Did you know that fairies used to ride fairy dogs into battle? And that the name corgi is derived from Welsh folklore?
The ninth episode of the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast is live NOW, and it’s all about fairy dogs (yes, fairy dogs)!
Welcome to what I like to think of as the “happy episode” of my Ghosts & Folklore podcast, because that’s exactly what it is – an episode crammed with non-stop happy folklore.
Well, for the most part…
I noticed recently that things were becoming increasingly grim and gritty with every new ghost story or dark piece of folklore. There were terrifying tales of two-headed ghosts, satanic statues, and even a bishop who filled a well with his the blood of his victim.
I also noticed that, purely by coincidence, there had been an awful lot of dog stories cropping up.
There was the dreaded gwyllgi with blood-red eyes, the tragic tale of Gelert in Beddgelert, and even the real-life Scooby-Doo ghost hunting dog (yes, the real-life Scooby-Doo ghost hunting dog – it’s my favourite spooky story, give it a listen!)
The happy fairy dogs episode
As such, I decided to redress the balance with an episode that would be nothing but jolly and positive, and what could be more jolly and positive than… fairy dogs?
This would also give me a chance to wrap up all of the leftover dog lore in one big happy episode, such as the fact that Welsh corgis, that lovable breed as sported by the Queen herself, were gifted to us by the fairies of Pembrokeshire. Even their name is derived from Welsh folklore.
Other snippets of four-legged folklore include:
• The tylwyth teg rewarding those who show kindness to their pets (and killing those who don’t, incidentally)
• A wizard’s friendly familiar which helped lonely travellers over the mountains at night
• The ghostly spectral omens which can predict if a dying person is heading to the good place or the bad.
For the most uplifting podcast you’ll hear this year – well, except for the occasional spooky bit – just hit the play button below.
To read more about the fairies of Wales and many more Welsh curiosities, check out The A-Z of Curious Wales.
Enjoy!
Subscribe to the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
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Read more in The A-Z of Curious Wales
The fairy folk of Wales are just one of many weird and wonderful Welsh curiosities collected in The A-Z of Curious Wales, available now from all good bookshops and online.