This was a new one for me—a Scottish version of Bigfoot, you know, if Bigfoot were a kindly, caring, and protective fairy of the woods.
According to a Myths & Legends Facebook post, “In Scottish folklore, the Ghillie Dhu is a mysterious and reclusive creature believed to inhabit the dense forests of the Highlands. Described as a solitary and shy being, the Ghillie Dhu is often depicted as a tall, lean figure with wild hair and skin the color of moss, allowing it to blend seamlessly into its woodland surroundings.
Legend has it that the Ghillie Dhu has a deep connection with nature and serves as a guardian spirit of the forest. It is said to be particularly protective of children, often appearing to lost or distressed youngsters in the woods and guiding them safely back to their homes.
Despite its elusive nature, the Ghillie Dhu is known for its gentle demeanor and benevolent intentions. It is said to possess magical powers, able to vanish into thin air or camouflage itself completely when threatened.
Although sightings of the Ghillie Dhu are rare and largely confined to local folklore, its presence continues to captivate the imaginations of those who believe in the magic and mystery of Scotland’s ancient woodlands.”
Wikipedia describes the Ghillie Dhu as “a solitary male fairy. He was kindly and reticent, yet sometimes wild in character. He had a gentle devotion to children. Dark-haired and clothed in leaves and moss, he lived in a birch wood within the Gairloch and Loch a Druing area of the north-west Highlands of Scotland.”
Some say he is very similar to the Green Man in England and Wales.
So, now I’m imagining something between an Ent and the Wizard Radagast the Brown from the Hobbit. Although, he’s only supposed to be about three feet tall – so a very short Ent. Hub Pages describes him as “black-haired with hazelnut dark brown eyes. His skin color changes from green to brown to green again with the seasons. He doesn’t eat meat and prefers to eat berries and nuts from his beloved trees. His name means ‘dark servant’ to match his dark hair and eyes and sometimes a dark temperament.”
How dark is his temperament?
The Ghillie Dhu is kind to children, especially those lost in the woods. But not so kind to adults. (Maybe that has something to do with being banished by the Fairy Queen.) Hub Pages lets us know how unfriendly he is to some adults. “Beware of Ghillie Dhu if you are an adult. If you venture into the forest at night and offend Ghillie Dhu, he will reach out with thin, long, leafy arms and crush you in his angry embrace, leaving the adult human to rot into earthly compost, or he might kidnap you and drag you into faerie land to be enslaved forever.”
Some of the poetry about the Ghillie Dhu suggests that hurting forest animals or the folks who protect them will offend him. So, just don’t do that.
If you think you’re safe because you live in the States, it is believed the Ghillie Dhu may have immigrated to forests in North America after following the Scottish fur trappers to French Canada in the late 1700s.
Finally, if you’ve read this whole blog and keep wondering where you’ve heard his name before–the Ghillie suit is a camouflage uniform worn by the military, hunters, police, and even nature photographers to conceal themselves in the woods. And isn’t it interesting that the first use of Ghillie suits was by a Scottish Highland regiment during the Second Boer War?
I wonder where they got the idea.
Perhaps they took a walk in the woods.
Happy Friday!!!