A brag is a mischievous shapeshifting goblin in the folklore of Northumbria (Northumberland and Durham) and often takes the form of a horse or donkey. It is fond of letting unsuspecting humans ride on its back before bucking them off into a pond or bush and running away laughing. One notable example is the Picktree Brag that was said to take other unusual forms such as a calf with a white handkerchief around its neck, a naked headless man, and even four men holding a white sheet. A brag at Humbleknowe was never seen but made hideous noises in the night.
Popular culture
Gary the Horse, from the webcomic Bad Machinery, identifies himself as a brag after bucking Shauna Wickle into the water after convincing her to take a ride on his back.
See also
References
- ^ Simpson, Jacqueline (2000). A Dictionary of English Folklore. Oxford University Press. p. 32. ISBN 9780192100191
- ^ Henderson, William (1879). Folklore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders (2nd ed.) W. Satchell, Peyton & Co. p. 270.
- ^ Briggs, Katharine (1976). An Encyclopedia of Fairies. Pantheon Books. p. 36. ISBN 0394409183.
- "Bad Machinery: The Big Hiatus August 5, 2016". scarygoround.com. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
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