All Hallow's Eve
The Fairy Co-Walker
This month, for Halloween, I wanted to discuss one of the eerier concepts in faery folklore — the spectral “co-walker.” In Scottish fairy lore, a co-walker is a ghostly double that shows up as a shadowy version of a living person. They’re basically like supernatural stalkers, appearing as mirror-images of a living person and following them around, mostly, but not always, unseen. Imagine catching a glimpse of yourself in a mirror only to realize that an exact double of you in standing right behind you. It’s horror-movie material.
In his book The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns, and Fairies, Robert Kirk, a 17th-century Scottish minister, said that those who had what he called “Second Sight”— the ability to see things that others couldn’t — often described seeing these otherworldly doubles.
“They are clearly seen by these Men of the Second Sight to eat at Funeralls [and] Banquets; hence many of the Scottish-Irish will not taste Meat at these Meittings, lest they have Communion with, or be poysoned by them. So are they seen to carrie the Beer or Coffin with the corps among the middle-earth Men to the Grave. Some Men of that exalted Sight (whither by art or nature) have told me they have seen at these Meittings a Doubleman, or the Shape of some Man in two places; that is, a superterranean and a subterranean Inhabitant, perfectly resembling one another in all Points, whom he notwithstanding could easily distinguish one from another…
They call this Reflex-man a Co-walker, every way like the Man, as a Twin-brother and Companion, haunting him as his shadow, as is oft seen and known among Men (resembling the Originall,) both before and after the Originall is dead... This Copy, Echo, or living Picture… accompanied that Person so long and frequently for Ends best known to it selfe…”
~Robert Kirk, The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns, and Fairies
Co-walkers are said to appear before life-changing events or sometimes as an omen of death, although it’s possible they are always with us, but only visible during certain critical moments. Kirk talks about these creatures like shadows scattered across the countryside, like withered leaves that cling to the landscape and give us brief glimpses into the realm of the dead. I think there’s something deeply unsettling, but also completely captivating, about these eerie doubles. For those who’ve read it, you probably noticed that fairy lore around the double shows up in The Ghosts of Nothing in the scene with the Piper. It was certainly a creepy idea to explore in fiction, and something I plan to explore further in future books. It’s also the perfect topic for Hallowe’en. 🎃
This month’s video features eight encounters with fairies, several of which made me think of co-walker lore.
“But the night is Hallowe’en, Janet,
The morn is Hallowday;
Then win me, win me, an ye will,
For weel I wat ye may.
The night it is gude Hallowe’en,
The fairy folk do ride,
And they that wad their true-love win,
At Miles Cross they maun bide.”
From Tam Lin🍄 Featured Artist
Every month in this space I feature an artist - a writer, musician, poet, illustrator or any kind of artist with a connection to the channel.
This month's featured artist is Layla K Wood and her book Saved by a Fae, which is the first book in a whole series of fairy-related novels. They look like they could be fun reads!
Check them out here: https://buy.bookfunnel.com/rlt6wmf70p?tid=t5278bne14
🎃 Happy Hallowe’en!
Until next time,
Your Scary Fairy Godmother