Water is an important part of the human experience. We’re mostly made of water, we need it to survive, and it forms the backdrop of some of the world’s origin stories in mythology. We’re so insistent on water that looking for it in the universe has become our benchmark for the existence of life. Humans simply cannot fathom life without water.
It’s therefore unsurprising that water weaves in and out of the folklore, legends, and mythology of the British Isles. In some cases, it takes the form of the cautionary tale, with the malicious water sprite Jenny Greenteeth keen to drag unsuspecting swimmers into the depths of those rivers otherwise clogged with dangerous weeds. Elsewhere, we see the mermaid used to represent the dangerous of boundless sexuality, while the seaside caves on the east coast play host to all manner of ghosts and fairies in an effort to deter locals from finding a smuggler’s stash. You might find the Bean Nighe prophesying death as she washes the linen of those fated to die at the ford, while the inimitable kelpie drags humans to their death. Selkies and merrows lurk in the seas off Scotland and Ireland, and many of our rivers are home to both spirits and deities – some of whom demand a sacrifice. That’s before we even get to the witches raising storms and controlling the rain.
In “Water, Water, Everywhere”, we’ll dive into the ways in which water appears in folklore, both as a location for a range of legends, but also as the home of a myriad of creatures, beings, and monsters. River, lake, well or spring, we’ll dip our toe into it – and hope that no aquatic devil takes hold. We’ll explore the tales to see what they tell us about earlier spirits who once called these islands home, and we’ll examine some of the water-based deities of both the Celts and the Romans to see how they fitted into their historical context – and what they can tell us now. By exploring the tales, examining how they appear in art and literature, and unpacking them from a 21st century perspective, we can see what lessons are available to learn if we take the time to tune into the crashing waves, the water lapping at the shore, and the burbling of the brook…
Icy Sedgwick is a podcaster, author, lecturer and researcher based in Newcastle upon Tyne. She is the host of the Fabulous Folklore podcast, investigating European folklore, weird tales, and legends, with a view to examining their links to documented history and their appearances in popular culture. She is also working on a PhD in Film Studies, examining the representation of the haunted house in contemporary Hollywood cinema. Icy is the co-author of Gothic Dissections in Film and Literature: The Body in Parts alongside Ian Conrich. In case she tires of research, former ghost hunter Icy also writes Gothic horror fiction inspired by ghost stories and folklore.
