The Cat Fairy, Cait Sidhe
From Wikipedia:
The Cat Sìth or Cait Sidhe is a fairy creature from Celtic mythology, said to resemble a large black cat with a white spot on its breast. Legend has it that the spectral cat haunts the Scottish Highlands. The legends surrounding this creature are more common in Scottish folklore, but a few occur in Irish. Some common folklore suggested that the Cait Sìth was not a fairy, but a witch that could transform into a cat nine times
Many
many, many, many writers are in love with the Celtic myths. I’ve
delved into them, too. However, I’m not a big fan of the flitty
little cute faeries (or fae or fairies). In Celtic mythology, there’s
a fairy (or fae or faerie) for just about any purpose. The “serious”
fantasies love the idea of the fairy troupe. More than a few equate
fairies to Arthurian legends, many specifically to Merlin.
The third book in the Witches of
Galdorheim series, Scotch Broom, is set in the Scottish
Highlands, or, rather, the Otherworld which is another dimension that
exists within the Flow Country. Of course, I had to include at least
one fairy in the mix or I’d be violating some unwritten fantasy
rule.
If you write Celtic fantasy, then you
know that Sidhe is pronounced Shee in Ireland and Sith in Scotland. I
wonder where George Lucas got Sith lords? Hmm.
The Augur, Seonaidh
From Wikipedia:
The Seonaidh (anglicised Shony or Shoney) was a Celtic water spirit in Lewis (an island in the Outer Hebrides), according to Martin Martin. Dwelly defines seonadh (without the "i", a related form in Scottish Gaelic) as "1. augury, sorcery. 2. Druidism" and quotes Martin further.
Martin says that the inhabitants of Lewis used to propitiate Seonaidh by a cup of ale in the following manner. They came to the church of St. Mulway (Mael rubha), each man carrying his own provisions. Every family gave a pock (bag) of malt, and the whole was brewed into ale. One of their number was chosen to wade into the sea up to his waist, carrying in his hand the cup full of ale.
Kat needs information about her brother's whereabouts. Cait Sidhe brings Kat to a pool where a Seonaidh lives and they bribe the slimy fellow with ale as suggested above.
Cait Sidhe stood
up on her hind legs and marched left and right with her nose held
high. It surprised Kat that Cait seemed quite comfortable walking on
two legs.
“What—?”
Kat gasped as Cait Sidhe grew taller, her body wavering and twisting
as she morphed from black cat into what appeared to be a human girl
the size of a ten-year old. The child-like Sidhe was as black as her
cat form with a spot of white running from her neck to her
collarbones. Her translucent wings formed a shimmering rainbow
growing out of her shoulder blades. Never at rest, the wings flashed
pale flickers of rainbow colors around the fairy’s back.
“Oh!
Self-transformation. I should have guessed. Sidhe does mean fairy,
and fairies are master transformers.”
“Catch on fast,
don’t you, witchy.”
“I see your,
um, personality didn’t change.” Kat moved to slide off Diamond’s
back, but he told her to wait until they got to a dry place. She
settled back as well as she could behind Diamond’s withers. “Are
there any dry spots in this swamp?”
Cait answered.
“Yes, which is why I switched to the less efficient, bipedal mode.
I must take this inconvenient form to get Seonaidh’s attention.”
“Who is Show
Me?” Kat asked.
“SHOW NEE,”
Cait snarled. “Can’t you get any of our names right?”
“Well, don’t
get your tail in a twist. They are unusual names, you know.”
“Ha. Your jokes
stink, too.” Cait said no more, but flew upward, then flitted away
across the bogs.
“Why are we
stopping to see this Seonaidh? I don’t want to waste time on
another roadside attraction.”
“Seonaidh can
see the future. Cait Sidhe believes we can find out what happens to
your brother.”
“That’d be
great! I want to know if Rune will be okay.”
They soon came to
another pool, much like the others dotting the bogs, except the water
was clear. Kat could see to the bottom of the pond, where underwater
plants swayed to and fro.
“It’s
beautiful,” she said and then yelped when Diamond bent his front
legs. She pitched forward and planted her face in his mane. Sitting
up, she threw one leg over his back and rolled off. She put her hands
on the small of her back and leaned backward then forward to take the
kinks out.
Cait Sidhe stood
by the edge of the pool, looking down. Kat walked over to the pond.
It was only then Kat noticed the fairy was naked.
“Seonaidh,”
Cait yelled. “Get your ugly butt up here.”
Kat turned her
attention away from Cait and looked into the pool. She inhaled and
thought the sweet smell of fresh water a nice change from the
constant dank smell of swamp. A dark form lay at the bottom among the
wavering water plants. Cait pointed to the form. “That’s
Seonaidh. If I can get him up here, he’ll want a cup of ale. You’re
a witch. Can you produce that?”
“Sure, but how
long is this going to take?”
“Not long if
you whomp up that ale,” Cait replied.
Kat glanced at
her charm bracelet and touched the pig, which gave out a tiny squeal.
A pop of air to Kat’s right drew her attention. A checkered, red
and white cloth lay on the dry bank of the pool. On it, a picnic
basket sat. She knelt, opened the wicker basket, and took out its
contents: a covered dish, smelling of rich cheese; two jugs and two
cups; a container of grain; and a raw fish.
She picked up one jug and popped off
the cork. Sniffing, she recognized the musky-sweet scent of ale. “How’s this?” Kat asked, holding up the jug. “But why do I
want to give him ale? I can’t imagine you’d just want to be
friendly, Cait.”
“Hssst. Of
course not, silly human. Seonaidh is an augur; he can tell the
future. Not very well, mind you, but we might get a hint at what is
to come.”
“I’ll take
anything I can get. It’s hard not knowing what’s happened to
Rune. Or will happen, I guess.” Kat’s breath hitched. She could
only hope the augur showed them something good. She cleared her
throat. “Some witches have the talent too, but it’s rare.” Kat
looked at her charm bracelet again. “I’m glad I can use these
charms more than once. I think I’ll use the alarm goose to keep an
eye out in case Sianach and Cusith follow us.” She touched the
goose charm, and a large white goose appeared at Kat’s feet. It
raised one wing in a salute and stood waiting.
“Oh, right.
Keep watch for the deer and dog. Let me know if you see them.” The
goose saluted again and took wing. Kat watched while the goose posted
itself flying in a wide circle overhead.
Cait heaved a
deep sigh. “I hate water.” She dove into the pool. Kat peered
into the depths and watched Cait Sidhe swim to the dark form. After a
short time, Cait rose to the surface and climbed out of the pool. She
shook herself, throwing water on Kat. “He’ll be up soon.”
“Well, then,
let’s eat while we wait.”
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