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IRISH LEANHAUN SHEE
The leanhaun shee (fairy mistress) seeks the love of men.
If
they refuse, she is their slave; if they consent, they are
hers,
and can only escape by finding one to take their place. Her
lovers waste away, for she lives on their life.
Most of the
Gaelic poets, down to quite recent times, have had a leanhaun
shee, for she gives inspiration to her slaves. She is the
Gaelic
muse, this malignant fairy. Her lovers, the Gaelic poets, died
young. She grew restless, and carried them away to other
worlds,
for death does not destroy her power.
Most men find that they cannot refuse her. Only one
lianhaun shee exists and she is more a force than a woman. Each fairy woman who loves becomes one with her; and for
the mortal man who longs for her she is the one and only.
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She does not play with emotions; all who love her, live for
her and their desire for her frequently destroys them. The
more suffering she inflicts the dearer she becomes to them.
The more they desire her the more she eludes them.
An impatient mistress, she creates such desire in her
lovers that they will overcome all obstacles to embrace her.
She never yields to them in mortal lands, but insists on their
meeting in Tir-na-n-Og, so that men must pass through death to
enjoy her.
Variants: lianhaun
shee.
I met a lady in the meads,
Full beautiful - a faery's child,
Her hair was long, her foot was light,
And her eyes were wild.
John Keats, La Belle Dame sans Merci
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