![]() In pre-Christian times, she likely represented wisdom, old age, and guidance. Nelly likely started life being worshiped as a crone, water spirit, or old god. It is believed that the folklore around Hags like Nelly comes from the old pagan gods. When she came across curious children she would attempt to lure them into nearby bodies of water. It was believed she would sometimes leave the water and stalk village streets making strange sounds. She would lurk under the surface of lakes and rivers and drag passing children to their watery deaths. ![]() Like many hags from European folklore, Nelly was said to have a taste for the flesh of children. She was described as a withered old woman with freakishly long, thin arms and wild hair. The legend of Nelly Longarms comes from Durham, England. When one imagines a wicked old hag, the first thing to come to mind likely resembles traditional depictions of Nelly Longarms. 1.Nelly Longarms - The Quintessential English Hag In fact, in certain parts of the world, some of these hags are still feared to this very day. While some of these witches, like the Greek Circe, were always just the stuff of legend, many entries on this list were once believed to be real. These nightmarish, murderous, and often cannibalistic women have been cropping up in folklore for thousands of years. ![]() ![]() Of all the things that go bump in the night, the most prominent is probably the hag/witch. Whether one is studying European, Asian, or American folklore, different variations of the same nightmarish creatures tend to crop up. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |