Aviva Trivia

Scarier than any who have gone before it, the Pooka sends fear into all around it.  This fairy is a true mischief maker who delights in terrifying animals and humans alike.  He travels after nightfall and dons a series of guises depending on his whereabouts.

Its favorite form to take is that of a sleek, dark steed, which presents a scary visage with its yellow eyes and wild mane flowing down its back.  When the Pooka appears as a horse, he travels the countryside wide and far, reeking havoc as he goes.  The more damage he can create, the happier he will be for he is a vindictive fairy. 

His presence frightens the livestock beyond their wits, causing them to create even more damage than he has already inflicted upon the pastures, barns, and fences.  Remote farms are a natural place for the Pooka to set up a night of wild trampling and major destruction. 

Moreover, a visit from the Pooka is enough to stop the cows from giving milk and the hens from laying eggs.  The fear that he instills is intense and long lasting in its effect.  No farm is ever the same once the Pooka has blessed them with a visit.

His escapades begin once the sun has set and night has fallen.  Travelers in the dead of night are either brave or foolish.  Either way, late night travelers are special playthings for the Pooka.  He delights in picking them up and tossing them onto his back before he throws them quite a distance into a sloppy ditch or bog.

Human speech is a specialty of the Pooka who uses it to summon forth unwary mortals for a night of mayhem and terror.  He will stop before the home of his intended victim and call out the individual’s name until he responds.  If the mortal refuses to come forth from the home, the Pooka will inflict all types of vandalism upon the property.

In the countryside of County Down, the Pooka takes on the form of a small, ugly, deformed goblin.  He demands a share of every crop from every farm and comes to collect it at the end of the harvest.  Wise farm owners instruct their reapers to leave a few strands behind for the Pooka.  This share has come to be known as the Pooka’s share.

In remote areas of the countryside of County Laois, the Pooka transforms himself into a large, hairy bogeyman.  He terrifies those mortals and animals that are up and about at night.  The Pooka is seen as a black goat with curling horns in Roscommon.

In Wexford and Waterford, the Pooka takes on the appearance of a huge eagle with a massive wingspan that presents an imposing presence.  Even though his appearance may change from county to county, the Pooka is an unpleasant visitor whose primary goals are to inflict fear and destruction.