The burry man custom that takes place annually in South Queensferry, Edinburgh, Scotland, is believed to be an ancient tradition as it is thought to be thousands of years old.
It is a custom which is said to symbolize rebirth, regeneration, and fertility, upon which the burry man holds similarities to the widely known green man.
For the event, a volunteer is suited up in a suit made up of burrs that give good luck to the town, which belief is held that bad luck sticks to his burrs. Giving money or whisky, is essentially paying him to take the bad luck onto his own head. When he is chased out, or ceremonially de-burred, the collective misery is removed from the town.
It is a custom which is said to symbolize rebirth, regeneration, and fertility, upon which the burry man holds similarities to the widely known green man.
For the event, a volunteer is suited up in a suit made up of burrs that give good luck to the town, which belief is held that bad luck sticks to his burrs. Giving money or whisky, is essentially paying him to take the bad luck onto his own head. When he is chased out, or ceremonially de-burred, the collective misery is removed from the town.
“The chief most figure was a lad dressed in loose garments, which were covered over with burrs from the thistle or burdock (the arctomus bardana).
When the burry man, encased as if he were in armor in his suit of close-sticking burrs, grasping staves adorned with flowers, marched through the town, shouts were raised at every door, and the dwellers came forth with greeting and money to wish him well.”
-Folktales in Lowland Scotland, 1908, Eve Blantyre Simpson
When the burry man, encased as if he were in armor in his suit of close-sticking burrs, grasping staves adorned with flowers, marched through the town, shouts were raised at every door, and the dwellers came forth with greeting and money to wish him well.”
-Folktales in Lowland Scotland, 1908, Eve Blantyre Simpson
Forwarded from Hyperborean Radio (Uncensored) (Ike)
Holle is the caretaker of infant souls. She tends them when they die in infancy and also sends them out via her Storks when they are ready to be born. She will sometimes appear to an older sibling and offer to take the newborn sibling back. Portals to her realm are present in sacred wells and often contain the souls of infants yet to be born. In the Netherlands Holle is said to grow infant souls like apples upon a tree, and harvest them for life when ripe. This ties into other lore where babies would be found in the branches of trees.-TLK