The Scottish Vampire Fairy
The Baobhan Sith (pronounced baa-van shee) is a supernatural entity from Scottish folklore, often described as a vampire-like fairy. Her name translates to “wicked fairy woman” in Scottish Gaelic, and she is infamous for luring men to their doom. Unlike the Bean-Nighe or Bean-Sídhe, who act as omens of death (see Banshee), the Baobhan Sith actively causes it, preying on unsuspecting victims with a deadly allure.
Appearance and Hidden Traits
She is most commonly depicted as a beautiful woman in a flowing green dress, a color associated with fairies in Scottish lore. Her true nature, however, is revealed in subtle but terrifying ways. Her feet are never visible – some say because she has cloven hooves like a goat, while others describe them as bird-like talons. It is also said that rather than biting her victims like a traditional vampire, she uses long, razor-sharp fingernails to drain their blood.
The Hunters’ Fateful Encounter
One of the most well-known legends of the Baobhan Sith tells us of four Scottish hunters traveling through the Highlands. They made camp for the night and, feeling lonely, wished aloud for female company. Their wish was mysteriously granted when four striking beautiful women appeared from the darkness. The women danced with the men, growing more fervent and aggressive as the night went on.
Before long, one of the hunters noticed that his companions had grown pale and weak. The women, who had seemed so enchanting, were now feeding on them. Terrified, he fled into the night and took shelter in a sacred place, sometimes described as a church or an iron-forged circle. By morning, his friends were dead, their bodies drained of life, and the women had vanished.
Weaknesses and Supernatural Limits
The Baobhan Sith is always depicted as a nocturnal creature, hunting only at night. Like traditional vampires, she cannot tolerate sunlight and is said to vanish with the dawn. Some stories claim she cannot cross water, making streams and rivers a barrier against her attacks. Most notably, she has a strong aversion to iron, a material that is often associated with repelling supernatural beings in Celtic tradition. In some variations of the tale, she is also capable of transforming into a raven or a wolf when threatened.
Similar Figures in Celtic Lore
Though she is frequently compared to vampires, the Baobhan Sith also shares similiarities with other supernatural beings. She has been linked to the Leanan Sidhe, an Irish fairy muse that feeds on the life force of artists and poets, driving them to both greatness and an early grave. Some also connects her to the Cailleach, an ancient and powerful hag of Scottish myth who was believed to shape the land itself.
Unlike these figures, however, the Baobhan Sith does not inspire or guide mortals – she is purely a predator, a shadowy figure lurking in the untamed wilderness, waiting for her next vitctim.
A 19th-Century Account from the Highlands
One of the most chilling retellings comes from a Scottish storyteller in the late 19th century, who spoke of a shepherd named Alasdair MacPhee. Alasdair had gone to the hills near Loch Maree with his dog and a small flock of sheep. One evening, while tending his fire, he saw a woman standing at the edge of the trees. She was strikingly beautiful, wearing a flowing green dress, but there was something unnatural about her stillness.
Feeling uneasy, Alasdair refused to invite her to his fire, instead gripping the iron knife he carried. The woman slowly approached but stopped abruptly when she saw the iron blade in his hand. Without a word, she turned and disappeared into the trees. Alasdair claimed that when he looked for her tracks the next morning, he found no footprints in the damp earth, despite the fact she had been standing on soft ground.
A Tale from the Isle of Skye
Another legend, recorded in the early 20th century, tells of two young men traveling through the Isle of Skye who encountered a pair of women dressed in green near an old burial cairn. The women flirted and danced with them, and the men, thinking themselves lucky, eagerly joined in. As the night wore on, the men began to feel weak, and one of them saw that his friend’s shirt was soaked with blood.
Realizing they were in grave danger, one of the men managed to break free and ran toward their horses, which were tied near the camp. His companion, however, was too weak to escape. The survivor barely managed to cross the stream, and when he looked back, the women had disappeared – but his friend’s body was later found completely drained of blood. Locals warned that these creatures had been seen before in the eara and that they were known to hunt on moonless nights.
Connections to Other Highland Tales
Scottish folktales are filled with warnings about mysterious women encountered at nights, and many such stories could be related to the Baobhan Sith. Some travelers and herdsmen have reported seeing a woman dressed in green at the edges of forests or standing on remote hilltops, only for her to vanish without a trace. Others claim to have heard soft singing or whispering voices in the wind, followed by the sensation of an unseen presence watching them.
These stories, while lacking written historical records, continue to be shared in the Highlands and Western Isles, keeping the legend of the Baobhan Sith alive.