Fern's Book of Shadows

Throughout European mythology we see a repeated motif of a Wild Hunt. Who leads the Hunt series from country to country, but we see a running theme with them all. Death, the ruler of the Underworld or Otherworld. This being is associated with rounding up and punishing souls who have tried to avoid death. The procession of the Hunt is usually made of the dead as well, along with Elves or Fae. The Lord of Death thunders across land and sky with his rade of Fae and fiend alike as they round up foolish and wayward souls out in the dark of Winter, taking them back to his subterranean home. Now you may be asking,

‘Fern, where does the Harlequin play into this?’

The Harlequin or Hellaquin *is* the king of Fae. It is thought that the name Harlequin/Hellaquin comes from “Hell Kin” a name for the king of fae after they were turned from land spirits into demons and imps out to harm humans. Many scholars even go so far as to say this was a way to demonize gods like Cernunnos and Odin who traditionally led the Hunt at the beginning of Winter. Both of these gods are associated with the Otherworld and death itself too. Adding all this together we get an attempt to protect old folklore by wrapping it in a less threatening guise. No more is the Lord of Death guiding and hunting lost souls, but the Harlequin is leading a troop of Elves on a merry night of mischief. A far cry from his original divine grandeur.

Harlequin

Hellaquin

Odin

Cernunnos

Der Erlkönig

King Herla