Knowledge (XXG)

Beithir

Source 📝

36: 208:. A ship was lying at anchor in the loch at the time, and a line of barrels filled with deadly spikes, and with pieces of flesh laid upon them, was placed from the shore to the ship. Tempted by the flesh, the "loathly worm" made its way out on the barrels and was killed by the spikes and cannon. 185:
king, and she gave the king's son a magic shirt that was a beithir in disguise. As long as the "great snake" remained coiled about his neck, the prince was under his stepmother's enchantment, but he was eventually freed from the beithir with the help of a
142:. If they can reach it before the beithir does then they are cured, but if the monster reaches it first then the victim is doomed. Another cure for the sting is water in which the head of another snake has been placed. The beithir is considered one of the 170:
the Cailleach was slain by a hunter who hacked her to pieces, but she returned to life when all her body parts came together again. Mackenzie suggested that the serpent-dragon of the loch may be one of her forms.
149:
It is said that if a normal snake is killed then the head must be separated a proper distance from its body and destroyed. Otherwise, both parts will come together and the snake will return to life as a beithir.
129:
The beithir is described as "the largest and most deadly kind of serpent", or as a dragon (but without certain typical draconic features such as wings or fiery breath). It dwells in mountainous caves and
220:
E. C. Watson described the beithir as a "venomous and destructive creature". She suggested the basis of the legends were founded in the destructive characteristics of
345: 562: 57: 44: 988: 529: 482: 356: 555: 276: 474:
Creatures in the Mist: Little People, Wild Men and Spirit Beings Around the World : a Study in Comparative Mythology
117:("serpent" and "adder"). The word may also mean "wild beast" and may be derived from the Norse for "bear" according to 998: 548: 993: 151: 49: 1003: 138:
sting. If a person is stung by the beithir then they must head for the nearest body of water such as a river or
193: 748: 174: 236: 109:
has been defined variously as "serpent", "lightning", and "thunderbolt". It is also referred to as
583: 439: 665: 645: 525: 519: 478: 472: 352: 272: 246: 178: 78: 922: 571: 431: 118: 881: 163: 102: 741: 982: 844: 241: 227:
The beithir was said to be sighted on summer nights when lightning strikes occurred.
787: 723: 187: 823: 773: 205: 886: 856: 796: 780: 732: 694: 217: 814: 674: 609: 221: 714: 158:(1935) drew a possible connection between the beithir and the mythological 35: 540: 874: 832: 764: 146:, a general term for various monsters and spirits associated with water. 135: 443: 940: 627: 182: 320:
Campbell, John Francis (auth.) and Henderson, George (trans.) (1911).
967: 904: 865: 849: 839: 755: 435: 167: 131: 90: 17: 419: 960: 805: 201: 143: 86: 139: 544: 159: 29: 204:
was one of this kind. It devoured seven horses on its way to
508:(Vol. 1). Alexander Gardner. Introduction, pp. lxxxix–xc. 521:
Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology
388:
Superstitions of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland
958: 938: 902: 872: 830: 821: 812: 803: 794: 785: 771: 762: 753: 739: 730: 721: 692: 672: 663: 643: 607: 598: 403:(Vol. 3). Alexander Gardner. pp. 406, 415 (footnote). 951: 931: 915: 895: 705: 685: 656: 636: 620: 591: 344: 311:(Vol. 2). Edinburgh: T. and A. Constable. p. 228. 324:. Edinburgh: John Grant. Introduction, p. xxiv. 177:in 1890 recounted a traditional story about a 556: 27:Large snake-like cryptid in Scottish folklore 8: 390:. Glasgow: James MacLehose and Sons. p. 224. 351:(online ed.), Oxford University Press, 303: 301: 196:in 1900 provided an account of the beithir: 863: 854: 712: 287: 285: 563: 549: 541: 382: 380: 378: 376: 374: 413: 411: 409: 263: 261: 60:of all important aspects of the article. 257: 457: 455: 453: 56:Please consider expanding the lead to 7: 343:MacKillop, James (2004), "beithir", 295:. Blackie & Son Limited. p. 247. 506:Popular Tales of the West Highlands 401:Popular Tales of the West Highlands 477:. Algora Publishing. p. 129. 25: 518:Theresa Bane (4 September 2013). 386:Campbell, John Gregorson (1900). 134:(valleys) and is equipped with a 347:A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology 34: 584:Scottish mythology and folklore 504:Campbell, John Francis (1890). 399:Campbell, John Francis (1892). 293:Scottish Folklore and Folk Life 200:The big beast of Scanlastle in 156:Scottish Folklore and Folk Life 48:may be too short to adequately 307:Carmichael, Alexander (1900). 58:provide an accessible overview 1: 989:Scottish legendary creatures 418:Watson, E. C. (July 1908). 1022: 864: 855: 333:Carmichael (1900). p. 312. 291:Mackenzie, Donald (1935). 269:An Encyclopedia of Fairies 267:Briggs, Katharine (1976). 152:Donald Alexander Mackenzie 959: 939: 903: 873: 831: 822: 813: 804: 795: 786: 772: 763: 754: 740: 731: 722: 713: 693: 673: 664: 644: 608: 599: 579: 524:. McFarland. p. 53. 461:Mackenzie (1935). p. 250. 271:. Pantheon Books. p. 20. 121:scholar James MacKillop. 113:("venomous serpent") and 471:Gary R. Varner (2007). 194:John Gregorson Campbell 181:who was the wife of an 322:The Celtic Dragon Myth 210: 749:Blue men of the Minch 198: 175:John Francis Campbell 420:"Highland Mythology" 999:Legendary reptiles 932:Goblins/hobgoblins 166:. In a story from 994:Scottish folklore 976: 975: 646:Loch Ness Monster 531:978-1-4766-1242-3 484:978-0-87586-545-4 424:The Celtic Review 358:978-0-19-860967-4 247:Loch Ness Monster 237:Beinn a' Bheithir 179:wicked stepmother 79:Scottish folklore 75: 74: 16:(Redirected from 1011: 1004:European dragons 964: 963: 944: 943: 908: 907: 878: 877: 869: 868: 860: 859: 836: 835: 827: 826: 818: 817: 809: 808: 800: 799: 791: 790: 777: 776: 768: 767: 759: 758: 745: 744: 736: 735: 727: 726: 718: 717: 698: 697: 678: 677: 669: 668: 649: 648: 613: 612: 604: 603: 572:Celtic mythology 565: 558: 551: 542: 536: 535: 515: 509: 502: 496: 495: 493: 491: 468: 462: 459: 448: 447: 436:10.2307/30069982 415: 404: 397: 391: 384: 369: 368: 367: 365: 350: 340: 334: 331: 325: 318: 312: 309:Carmina Gadelica 305: 296: 289: 280: 265: 119:Celtic mythology 70: 67: 61: 38: 30: 21: 1021: 1020: 1014: 1013: 1012: 1010: 1009: 1008: 979: 978: 977: 972: 947: 927: 911: 891: 706:Fairies/spirits 701: 681: 652: 632: 616: 587: 575: 569: 539: 532: 517: 516: 512: 503: 499: 489: 487: 485: 470: 469: 465: 460: 451: 417: 416: 407: 398: 394: 385: 372: 363: 361: 359: 342: 341: 337: 332: 328: 319: 315: 306: 299: 290: 283: 266: 259: 255: 233: 212:Writing in the 164:Cailleach Bheur 127: 103:Scottish Gaelic 99: 71: 65: 62: 55: 43:This article's 39: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1019: 1018: 1015: 1007: 1006: 1001: 996: 991: 981: 980: 974: 973: 971: 970: 965: 955: 953: 949: 948: 946: 945: 935: 933: 929: 928: 926: 925: 919: 917: 913: 912: 910: 909: 899: 897: 893: 892: 890: 889: 884: 879: 870: 861: 852: 847: 842: 837: 828: 819: 810: 801: 792: 783: 778: 769: 760: 751: 746: 742:Biasd Bheulach 737: 728: 719: 709: 707: 703: 702: 700: 699: 689: 687: 683: 682: 680: 679: 670: 660: 658: 654: 653: 651: 650: 640: 638: 634: 633: 631: 630: 624: 622: 618: 617: 615: 614: 605: 595: 593: 589: 588: 580: 577: 576: 570: 568: 567: 560: 553: 545: 538: 537: 530: 510: 497: 483: 463: 449: 405: 392: 370: 357: 335: 326: 313: 297: 281: 256: 254: 251: 250: 249: 244: 239: 232: 229: 224:and serpents. 126: 123: 98: 95: 73: 72: 52:the key points 42: 40: 33: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1017: 1016: 1005: 1002: 1000: 997: 995: 992: 990: 987: 986: 984: 969: 966: 962: 957: 956: 954: 950: 942: 937: 936: 934: 930: 924: 921: 920: 918: 914: 906: 901: 900: 898: 894: 888: 885: 883: 880: 876: 871: 867: 862: 858: 853: 851: 848: 846: 843: 841: 838: 834: 829: 825: 820: 816: 811: 807: 802: 798: 793: 789: 784: 782: 779: 775: 770: 766: 761: 757: 752: 750: 747: 743: 738: 734: 729: 725: 720: 716: 711: 710: 708: 704: 696: 691: 690: 688: 684: 676: 671: 667: 662: 661: 659: 655: 647: 642: 641: 639: 635: 629: 626: 625: 623: 619: 611: 606: 602: 597: 596: 594: 590: 586: 585: 582:Creatures in 578: 573: 566: 561: 559: 554: 552: 547: 546: 543: 533: 527: 523: 522: 514: 511: 507: 501: 498: 486: 480: 476: 475: 467: 464: 458: 456: 454: 450: 445: 441: 437: 433: 429: 425: 421: 414: 412: 410: 406: 402: 396: 393: 389: 383: 381: 379: 377: 375: 371: 360: 354: 349: 348: 339: 336: 330: 327: 323: 317: 314: 310: 304: 302: 298: 294: 288: 286: 282: 278: 274: 270: 264: 262: 258: 252: 248: 245: 243: 242:Lake monsters 240: 238: 235: 234: 230: 228: 225: 223: 219: 216:in 1908, the 215: 214:Celtic Review 209: 207: 203: 197: 195: 191: 189: 184: 180: 176: 172: 169: 165: 162:known as the 161: 157: 153: 147: 145: 141: 137: 133: 124: 122: 120: 116: 112: 108: 104: 96: 94: 92: 88: 84: 80: 69: 66:December 2022 59: 53: 51: 46: 41: 37: 32: 31: 19: 724:Baobhan sith 600: 581: 520: 513: 505: 500: 488:. Retrieved 473: 466: 427: 423: 400: 395: 387: 362:, retrieved 346: 338: 329: 321: 316: 308: 292: 268: 226: 213: 211: 206:Loch-in-daal 199: 192: 173: 155: 148: 128: 114: 111:beithir-nimh 110: 106: 100: 89:creature or 82: 76: 63: 47: 45:lead section 845:Meg Mullach 824:Ghillie Dhu 85:is a large 983:Categories 887:Water bull 857:Sea Mither 797:Each-uisge 781:Changeling 733:Bean-nighe 695:Nuckelavee 490:8 December 430:(17): 68. 364:8 December 277:0394409183 253:References 218:folklorist 188:wise woman 815:Gancanagh 675:Cailleach 610:Gigelorum 222:lightning 97:Etymology 87:snakelike 50:summarize 952:Mermaids 875:Seonaidh 833:Glaistig 774:Cat-sìth 765:Caoineag 637:Cryptids 444:30069982 231:See also 136:venomous 125:Folklore 941:Bauchan 788:Cù-sìth 657:Deities 628:Boobrie 601:Beithir 132:corries 115:nathair 107:beithir 83:beithir 968:Selkie 916:Gnomes 905:Fachan 896:Giants 866:Seelie 850:Nuggle 840:Kelpie 756:Bodach 715:Aos Sí 686:Demons 592:Beasts 574:series 528:  481:  442:  355:  275:  168:Argyll 91:dragon 81:, the 961:Ceasg 806:Fuath 666:Beira 621:Birds 440:JSTOR 202:Islay 183:Irish 144:fuath 105:word 18:Behir 923:Pech 882:Trow 526:ISBN 492:2014 479:ISBN 366:2014 353:ISBN 273:ISBN 140:loch 101:The 432:doi 160:hag 154:in 77:In 985:: 452:^ 438:. 426:. 422:. 408:^ 373:^ 300:^ 284:^ 260:^ 190:. 93:. 564:e 557:t 550:v 534:. 494:. 446:. 434:: 428:5 279:. 68:) 64:( 54:. 20:)

Index

Behir

lead section
summarize
provide an accessible overview
Scottish folklore
snakelike
dragon
Scottish Gaelic
Celtic mythology
corries
venomous
loch
fuath
Donald Alexander Mackenzie
hag
Cailleach Bheur
Argyll
John Francis Campbell
wicked stepmother
Irish
wise woman
John Gregorson Campbell
Islay
Loch-in-daal
folklorist
lightning
Beinn a' Bheithir
Lake monsters
Loch Ness Monster

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.