We all know about vampires and werewolves, or at least we think we do. The legends and myths that inspired these monsters are sometimes surprisingly different, but no less chilling. In this series of posts, Monster Monday, we’ll investigate the monsters that have informed our modern notions, as well as some lesser known monsters. Today, we talk about the Korrigan.

The Korrigan is a fairy in Breton folklore. Korrigans are water spirits that inhabit lakes and rivers. They also like to dance around fountains and wells. They are most often seen at dusk and at midnight when they appear as beautiful maidens with golden hair. If seen during the day, they have red eyes, stringy white hair, and wrinkled skin, and therefore they tend to avoid the daylight.

Like mermaids, Korrigans often sit near bodies of water and comb their long hair while the sing, enchanting any men who happen to pass by and leading them to watery graves. They hate everything associated with Christianity and have been known to attack Catholic priests on sight. People sometimes seek them out, however, because it is said they can see the future, but because they are fairies, they generally can’t be trusted.