Magical white hair (part 5)

 This is the fifth and last post on the subject of white magical locks. I could've covered a lot more examples including the Marie Antoinette syndrome, where people's hair turn white very quickly after a shock. This seems a natural thing to happen with a medical explanation, and not a paranormal change. 

White animals though, even the phantom ones, are viewed as really special. There is the white stag, the sacred white buffalo, the white star lions, white ghost spirit bears, white elephants of India, white peacocks of the alchemist, white horses, white doves, and so much. These albino animals are considered symbols of purity, the otherworld, magic and even the divine. 

Looking at an albino crocodile is said to bring good luck. A beautiful white alligator called Pearl is so much what her name is. Rare and precious. It's said that dreams of albino reptiles can symbolise a lot of wisdom and strength. Native Americans are very protective of albino animals. There is a belief that anyone who hunts an albino animal will suffer the consequences.    

However when it comes to albino humans, it's a very polar reaction. Shockingly many albinos have been murdered each year because of prejudice and warped ideas. It's believed by many with negative opinions that those people born with albinism are "cursed". It doesn't help when Hollywood films have a lot of evil albino characters. 

Light elves are most certainly beings of light, although they're described as "golden haired" and not white haired. However, in Germanic myths and legends, the dark elves are considered similar to the dwarfs, if not the same, or at least underground dwelling. But in the lore of Dungeons and Dragons and Forgotten Realms, dark elves are called the "drow" with dark skin and white hair. Drow are sinister beings who live underground. However, some individual drow were known to be friendly. 

What about hair itself? Angel hair is quite mysterious and has a place in folklore. It's a silvery white substance called "angel hair" that feels sticky. Similar to cobwebs, this is like a messy tangle found over grass, in bushes and brambles. Some say it was created by spiders, but others believe it has supernatural origins.      

To find more info on Angel Hair, visit this page by Crystal Links 

For more on white and albino animal symbolism, check the page at "What is my spirit animal" HERE

I hope you all have a great weekend!

She Wolf Night

Magical white hair (part 4)

This is the fourth of five posts about magical white coloured hair. It doesn't mean grey hair, white hair of ageing, white hair of shock and trauma, or bleached hair. The mystical white hair that occurs naturally in the young and healthy. 

Now we all know that certain animals turn white for winter. The animals who change to snowy white in the winter season is enchanting enough to be given a mention. A number of these animals who turn white every winter include hares, Arctic foxes, ermine, peary caribou, collared lemmings, Siberian hamsters, jackrabbits, rock ptarmigans and weasels. Considered a mystery, but an accepted change of coat to keep warm. 

There are many white haired characters that symbolise snow and winter. Santa Claus has white hair and a white beard. The Russian folklore "snow maiden" Snegurochka, has silvery gold or white hair. The Greek myths have seasonal maidens called the Horae, and a part of them is the white-fair haired Kheimon the winter maid. Goddesses Perchta, Skadi, Khione, Morana, Mother Holda, Gryla, Polivah and Beira or Cailleach Bheur. Gods such as Boreas, Uller, Hoder, Iokul Frost, Santa Claus, Father Frost or Ded Moroz and Morozko. There may be tons more of these winter and snow related deities and divine beings with white hair. 

From She Wolf Night    

Magical white hair (part 3)

 This is the third of five posts about mystical people with white hair. Often white hair is mostly a sign of being aged, traumatised, sick or (if they're young and healthy) otherworldly. The latter is what these posts are about, discussing the magical people with white hair. 

A banshee is a white haired lady from Celtic legend. She's considered a fairy of the mounds, who sometimes wears a grey cloak and a green gown. Her hair is long and white as snow. Her eyes are blood red. Sometimes showing up as a pretty maiden that sings, or sat low beneath a tree, shrouded, or flying through the night as she sobs loudly. 

Most of all the banshee is a harbinger of death. She screams to let someone know there is a death in the family. Or she screams to let someone know there is about to be a death in the family. Sometimes they call her the wailing woman. Legend goes that each family has an assigned banshee who will warn them by her screams when someone has died or will about to leave their mortal coil soon. Often the banshee is feared.

She Wolf Night team

Magical white hair (part 2)

This is the second of five posts about otherworldly people with white hair. They can be from legends, myths and folklore, even from the realms of literature. 

The Epimeliads are a type of dryads from Greek mythology. These dryads are both guardians of fruit trees and protectors of sheep and goats. Sometimes considered orchard nymphs, meadow nymphs and apple tree nymphs. They dwelled in the woods, living inside fruit trees and they could even blend. These dryads were able to shapeshift into trees and human form. Their hair is the white shade of apple blossoms or wool. 

The most well known of these Epimediads include the Hesperides who guarded the golden apples. They're regarded as daughters of goddess Nyx and the titan Hyperion. Another famous Epimediad is the dryad Penelope, mother of Pan. She's not the same person as the wife of Odysseus who's also called Penelope. There is a different Epimediad called Lampetia, who is also made of light. Her sister is Phaethusa, radiating and carries a staff made of copper to protect sheep and apple trees. Sinoe and Sose are lesser known Epimediads who are loved, and they lived on mountains to care for sheep and fruit trees.  

She Wolf Night    

Magical white hair (part 1)

This is the first of five posts all about magical people with otherworldly white hair. I shall begin this topic with the Lotus Eaters. Who are they? In Greek mythology, the Lotus Eaters are a mysterious race of people who appear in Homer's The Odyssey Book 9. 

The hero Odysseus travelled on ship, today just termed the Homeric Galley. A violent north wind forced the ship to go off course and they ended up on an island, but when they reached shore, there was fewer men who survived the storm. Odysseus sent about three men to look around the island, looking for food and fresh water. 

Here they encountered the island's inhabitants, who were a gentle but curious people. They had white hair and grey eyes. People who were born on the island looked like this but those who hadn't lived there too long would gradually change because of the chemicals in the lotus. 

These people called themselves the Lotus Eaters. Odysseus soon discovered the island itself was small, and it's main food source came from a rare lotus tree that grew fruits that were a powerful drug.  Such a tree grew lotus flowers, that the islanders called Lotus Eaters had always fed on. Most of the island's Lotus Eaters were asleep, day dreaming, or hallucinating! It's believed they were telepathic but mainly they were pretty lethargic.  

The Lotus Eaters offered the crewmen to eat lotus fruits and flowers, so that they would forget their homes, and stay on the island. Odysseus tried to tell his men not to eat the lotus plants but they had already eaten. Already the men were affected by the lotus. All they wanted to do was to stay on the island. Odysseus then dragged some of them away, and the men reluctantly returned to the ship as they felt influenced by the lotus drug. Soon when the ship sailed off, the drug wore off. 

It's believed that this lotus tree had once been a nymph called Lotis, who was transformed into a tree, but this is a story told by a Roman poet called Ovid in Metomorphoses.      

She Wolf Night

Happy New Year

Art by Kagaya

She Wolf Night girls want to wish everyone a happy New Year. 

2021 is the year of the bull, which is a strong animal symbol. We hope this year brings hope, promise and health. 

In reflection to the previous year, 2020 was the year of the rat, a time of the global pandemic. 2021 will make way for a tougher challenging year with the stamina, muscle and horns of the great bull. 

She Wolf Night