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Death - stories from ancient folklore

Death I

Few subjects possess a wider or more extensive folklore than death, or are surrounded with a greater variety of mystic legends. We cannot be surprised that this is so, considering how all the nations of the world have believed that the souls of men continue to survive after this life is over.

Hence, the departure of the dead man's soul from the world of living beings here on earth, and its journey to the distant home of spirits, have become interwoven with a network of superstitions varying more or less in every country and tribe; the chief of which consist in the idea that, at death, the soul is free to do as it likes, either to wander on earth, to flit in the air, to linger near the tomb, or to travel at once to the world beyond the grave

It is said that death generally announces its coming by some mysterious noise, such as a knocking at the wall or door, a rumbling in the floor; or that dying persons themselves make known their decease in similar strange sounds.

“Three loud and distinct knocks at the bed's head of a sick person, or at the bed's head or door of any of his relations, is an omen of his death.”

Many families have particular warnings; some by the appearance of a bird, and others by the figure of a tall woman, dressed all in white, who goes shrieking about the house. This apparition is common in Ireland, and goes by the name of Benshea, and the Shrieking Woman.

“Considering that the season was midsummer, and not winter, the visit of two robin redbreasts to the sick-room may be noticed as interesting. They remained fluttering round, and sometimes perching on the uncurtained bed. The priests, struck by the novelty of the circumstance, made no effort to expel the little visitors ; and the robins hung lovingly over the bishop's head until death released him.”

In Devonshire the appearance of a white-breasted bird has from time immemorial been regarded as a certain omen of death. This superstition is said to have originated in a circumstance that happened to -one of the Oxenham family in that county ...

“I stepped into a lapidary or stone-cutter's shop, to treat with the master for a stone to be put upon my father's tomb ; and casting my eyes up and down, I might spie a huge marble with a large inscription, which was thus, to my best remembrance:— Here lies John Oxenham, a goodly young man, in whose chamber, as he was struggling with the pangs of death, a bird with a white breast was seen fluttering about his bed, and so vanish'd. Here lies also Mary Oxenham, the sister of the said John, who died the next day, and the same apparition was seen in the room.”

It was a belief formerly very prevalent, that in death the soul flew out of the mouth of the dying in the likeness of a bird. It is a common notion, too, that when death visits a-home it frequently takes two members of a family away ...

“Death never takes one alone, but two! Whenever he enters in at a door, Under roof of gold or roof of thatch, He always leaves it upon the latch, And comes again ere the year is o'er.”

In West Sussex, there is a curious belief, that when an infant dies, it announces the fact itself, by a visit, as if in the body, to some near relative.

this website has been put together from a series of old texts that i came across, while researching fairies and the world of fae in folklore, i thought there was enough here to share with other people on these other topics. these pages are meant as an introduction or a bit of fun reading, for those interested in delving deeper,
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