©2006 by Fiona Broome and the Hollow Hill Staff
(Continued from Ghosts of Scotland: The Green Lady, page one.)
The Green Lady is a unique spirit, and not someone lightly categorized with all brownies or Gruagachs.
Every woman who appears as a 'Green Lady' wears a rich green gown that reaches the ground.
In darker legends, the Green Lady is a demon and the gown covers her hairy, goat-like body.
In other stories, she is cursed with hooves for feet, and the gown hides them.
The goat's body tradition relates to another category of Highland spirits: the Glaistig.
In fact, the Green Lady can be called a Ghlaistig uaine, 'the Green Glaistig.'
Glaistigs are spirits who were once women of title, or at least the mistress of a house.
Each of them has been put under an enchantment.
They dislike dogs, prefer to be alone, protect houses, and favor fools and people 'of weak intellect.'
The Green Glaistigs are rarely seen, but there are stories of the Glaistigs of Ardnacaillich (home of the Macquarries),
Donolly Castle, Mernaigh, Dunstaffnage, and many other locations.
In most cases, she is simply called the Green Lady.
One of the most famous is the Green Lady of Skipness Castle, by Loch Fyne. She has protected her home and the family in it for centuries. Several times, she created a supernatural confusion among enemies who'd planned to attack the castle. After they left Skipness, their wits returned, but as they marched back towards the Castle, they became confused again.
One Green Lady appears today at Crathes Castle, about 15 miles southwest of Aberdeen City in Scotland.
This Green Lady is usually called a "ghost," and she appears by the fireplace to pick up a ghostly infant.
Then they vanish together.
Centuries ago when the castle was renovated, her bones, and those of the baby, were found buried beneath this spot in the castle.
Another reliable place to see a Green Lady, is at the ruins of the castle at Caerphilly, just north of Cardiff
in Wales. Like the Green Man of the forest, she hides herself as ivy around this castle.
However, if you watch very closely, she will reveal her presence by moving slightly.
Once she knows she has been seen, she will emerge as the gracious and lovely woman that she is, extend a hand in welcome if she likes you, and then she vanishes.
There are no reports of a Green Lady outside of the British Isles, but there are some similar tales.
For example, there is Ocean-Born Mary, who remains to protect her home in Henniker, New Hampshire.
The Green Lady is a frequent visitor at many castles and homes in Scotland. In fact, ghost hunters
can plan vacations to encounter at least one Green Lady.
Additional castles that report Green Lady ghosts include Castle of Park, Banff and Fernie Castle, Fife.
Scotland also boasts castles and homes with other "lady" ghosts, including Grey Ladies and White Ladies.
For more information on the Green Lady:
