Tradition / Region: British Mythology
Alternate Names: Hurhins, Urchins
Category: Hedgehog, Spirit
The Myth
Urhins are small bogies or pixies in British folklore that take the form of hedgehogs. The name urhin or hurhin comes from a dialect word meaning “hedgehog,” and reflects both their appearance and their low, ground-dwelling nature.
These beings are imagined as small, prickly spirits, moving quietly through fields, gardens, and the edges of settlements. Though tiny, they are mischievous and capable of causing discomfort or fear, especially when encountered unexpectedly. Their hedgehog form allows them to remain unnoticed until they choose to reveal themselves.
Urhins are associated with trickery and torment, particularly toward humans who stray into places where such spirits dwell. They are not grand or powerful beings, but persistent and irritating, more likely to harass than to harm outright. Their presence is felt through unease, sudden disturbances, or the sense of being watched from low to the ground.
In English folklore and storytelling, urhins are grouped alongside other small supernatural beings such as fairies and sprites. They are part of the hidden population of the land, creatures that exist just beyond ordinary perception and whose behavior reflects the unpredictable nature of the unseen world.
Over time, the word “urchin” came to be used for mischievous children, echoing the playful yet troublesome qualities once attributed to these hedgehog-like spirits. Though their supernatural meaning has faded in everyday language, the image of the urhin remains rooted in folklore as a small, prickly trickster lurking close to the earth.
Gallery
Sources
Bestiary.us contributors. (n.d.). Urhiny. In Bestiary.us, from https://www.bestiary.us/Urhiny
Interpretive Lenses
Religious Readings
- Christian Ascetic Deep Dive
Philosophical Readings
- Nietzschean Deep Dive
Psychological Readings
- Jungian Deep Dive
Esoteric Deep Dive
- Hermetic Deep Dive
Political / Social Readings
- Marxist Deep Dive
Other
- How to Invite The Urhins