The Fenoderee of the Isle of Man

By Dawn Marie Hamilton

The Isle of Man sits in the Irish Sea. With its Celtic and Norse origins, Manx folklore includes many stories of mythical creatures. One such creature is the Fenoderee.

Originally a knight of the Ferrishyn royal court, the faerie tribe of Man, the Fenoderee lost his status by falling for a mortal woman and missing the faerie's autumnal festival while courting his lover. In punishment, his handsome glamour was taken from him, and he became an ugly, satyr-like creature, covered with copious body hair. At least, that is what I believe.

Some compare him to the Brùnaidh, the Scottish brownie.

The Fenoderee prances about without clothing, complaining that trousers and coats and hats are naught but discomfort. He becomes offended if offered garments, and will vacate the area in a huff.

He is known as an able worker of considerable strength, offering services, such as the herding of animals, to the farmers of Man. He is well suited to performing quarry work, lugging loads of stone too heavy for mortal men. His favorite task is mowing, and for clipping the grass with incredible speed, he has been nicknamed 'the nimble mower.'

The Fenoderee is a creature of folklore I wouldn't fear meeting.

Who is your favorite creature of folklore?