaters, and Supernatural Lore of Ohio. Passionate about history, Rolfes has been published in various magazines and hosts a summer radio program telling ghost stories. He has worked as a teacher, border patrol agent, salesman, jeweler, former ESL teacher for Spanish-speaking immigrants, and detective. He is a volunteer at the Cincinnati History Museum and an employee at the Ohio Regional Transit Authority.

Table of Contents

Contents

Acknowledgments xiii

Preface xv

Introduction 1

Chapter 1: C Chulainn and Morrigan 7

Chapter 2: From Goddess to Banshee 23

Chapter 3: The Women of the Mound 41

Chapter 4: The Cry of the Banshee 61

Chapter 5: The Sight of the Banshee 101

Chapter 6: The Saga of the Comb 121

Chapter 7: The Banshees in the United States and Canada 133

Chapter 8: The Banshees in Scotland and Wales 149

Chapter 9: Other Death Messengers in Ireland 171

Chapter 10: Other Death Messengers 189

Chapter 11: The Dopplegänger 223

Chapter 12: Omens of Death 237

Conclusion 251

Bibliography 253