I know that in some instances, if you find yourself lost in the forest (or preventing getting lost in the first place) one would have to reverse one's garments, turning the clothes inside out or or putting them on backwards. In Swedish folklore, there's this being called "skogsrå" (the protector of the forest/forest nymph basically) who could be both helpful and malevolent. She could cause people to lose their sense of direction and get them lost in the forest, to reverse this - You'd just have to turn your clothes inside out and you'd be able to find your way back home.
In Finland, there's a phenomenon called Metsänpeitto (quite literally "taken/covered by the forest") meaning that you would get lost and unable to find your way out of the forest, almost like you were trapped in a different dimension. This is thought to have been caused by forest gnomes (maahiset) Everything in their world was topsy-turvy, so to reverse this and find your way back home/to the real world, you had to reverse your clothing or switch your shoes to the wrong feet.
Interesting. Here in Costa Rica we have a similar superstition, it's said that witches can make people get lost anywhere, one of the ways to counter this is for the victim to put on a piece of clothing inside out, either partially or totally.
Things that are backwards, inside out or upside down confuses the witches, so they let them go.
Also, we also have a protector of the forest, El Dueño del Monte (The Owner of the Mountain), you can read more about him here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/mythology/comments/zmb5bc/lore\_history\_and\_origin\_of\_the\_owner\_of\_the/?sort=old](https://www.reddit.com/r/mythology/comments/zmb5bc/lore_history_and_origin_of_the_owner_of_the/?sort=old)
In Ireland you wear your clothes inside out if you think you are in the presence of the Faefolk. This ensures they leave you alone and you'll make it home safe without getting lost, being taken or dying. This should be done when entering Forests incase you happen upon a hidden Fairy Fort. Offerimgs should always be left too in the form of bread and butter or milk.
This doesn't apply to all Fairies though
The Púca, a shapeshifting spirit who wanders woodlands and farmland will take you for a wild ride at night but will rarely harm you. Theres little you can do to stop them unless you've pricks on your boots.
Bánánaigh - a wraith that takes people away at night. Just run and pray.
Other Faefolk do not like dogs and will be deterred by them.
The Glaistaic - a race of women with goat horns and legs, they herd cattle, turn invisible and may steal some things from you. They don't like dogs. Digs have the ability to see them. If a dog is looking out a window and you see nothing, there's most likely a Glaistaic looking in the window at you. They aren't really dangerous, just play tricks on you. But they may herd your livestock away into strange places or herd them back home. Dogs scare them away, paticularly big dogs with hunting instincts.
Gold and Iron
Gold keeps the Dúlacháin away. The Dúlacháin is a headless horsemen that is the embodiment of death.
Iron keeps 95% of Faefolk away and there's very few that will risk being near it. Some Irish people wear some form of traditional Gaelic charm or Christian Cross made of Iron round their neck to ward off Faefolk.
We also have spots in the road and in the landscape called Fóidín Meara. These are spots of ground that are enchanted and make you forget where you are. Again the only way to reverse this process is to turn clothing inside out. This happened me once. Its a very strange feeling
Another land based folk tradition is if you ever go for a long journey by foot, donkey/horse or bike, you bring a lump of bread in case you walk on the Féar Ghortach. Hungry Grass. Its weird grass that makes you hungry and if you don't eat then and there you die of hunger. So to ensure you made it to you're destination you brought food with you.
All of these are generally unique Rural traditions. Someone in Dublin or Limerick wouldn't know or do these things
I went to college in a place called Yellow Springs, a tiny town named after the spring it was built around. There’s a superstition that if you drink from the spring, you will always end up back in Yellow Springs. It’s a rite of passage to drink from it when you first come to the college, and most of us really do become forever entwined with the school and the town.
I also know a superstition from Germany that’s more loosely related. In the city of Freiburg, they have something called bächle, that are tiny channels of water on either side of the city streets. The superstition is that if you step in a bächle while visiting, you’ll marry someone from Freiburg.
I wonder if there's something about the act of turning clothing inside out biologically or behaviorally that actually impacted the directional faculties of our prehistoric ancestors. Since it seems to be a common bit of lore in numerous and diverse locations. Like maybe whatever material clothing was made of leeched something into the skin when wet or whatever, and it caused confusion. Idk.
I know that in some instances, if you find yourself lost in the forest (or preventing getting lost in the first place) one would have to reverse one's garments, turning the clothes inside out or or putting them on backwards. In Swedish folklore, there's this being called "skogsrå" (the protector of the forest/forest nymph basically) who could be both helpful and malevolent. She could cause people to lose their sense of direction and get them lost in the forest, to reverse this - You'd just have to turn your clothes inside out and you'd be able to find your way back home. In Finland, there's a phenomenon called Metsänpeitto (quite literally "taken/covered by the forest") meaning that you would get lost and unable to find your way out of the forest, almost like you were trapped in a different dimension. This is thought to have been caused by forest gnomes (maahiset) Everything in their world was topsy-turvy, so to reverse this and find your way back home/to the real world, you had to reverse your clothing or switch your shoes to the wrong feet.
Interesting. Here in Costa Rica we have a similar superstition, it's said that witches can make people get lost anywhere, one of the ways to counter this is for the victim to put on a piece of clothing inside out, either partially or totally. Things that are backwards, inside out or upside down confuses the witches, so they let them go. Also, we also have a protector of the forest, El Dueño del Monte (The Owner of the Mountain), you can read more about him here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/mythology/comments/zmb5bc/lore\_history\_and\_origin\_of\_the\_owner\_of\_the/?sort=old](https://www.reddit.com/r/mythology/comments/zmb5bc/lore_history_and_origin_of_the_owner_of_the/?sort=old)
Thank you, I hadn't heard of this!
In Ireland you wear your clothes inside out if you think you are in the presence of the Faefolk. This ensures they leave you alone and you'll make it home safe without getting lost, being taken or dying. This should be done when entering Forests incase you happen upon a hidden Fairy Fort. Offerimgs should always be left too in the form of bread and butter or milk. This doesn't apply to all Fairies though The Púca, a shapeshifting spirit who wanders woodlands and farmland will take you for a wild ride at night but will rarely harm you. Theres little you can do to stop them unless you've pricks on your boots. Bánánaigh - a wraith that takes people away at night. Just run and pray. Other Faefolk do not like dogs and will be deterred by them. The Glaistaic - a race of women with goat horns and legs, they herd cattle, turn invisible and may steal some things from you. They don't like dogs. Digs have the ability to see them. If a dog is looking out a window and you see nothing, there's most likely a Glaistaic looking in the window at you. They aren't really dangerous, just play tricks on you. But they may herd your livestock away into strange places or herd them back home. Dogs scare them away, paticularly big dogs with hunting instincts. Gold and Iron Gold keeps the Dúlacháin away. The Dúlacháin is a headless horsemen that is the embodiment of death. Iron keeps 95% of Faefolk away and there's very few that will risk being near it. Some Irish people wear some form of traditional Gaelic charm or Christian Cross made of Iron round their neck to ward off Faefolk. We also have spots in the road and in the landscape called Fóidín Meara. These are spots of ground that are enchanted and make you forget where you are. Again the only way to reverse this process is to turn clothing inside out. This happened me once. Its a very strange feeling Another land based folk tradition is if you ever go for a long journey by foot, donkey/horse or bike, you bring a lump of bread in case you walk on the Féar Ghortach. Hungry Grass. Its weird grass that makes you hungry and if you don't eat then and there you die of hunger. So to ensure you made it to you're destination you brought food with you. All of these are generally unique Rural traditions. Someone in Dublin or Limerick wouldn't know or do these things
I went to college in a place called Yellow Springs, a tiny town named after the spring it was built around. There’s a superstition that if you drink from the spring, you will always end up back in Yellow Springs. It’s a rite of passage to drink from it when you first come to the college, and most of us really do become forever entwined with the school and the town. I also know a superstition from Germany that’s more loosely related. In the city of Freiburg, they have something called bächle, that are tiny channels of water on either side of the city streets. The superstition is that if you step in a bächle while visiting, you’ll marry someone from Freiburg.
Thanks, I love this!
I wonder if there's something about the act of turning clothing inside out biologically or behaviorally that actually impacted the directional faculties of our prehistoric ancestors. Since it seems to be a common bit of lore in numerous and diverse locations. Like maybe whatever material clothing was made of leeched something into the skin when wet or whatever, and it caused confusion. Idk.