Halloween Folklore – The Terrifying Black Tailless Sow

The Tailless black sow - a very effect way to enforce curfew rules…

In Wales, the first day of winter is called Calan Gaeaf — the 1st of November. It is a grey day, marking the beginning of a long, cold struggle through the frozen season, with the dim light of spring but a distant dream.

Nos Calan Gaeaf is the name the Welsh give to the 31st of October - Halloween. Along with all the usual connections to witches, devils, and boggarts, it was considered a Ysbrydnos (spirit night). Traditionally, people would avoid stiles, churchyards, and crossroads on this night, as it was thought that all manner of ghosts would gather in these lonely places.

Nos Calan Gaeaf was also a time when rural communities came together. The night would be filled with feasts, apple bobbing, and large village bonfires. It was a harvest festival, and one popular game in rural communities was called Caseg Fedi – The Harvest Mare. The last bit of corn was not harvested but tied up in the middle of the field. This was the Caseg Fedi, and the menfolk would take turns to throw their sickles at it; the one to cut it down was the winner. Great sport was made with it, throwing it into neighbours’ fields or trying to sneak it into people’s homes.

But there was a black legend associated with this the most shadowed night of the year - that of Hwch Ddu Gwta, the Black Tailless Sow.

She is described as a huge, terrifying black pig - tailless and with glowing red eyes. Sometimes she was accompanied by Y Ladi Wen heb ddim pen, the White Headless Lady. They haunted the lanes and fields about Welsh villages, and children were warned not to stray too far from home and to be back indoors well before dusk, for should they encounter the Black Pig, it would chase them down and attempt to gobble them up.

There was a fearful chant associated with this demonic porker; it went like this:

“Adref, adref, am y cyntaf,
Hwch ddu gwta a gipio’r ola’.”

“Home, home, at once,
The tailless black sow shall snatch the last one.”

As the village bonfire died down, there was a tradition in some parts of Wales that children would gather around it, chanting this dreadful verse. Then a villager, wearing a pigskin, would take on the role of the Black Sow, leaping through the fire’s dying flames to chase the children home.

So, should you ever find yourself wandering the Welsh countryside on the 31st of October, and hear a distant snuffling and grunting carried on the autumn wind – turn about and hurry home. It might just be a regular Pig… but it might be something far more sinister and threatening.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I hope this little piece of Halloween folklore set you trembling with a pleasurable fear. If you enjoy what I do, please consider picking up a copy of my new book, Threads of Shadow — link below.
Alternatively, there are plenty of free stories, written by yours truly, available in the download section of this website.

Until next week — stay spooky.