Bean-nighe facts for kids

The bean-nighe (pronounced ben-nee-yeh) is a female spirit from Scottish folklore. Her name means 'washerwoman' in the Scottish Gaelic language. She is often seen as a messenger from the Otherworld and a sign that someone is about to die.

The bean-nighe is a type of fairy known as a ban-sìth, which is related to the famous Irish banshee. According to legend, she haunts lonely streams and washes the clothes of people who are close to death. In France, similar spirits are known as Les Lavandières, or "the night washerwomen." She is also sometimes called by nicknames like nigheag, which means 'the little washer'.

Legends of the Washing Woman

The bean-nighe, also called the Washer at the Ford, appears by herself next to a stream or pool. There, she washes the blood from the clothes of a person who is about to pass away. What she looks like and what she does can change depending on where the story is told.

The Origin of the Bean-nighe

Some legends say that the spirits of women who died in tragic circumstances became a bean-nighe. They were fated to wash clothes until the day their lives would have naturally ended. It was believed that this fate could be avoided if all the clothing left by the woman was washed after she passed away. If not, she would have to finish the task as a spirit.

Meeting a Bean-nighe

Stories about the bean-nighe say that if you see one, you must be very careful.

• On the Isles of Mull and Tiree, she was said to have a very unusual appearance. A brave person who could sneak up behind her and claim to be her foster-child could gain secret knowledge from her. She would tell the person whose clothes she was washing. If it was an enemy's, they could let her finish. But if it was their own or a friend's, they could stop her and possibly change their fate.

• On the Isle of Skye, the bean-nighe was described as looking like a "small pitiful child." If a person caught her, she would tell them their future. She would answer all of their questions, but they had to answer all of hers truthfully in return. However, if the bean-nighe saw the person first, they might lose the use of their arms and legs.

• In Perthshire, she was said to be small and round, and dressed in green. A person could catch her by getting between her and the stream.

In many stories, a person who is clever and brave enough to capture a bean-nighe can be granted three wishes. Because of this, when someone became very successful, people might say, "He got the better of the nigheag, and she gave him his three desires."

The Meaning of Her Name

The name bean-nighe ('washerwoman') shows that she is a specific type of ban-sìth.

Both the Irish bean sídhe and the Scottish Gaelic ban-sìth mean 'woman of the sídhe' or 'fairy woman'. The word bean means 'woman', and sídhe refers to the mounds or hills where fairies were said to live.

Interestingly, the word sìth in Scottish Gaelic also means 'peace'. Because of this, fairies are sometimes called the daoine-sìth, or the 'people of peace'.

The bean-nighe is also known by smaller, more familiar names like ban-nigheachain ('little washerwoman') or nigheag na h-àtha ('little washer at the ford').

See also

• Beira
• Cailleach
• Caoineag
• Hulder
• The Morrígan
• Moura Encantada
• Wirry-cow