Dreams and Shadows

chapter THIRTY-ONE

THE LEANAN SIDHE

An excerpt by Dr. Thaddeus Ray, Ph.D., from his book A Chronicle of the Dreamfolk

Unlike the succubus (or incubus) for which it is often mistaken, the Leanan Sidhe is a monogamous creature. Also unlike its vampiric spiritual cousins, Leanan Sidhe are exclusively female. Whether finding their beginnings in the traveling tales of the succubus, or more likely, deviations of tales about mating with Sidhe, it is important to remember that this particularly nasty species of Irish fairy has survived the ages and found a fertile breeding ground in this era, with a counterculture cover masking its activities.

Incredibly territorial, once one has chosen a mate, she will allow no other woman near him. Patient predators and capable shape changers, these fae stalk their prey, learning everything there is to know about him to craft the perfect form with which to seduce him. While they are unafraid to be seen with the men they choose, they will not make a spectacle or show of themselves. They will be quiet and demure around others, outwardly becoming whatever it is their prey desires when alone.

Leanan Sidhe feed upon two things: the sexual energy of a man, and his creative spark. If the man accepts her advances and mates with her, she is his forever; she will love no other, not so much as casting her eye at another man. The man—chosen not only for his virility, but also upon aesthetic criteria pertaining to some form of artistic endeavor—will find himself divinely inspired. He will gush creatively.

The Leanan Sidhe acts as a form of muse, triggering the creative instincts of her prey and unleashing decades of talent into singularly devastating works of genius. She will make no attempt to interfere in his work, no attempt to guide it with her own tastes. If he chooses to sit up all night composing an opera, she will not complain, she will not make any attempt to draw his attention. It is only when he has completed his work that she will once again seduce him and feed off his blend of both physical and spiritual euphoria. A man in love with a Leanan Sidhe is never more productive in his life than when she is with him.

Such is the conundrum of properly classifying this creature. She means no harm to her victim, and she will not raise a finger to hurt him in any way. In fact, she believes that she loves him, though her love is destructive. Not only does she siphon off the dreamstuff of her victim, but the bond of love is so strong between the two that her absence inflicts incredible amounts of emotional suffering upon him. While he pines for her, he creates, but soon finds that the words do not flow so freely when she is away. Deprived of his muse, the victim turns to vice, often alcohol or drugs, but self-mutilation is not unheard of. This vice often acts as the perfect cover for the Leanan Sidhe, as her feeding ultimately leads to the eventual, and inevitable, death of her suitor.

Whether this is deliberate murder has long been cause for discussion. It is entirely possible that the Leanan Sidhe has no inkling that it is her feedings that result in the death of her lover. Some argue that feelings of love and those of hunger are identical to the Leanan Sidhe, that they are indistinguishable from each other, making it impossible for her to even know which she is feeling. The act of lovemaking leaves them refreshed, invigorated and full of life. When their mates die, often midcoitus, they depart, heartbroken, and live in sadness, promising that the next man will be better, stronger, and a more capable lover, able to satisfy them without suffering an early death.

Are they seelie or unseelie? No one is sure. They could very well operate with full knowledge of their activities, entirely self-aware, outwardly expressing shock and dismay at the loss of their lover. They could just as easily be unwitting vampires, operating as muses, unaware that they cause even the slightest bit of harm. Firsthand accounts support the latter. However, considering their education, refinement, taste, and delicate, precise methodology, one has to wonder: how much of that is an act?

Conversely, if she does feel love and does not recognize hunger, then perhaps she really is a muse. After all, the men she loves leave behind some of humanity’s greatest works of art: paintings, poetry, sculptures, plays. Perhaps these men contained the right spark to create these masterpieces, but needed a catalyst to bring so much of it out at once. And, as with burning several wicks in the same pot of oil, simply consumes everything he has in one, powerful, bright period of expression.

Locating and tracking Leanan Sidhe can be difficult. The first tales of them come from descriptions of the lovers of several young Irish poets. Irish poets are known for three things: their brilliance, their fondness for the drink, and the beautiful company they were said to keep. Some argue that the myth originated as a superstition surrounding the early deaths of so many of these men. Others claim that these are merely the first tales that were collected of the comings and goings of the Leanan Sidhe.

Today their presence is hard to spot. With media fixation and celebrity status often offered so early to talented artists, it is impossible to tell the fairy from your garden variety groupie. This has led to misidentifications and dead ends in a number of famous cases. During the sixties they were easily able to slip in and out of the scene, taking so many talented counterculture stars with them. Now they have to be more cunning to score a number of high-profile victims before they can slip away again. Comedians, musicians, and novelists often find themselves overdosing on heroin or mysteriously committing suicide, while the women with whom they are seen rarely turn up ever again. Once they’re gone, they’re gone; photographs and back stories are useless for tracking shape changers.

While Leanan Sidhe are extremely dangerous to their lovers, they are otherwise harmless. There is no known way to ward off a Leanan Sidhe short of refusing its advances or destroying it.