Dream Mythology: Mare

Hey Everyone! Welcome back

Today we'll be continuing with myths and legends based around sleep. Last week we covered one of the more well known figures in stories - the Sandman. Today, we'll be looking at a folklore which did go towards the various inspirations in creating the Onreios in my story Dreamwalkers.

Today, we are discussing the Mare.

Mare, also known as Mara (in High Old German, Old Norse and Old Church Slavic - not to be mistaken with the Buddhist Mara) or Maera (in old English), along with many other variations on the name, are evil spirits or goblins that sit on the chest of the victim, causing them bad dreams and nightmares. The word 'Nightmare' seems to be linked with these beings, being made up of two words 'night' and 'mare'. In other languages, such as in Norwegian and Danish, the words used for nightmare (mareritt and mareridt respectively) translate to 'Mare-ride' and Swedish mardröm translates to Mare-dream. In many other languages, the words used for nightmare have various links to these beings.

It is also thought that, what we might in modern times know as Sleep Paralysis, was also caused by Mare.

Due to how many different mythologies that Mare show up in, the stories can be quite varied.

Mare are also sometimes compared or likened to other mythological beings such as Incubi and succubae (though those we'll cover another time).

In other mythology, the Mare are said to 'ride' horses until they were sweating an exhausted by morning. This version sees the Mare as female, who entangles the hair of sleeping men or beasts. It is thought that this might have originated as an explanation for a hair disease called Polish Plait. They would call them Mare-braids or Mare-tangles.

Another belief is that Mare are witches who transformed into animals, such as frogs, cats, horses, hares, dogs, oxen, birds or wasps and bees, when their spirits were out and about during trances.

Mare mostly appear in Germanic, Scandinavian and Slavic, though sometimes known by different names, but there are similar creatures also seen in other mythologies. In Hungarian mythology, they have 'Night-Goer  In Thailand, the documented phenomena is linked to the Pee Ahm ('Pee' meaning 'ghost'), with Buddhist residents wearing amulets to ward them off, and in Turkey, Mare are named 'Karabasan' (Ominous Presser)

Mare have also shown up in recent media. Marianne, a Swedish horror film made in 2011features Mare. Likewise, a Dutch thriller in 2013 called 'Borgman' also features Mare. A 'found footage' film called Paranormal Entity, made in 2009, has a main antagonist who is also a Mare as well. So, if you're interested in the Mare, you could check those out. :)

When I first started to come up with ideas for Dreamwalkers, I initially looked up mythologies that had being that cause nightmares, and the Mare were the first ones I read about, so its partially in thanks to this mythology that I started the basis of what would eventually become the Onreios.

Of course, there are still others that helped to inspire me , so I hope you'll all enjoy what I have for you guys next!

Until next time!

Tara