The Wailing Banshee

Like the family gods of ancient Rome, Banshees act as conduits between the living and the dead. They are generally retained by the well-to do family of Celtic or Gaelic descent. The Banshee’s cry–a horrible mix of piercing wail and a wolfish moan–has been known to sour the milk in a woman’s breast and call up storms from the deep. However, "Screaming Banshee" is actually a pejorative misnomer as the Banshee screams only to herald the death of a family member who is far from home. Her cries are more of a community service than a haunting.

More active in the winter months, Banshee sightings are still rare. She has been known to appear at the bedside of those in the throws of the plague, though her knowledge of medicine has long been suspect. Mostly, she can be found on the moors, wailing and dancing a sad dirge. Her grey complexion easily blends into fog-shrouded hillsides. Her foot leaves no prints, but her breath can wilt spring blooms. Discoveries of Banshee nests have diminished in the last hundred years, a possible indicator of their declining numbers. The nest is generally a small cave or hollowed out hillside, that may be a doorway to the underworld.

A banshee male has never been found, but commonsense would indicate his existence, as the root of the Banshee’s distress.

Banshee: from the Celtic root Bean and Sídhe, meaning Woman of the Faeries.