#teran

This drawing depicts a scene from Orcadian folklore. On the right there is Mither of the Sea, a benevolent spirit that stands for the warmth of summer. On the left there is Teran, a monster from the depths of the sea who brings the cold winter winds and bad weather. Mither and Teran are in a constant battle throughout the year. On the spring equinox, Mither manages to triumph over Teran and keeps him locked under the sea. During this time, she controls the weather on the islands, making it so warm and beautiful that it almost seems like the weather on the mythological Blessed Isles. Mither also keeps the Nuckelavee at bay, who is another terrible sea monster that brings disease and death. Her constant efforts to protect the islands from danger tire her out eventually though. On the day of the autumn equinox, Teran breaks free and Mither is forced to retreat. Throughout the winter, Teran reigns over the islands, bringing terrible storms and cold weather.

It’s interesting to note how the word mither also means mother in the Orcadian dialect. Another interesting fact about the folklore of these islands is how  Norse and Celtic influences have been mixed there a lot. The islands belonged to the Vikings and their descendants for a long time (until 1468) and the Norse language Norn was spoken there until the 18. century. This obviously also influenced the stories that people told to one another. Another influence was the culture from mainland Scotland which obviously included many Celtic elements. It’s generally believed though that the British Isles and Scandinavia (especially it’s offshoots to the west, like Iceland and the Faroes) constituted one culturally very similar area that was connected for a very long period of time.