A bluecap is a mythical fairy or ghost in English folklore that inhabits mines and appears as a small blue flame. If miners treat them with respect, the bluecaps lead them to rich deposits of minerals.[1] Like knockers or kobolds, bluecaps can also forewarn miners of cave-ins. They are mostly associated with the Anglo-Scottishborders.[2]
Bluecaps were regarded as hard workers and it was said that they were expected to be paid a working man's wages, equal to those of an average putter (a mine worker who pushes the wagons). This payment was left in a solitary corner of the mine, and they would not accept any more or less than they were owed. The miners would sometimes talk of having seen a flickering bluecap settle on a full tub of coal, transporting it as though "impelled by the sturdiest sinews".[3]
Another being of the same type (though less helpful in nature) was called "Cutty Soames"[4] or Old Cutty Soames,[5] who was known to cut the rope-traces or soams by which the assistant putter was yoked to the tub.[4]
^ abLabour and the Poor in England and Wales, 1849-1851: Northumberland and Durham, Staffordshire, the Midlands, Jules Ginswick, Routledge, 1983, ISBN0-7146-2960-X, 9780714629605, pp. 65-66
^Character Sketches Of Romance, Fiction And The Drama, Ebenezer Cobham Brewer, Marion Harland, The Minerva Group, Inc., 2004, ISBN1-4102-1335-8, ISBN978-1-4102-1335-8, page. 119
Bibliography
Allen, J. (2005), Fantasy Encyclopedia, Kingfisher Publications
Briggs, Katharine (1976), An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Pantheon Books, ISBN0394409183
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bluecap, other, uses, disambiguation, bluecap, mythical, fairy, ghost, english, folklore, that, inhabits, mines, appears, small, blue, flame, miners, treat, them, with, respect, bluecaps, lead, them, rich, deposits, minerals, like, knockers, kobolds, bluecaps,. For other uses see Bluecap disambiguation A bluecap is a mythical fairy or ghost in English folklore that inhabits mines and appears as a small blue flame If miners treat them with respect the bluecaps lead them to rich deposits of minerals 1 Like knockers or kobolds bluecaps can also forewarn miners of cave ins They are mostly associated with the Anglo Scottish borders 2 BluecapGroupingMythological creature FairyFirst attestedIn folkloreCountryUnited KingdomRegionEnglandDetailsMinesBluecaps were regarded as hard workers and it was said that they were expected to be paid a working man s wages equal to those of an average putter a mine worker who pushes the wagons This payment was left in a solitary corner of the mine and they would not accept any more or less than they were owed The miners would sometimes talk of having seen a flickering bluecap settle on a full tub of coal transporting it as though impelled by the sturdiest sinews 3 Another being of the same type though less helpful in nature was called Cutty Soames 4 or Old Cutty Soames 5 who was known to cut the rope traces or soams by which the assistant putter was yoked to the tub 4 See also editBrownie Coblynau Cofgod Hob Muki RedcapReferences editCitations Allen 2005 p 24 Katherine Mary Briggs The Fairies in English Tradition and Literature Briggs 1976 pp 27 28 a b Labour and the Poor in England and Wales 1849 1851 Northumberland and Durham Staffordshire the Midlands Jules Ginswick Routledge 1983 ISBN 0 7146 2960 X 9780714629605 pp 65 66 Character Sketches Of Romance Fiction And The Drama Ebenezer Cobham Brewer Marion Harland The Minerva Group Inc 2004 ISBN 1 4102 1335 8 ISBN 978 1 4102 1335 8 page 119 Bibliography Allen J 2005 Fantasy Encyclopedia Kingfisher Publications Briggs Katharine 1976 An Encyclopedia of Fairies Pantheon Books ISBN 0394409183 nbsp This article about a legendary creature is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bluecap amp oldid 1187262884, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
