Banshee
A female death omen spirit of Ireland and Scotland which manifests to
herald an approaching death in the family. There are variations of
the banshee in Irish and Scottish lore. An Irish variant, written as
Bean Si, is said to be beautiful with long streaming hair, and wearing a
gray cloak over a green dress. She also appears all in white or all in red.
Her eyes are fiery red from continual crying for the about-to-be departed.
To warn a family of a coming death, the banshee is most commonly heard
singing or crying, but is not seen. When seen, she appears as a woman
singing, or as a shrouded woman wearing a veil, or as a flying figure
in the moonlight, crying bitterly. The cry reportedly is so mournful
that it is unmistakably the sound of doom. Contrary to some popular
beliefs, banshees do not wail.
