Black Petals
Horror/Science Fiction Magazine
October 15th, 2026
Issue # 117
Mars—News, Views and Commentary
Chris Friend, October 15th, 2026
As of this writing it is the eve of the autumn equinox and we get the first hints of fall. And with this we get the first signs of winter times. In Scotland winter is symbolized by the blue-faced hag fairy known as Cailleach Bheur. The Cailleach was wintertime personified. She was said to come up from the underworld at Samhain (SOW-Unn) which was the antecedent to modern Halloween. Her face obviously blue from the cold and her hair was as white as frost. Her clothes were made from the withered foliage of fall. She holds a holly branch, adorned with the severed head of a carrion bird. Some versions have her carrying an iron hammer which she uses to pound down foliage left out after the harvest. She freezes the land with her long white robe she drags across the land. She is the goddess of winter until Beltane (May 1st) when relinquishes to the goddess of springs. She then becomes a grey stone until the next Samhain. She usually tosses her holly stick under a holly tree and this is why no grass will grow there. She is a good example of the many deities connected to winter. She sometimes changes into a wild boar which is also a symbol of winter. In some myths the wild boar kills the god of vegetation, thus the spirit of winter is killing off the forces of summer. Pigs have a certain symbolic connection to winter and the winter solstice. One tale has Cailleach's son falling madly in love with the summer maid, which infuriated the winter witch so much that she sent violent winds in an attempt to keep them separate.
Another tale holds that she had two sons, one black and the other one white. Each year one of them steals her single eye and carries it north. I assume that Cailleach's single eye was a metaphor for the sun. In one version she holds the summer maid prisoner, who is rescued by Cailleach's son. She is also a guardian of wells and streams. Being the wild woman of winter she also protects deer, pigs, goats, cows, and wolves all of which have a certain connection to winter time. Cailleach seems to have many incarnations and forms. One of them can be found in the little effigies known as the corn maiden. Before the final harvest at Halloween the final sheaf is woven into the scarecrow-like effigy. The following spring the effigy is plowed back into fields to ensure a good harvest. The effigy is often referred as the Cailleach.
In fairy lore there is often a blurring of fairies, ghosts, bogey-men, demons, Witches, and so on. One ornery goblin-like spirit, known as Brownie Clod haunted Fincastle, with it being a dangerous place at night. The story goes that a young maiden was busy making a wedding cake and ran out of meal to finish it. Thus, she was forced to go up to the mill to grind more meal for the cake. At midnight the ugly little goblin came out of the shadows and demanded to know who she was and what she was doing there. She replied "Me, myself, and I.” This so enraged the goblin that he attacked the maiden. In her fright she flung scalding water she was about to use in her cake recipe. The goblin became even more angry and charged, forcing her to dump all of the scalding water on him which sent him screaming into the shadows. He went home and told his mother Maggy Moulach of what was done to him. When Maggy asked Brownie Clod what her name was she replied "Me, myself, and I". Later the young maiden boasted of her encounter with Brownie Clod and his mother got wind of this. She tossed a three-legged stool at the girl killing her. Maggy Moulach was a highland hag fairy and the mother of Brownie Clod. After killing the girl who scalded her son she was forced to move to a farmhouse in Archnarrow in
Baffshire and became such a good servant that the farmer dismissed all of his other servants. When the crusty hag fairy went on strike the farmer was forced to hire all of the servants back. She moved on to be the familiar spirit to the Grant family. She would stand behind the lord of the manor and advise him on chess moves.
The Bucca Dhu was an evil spirit who may have his origins as a sea god. After a certain time this character became marginalized as a bogey-man who worked much mischief in tin mines and fishing fleets. He became a sinister figure to scare ornery children. This tends to be the major reason for the bogey-man as a frightening figure in folklore. He once stole a fisherman's net carrying it away. When the fisherman caught up with the bogey he saw his prized net was turned to stone. The term bogey was also used as a term for a demon. To ward off negative fairies carry a crust of bread in your pocket.
Chris Friend is a multidisciplinary artist known for his dark and strange ink drawings, influenced by horror and surrealism. His style is influenced by renowned artists such as H.R. Giger, Zdzislaw Beksinski, Joan Miro and Allen Koszowski, as well as filmmakers like Clive Barker and David Cronenberg. This eclectic mix of influences contributes to his unique artistic voice, which blends rounded, swirly forms with sharp, intricate details, creating a captivating visual experience that often explores themes of horror and the surreal.
Hailing from Union, West Virginia, Chris has been active in the art scene for over two decades, particularly in the realm of small press horror zines. His work reflects a deep engagement with the darker aspects of imagination, inviting viewers to explore the strange and macabre.