Time for some Orcadian folklore!

We will talk about the 'Trows', and the pagan symbolism behind them.

These were creatures that were said to inhabit the barrows dotted around the Orkney isles, that owned lucky items, amongst other attributes...

The word 'Trow' comes from the same root as the English and Scandinavian word 'troll', stemming from the proto-Germanic '*truzlą', meaning "a supernatural being" "giant" "monster".

As I have said the Trows were said to dwell in the barrow, so immediately I'm sure you...

will have made the connection that they represent the ancestral spirit, the elves. Needless to say there is further proof.

The Trows are said to be very fond of music, there are tales of them kidnapping or luring musicians, to play for them in their mounds.

Similarly the Trows loved Yule, and would be seen singing and dancing all around Yuletide. This makes sense for two reasons.

Firstly music and songs can represent the 'password' that allows the initiate to retrieve the ancestral knowledge, hence why the musicians...

enter the barrow to 'play' for the Trows. And of course they especially did so at Yuletide as this was around the time of year that the initiate would make his journey into the burial mound.

Trows, being the 'ancestor' would also like music because in ancient history songs...

were about the ancestors, the great heroes and their deeds.

Interestingly there were only said said to be male Trows, they could only reproduce with human woman, and as soon as their son was born, or when they had grown up, the Trow would die. Again this makes sense...

because the Trow, being the ancestral spirit, is reborn within their descendant, they cease to inhabit the burial mound any longer, so they 'die'.

Still not convinced? Well the Trows held magical items, and that if obtained by a human would bring them luck...

this could be a sword, pot etc.

This fits perfectly, as the initiate would retrieve his forebears possessions, allowing them to be 'reborn' in him. He would remember, and reclaim his hamingja, the collective honour which is said to bring luck to the individual.

So as you could expect Trows possess enchanted items, that make whoever acquire them lucky.

There are a few more aspects of Orcadian folklore that I may make threads on the future, so stay tuned if interested.

Thanks for reading.