Arthur Elwood and the Charmwood Banshee

He turned round as best he could to see the source of the laughter. He was terrified by what he saw. Crawling on its belly was a wicked looking little creature. In one hand it held aloft a stick with a lantern hung from the end. It’s face was a muddy brown and broad. When it smiled and the light from the lantern lit its face, Arthur could sharp teeth. It seemed clad in tattered clothing, and had claws on its fingers and toes. It continued to crawl toward Arthur laughing. Then it spoke. Its voice sounded like a croak or the squelch of mud. “Foolish human,” it panted. “You will die like all the others before you. You will not rescue the ban sidhe. You will be delicious.” It disappeared into the mud of the bog. Terrified, Arthur looked around and tried to free himself from the bog without falling further into it.

He tried and tried to move, but his feet seemed planted. At first imperceptibly, then quite quickly Arthur realized he was being dragged deeper into the bog. He struggled and shouted. “Help! Dear God, please help!” Soon the mud was up to his shoulders. He stuck his arms out with a struggle as the mud continued to rise around his neck. He whispered a prayer to St. Vincent Martyr and St. Francis. He could feel pain in his legs. The creature had begun to devour him, he was sure. Arthur’s head disappeared and only his hands stayed above the mud. All was lost.

But then, slowly, he was rising. He could feel pain in his hands, but what did that matter, he was rising! The will-o-the-wisp, for that is what the creature was, attempted to drag him back down, but it was no match for whatever was pulling him out. Soon his arms and then his head were raised out of the bog. Ravens! Just as in his dreams, the ravens were lifting him up into the air. He feared for a moment that they would carry him into the air and then drop him to his death. Still, at least he would not be a meal, he thought. Once the ravens had extricated him from the clutches of the bog and its keeper, Arthur looked down and saw the little demon waving an angry fist and babbling curses at him and the ravens. But there was nothing more it could do and soon it disappeared back under the mud.

The ravens had taken him up above the trees and so the wind struck him again with an awful force. He forgot everything for a moment as his breath had been stolen from him when realized they were descending. He was now in a glade and protected from the wind. The ravens left, but as they did so the cried again, “Sidhe! Sidhe! Ban Sidhe!” Arthur gasped for breath and watched them fly off. He crossed himself and thanked God. A bell tolled nearby. Arthur noticed an ancient looking chapel nearby as the bell tolled eleven. It was nearly Christmas Day.