Púca
The púca is a trickster fairy that shifts between horse, goat, rabbit, or human forms. It offers rides through night skies, ruins harvests when slighted, and grants advice to those who greet it politely.
Story beats
- 1) On Samhain night, a sleek black horse with golden eyes beckons travelers to mount.
- 2) The púca gallops over sea foam and treetops, returning riders at dawn—sometimes with gifts, sometimes mud-covered.
- 3) Farmers leave a share of harvest (púca’s portion) to avoid spoiled crops.
- 4) A miller or king may earn the púca’s labor by showing respect, winning cleaner mills or prophecies.
Context & symbolism
Púca tales balance fear and favor—acknowledge the spirit to gain boons, ignore it to court mischief. As a liminal Samhain figure, it bridges worlds when the veil thins, reinforcing protocols of hospitality to the unseen.
Its night rides and harvest share echo themes of reciprocity between humans and land spirits; trickery enforces humility.
Motifs
- Black horse with glowing eyes
- Wild midnight rides
- Harvest offerings to appease
- Helpful labor if respected
Use it in play
- Accept or refuse a night ride; each choice changes the quest route.
- Protect harvest stores from púca mischief by honoring its portion.
- Seek a púca’s prophecy, but solve its riddle first.
- Break a curse that forces the púca into one shape, restoring its freedom (and gratitude—or chaos).