Gwrach y Rhibyn

Welsh Mythology

The Gwrach y Rhibyn[ˈɡurɑːx ə ˈhribɨn] (a.k.a. cyhyraeth[kəˈhəreθ],  or cyheuraeth) is a ghostly spirit in Welsh mythology who looks like a hideously aged woman. She has a harpy-like appearance: unkempt hair, withered arms with leathery wings, long blackened teeth and pale corpse-like features.

She can be seen at crossroads threatening travelers or be found in brief glimpses beside streams and ponds.
The wail of the Gwach y Rhibyn is believed to signal impending death. It sounds like the groans and sighs of someone deathly ill and repeated three times (growing weaker and fainter each time) as a threefold warning before someone expires.
She approaches the window of a dying person by night and calles their name. Most often, she will also wail and shriek "Fy ngŵr, fy ngŵr!" (My husband! My husband!)" or "Fy mhlentyn, fy mhlentyn bach!" (My child! My little child!)". When the dying person is a female, she will assume a male voice and cry out: "Fy ngwraig! Fy ngwraig!" (My wife! My wife!)"

Gwrach y Rhibyn is also known to attack sleeping children or the defenseless bedridden patients to drain their blood - weakening her victims until they perish. Evidence of her visitations is seen in the dried blood that clings to her mouth. It's believed that healthy folks can drive off the Gwach y Rhibyn with brute force.




<Credits/References>
*Creatures of the United Kingdom: www.netplaces.com/vampire/vamp…
*Cyhyraeth (Wikipedia): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyhyraet…