Tallen Cyenns, The Tale Of The Pooka

It is found written in the Scrolls of Taloned Claws a story of where Tallen remembered a time when he and his longtime friend John FitzStephen had an encounter with a Pooka. (pronounced poo-ka is from the old Irish ‘Puca, which means ‘goblin’. There are many variations of the spelling Pooka some of which are Puca, Plica, Phuca,Pwwka, Puka or Pookha all of which are totally acceptable. It is possible that the origin of the word Pooka may come from the Scandinavian word Pook or Puke meaning ‘nature sprit’.)

The Pooka is said to be a shapeshifter that can take any form it chooses but traditionally a Pooka is seen as a dark, sleek horse with a long wild flowing mane and luminescent golden eyes. In this form, it roams large areas of countryside at night, tearing down fences and gates, scattering livestock in terror, trampling crops and generally doing damage around remote farms. They also have the power of human speech and will happily stop and ‘shoot the breeze’ with you, sometimes giving great advice and making exceptional prophecies.

There have been tales where in some rural areas you might see a house that will have a bench on the right side of the door. If you look to the right of the gate post and the area is smooth and the left isn't or uneven, maybe even rocky you can bet that this is where a Pooka will always sit. Legend has it that they tend to always introduce themselves with the same phrase, “You are new here I think. Many years ago I used to live in this house..”, The Pooka will often tell about how the family had lost it's fortune or that they were swindled out of their money and lands. One of the most peculiar things about talking with a Pooka is that the two of you may have talked for an hour or more and then all of the sudden it will disappear and they never say good-bye. This may leave you feeling a little uncomfortable and you may not really now if the whole thing was even real. They will never leave any trace that the Pooka was even there.

The Pooka is one of the more feared creatures in Ireland. Some think this is because it can always be found out and about after nightfall, creating harm and mischief, not to mention it's ability to assume a variety of terrifying forms. There is a superstition about when a Pooka is in horse form it will often have a little fun by inviting a rider to jump on his back. This will usually take place when that unsuspecting rider has had a little too much to drink and is making his weary way home from the pub. This is when the wildest trip the rider will ever know will take place. For it is then when the Pooka will terrify the rider with its great prowess jumping over hedges and rocks and making death-defying leaps. At the end of the ride the rider is thrown off the Pooka's back and the rider is left trembling and some say that it's none the worse from the night’s events to find his own way home.

A long told story is about the one man that has ever managed to actually ride a Pooka. He was Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland. The King used a special bridle containing three hairs from the Pooka's tail. He managed to control it and stay on its back until it was finally exhausted and it surrendered to the King's will. It had been told that the King made the Pooka agree to two promises. One that it would no longer torment Christian people and ruin their property. The second, it would never again attack an Irishman, all other nationalities were to be exempt. The only exception was of those who are drunk or abroad with an evil intent. The King said the Pooka could attack with greater ferocity than before. The Pooka agreed to those conditions, but over time it seems to have forgotten the agreement between the King and on occasions will attack property and sober travelers on their way home continue even until this day.