The Skriker Actor Packet

GLOSSARY of FOLKTALE CHARACTERS
BLACK ANNIE
BLACK DOG
Also known as... Black Annis, Black Agnes, Gentle Annie, Cat Anna
Comes from... English and Scottish folklore.
Associated with... land/earth.
Description: Black Annie clawed herself a cave in the Dane Hills, using
only her fingernails. When she is not in her cave, she crouches to surprise
children who are lost and wandering through the country. When she
catches a child, she takes them back to her cave. There, she drains their
blood and eats them. One she’s eaten them, she hangs their skin out to dry
before sewing it into clothing for herself.
Tales, Stories, and Resources:
• Black Annie Tales
http://www.whitedragon.org.uk/articles/blackann.htm
• More Black Annie Tales and Poems
http://everything2.com/title/Black+Annis
Also known as... Barghest, Black Shuck, Padfoot, Striker, Skriker.
Comes from... English Folklore.
Associated with... fire. There are accounts that during thunderstorms,
the Black Dog will appear with flashes of fire coming from his fur and
strike down those he passes.
Description: The Black Dog is an apparition, often associated with
the devil. Most commonly, seeing this goblin-like dog foreshadows
death. They are also said to strike during electrical storms and places where violent crimes have been
committed. In other tales, the Black Dog is a guardian of the underworld. Because people once believed
that the first person buried in a new cemetery would automatically become the ghost/guardian of the
churchyard (and therefore prevent them from progressing into the afterlife), a dog was usually buried
before the first person. These ghost dogs not only protected the dead spirits but were said to toll the
church bells when someone in the town was about to die.
Tales, Stories, and Resources:
• “Black Dogs in Folklore” by Bob Trubshaw
http://www.djmcadam.com/blackdogs.htm
• British Versions of the Black Dog
http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/folklore/phantom-black-dogs.html
BLUE MEN
Also known as... The Blue Men of Minch; Na Fir Ghorma.
Comes from... Scottish folklore.
Associated with... water.
Description: The Blue Men inhabit the stretch of water between Lewis, the Shiant
islands and Long Island. They swim alongside ships trying to convince sailors to
jump into the water. They also have the power to conjure up storms to wreck sailing
ships. These creatures are similar to mermaids, and live in underwater caves. They
can be defeated with a quick tongue and skill in riddle-solving.
Tales, Stories, and Resources:
• Tale of the Blue Men and the Princess
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/tsm/tsm08.htm