Tradition / Region: Irish Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Lizard, Newt, Hunger
The Myth
The Alp-Luachra is a dark fairy said to dwell throughout Ireland, feared for its quiet and dreadful way of feeding upon humans. Small and newt-like in form, it resembles a smooth, slippery creature of the grass and water, yet it is far from harmless. It waits for the careless sleeper who lies upon the earth beneath the open sky.
When a person sleeps outdoors with mouth unguarded, the Alp-Luachra slips silently inside. It passes down the throat and settles in the stomach, unseen and unfelt. There it does not eat flesh, but lives upon the essence of food itself, draining the strength and nourishment meant for the host. As time passes, the creature grows and multiplies within the body, while the victim feels constant hunger no matter how much is eaten.
Because of the fairy’s enchantment, the afflicted person does not know the true cause of their suffering. Months or even years may pass as the body weakens and wastes away. If nothing is done, the victim eventually dies of starvation, though food was always close at hand.
Those who know the old ways say the Alp-Luachra can be driven out by cunning rather than force. Strong-smelling or savory foods tempt it toward the mouth, while heavily salted meat brings unbearable thirst. When the victim lies near running water and opens their mouth, the creatures crawl out one by one, seeking the stream. Sometimes many emerge, and at last a larger one, said to be their mother.
Once expelled, the Alp-Luachra loses its power over the host. It is said that the creature itself still holds strange virtue, and that licking it can cure burns. But none who have suffered its presence ever forget the lesson it brings.
Thus the Alp-Luachra remains a warning in Irish lore: that unseen dangers dwell close to the body, that hunger may come from within, and that the earth itself is not always a safe bed for the unwary.
Gallery
Sources
A Book of Creatures contributors. (2015). Alp-luachra. In ABookOfCreatures.com, from https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/03/17/alp-luachra/
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 Alp-Luachra