Brag (folklore)
Encyclopedia
A brag is a creature from the folklore of Northumberland
and Durham
that usually takes the form of a horse
or donkey
. It is fond of tricking unwary wayfarers into riding on its back before throwing the rider into a pool of water or bush before running off laughing, much like the Bäckahästen (brook horse) or kelpie
. The brag is also said to have appeared as a calf
with a neckerchief
, a naked headless man and even four men carrying a sheet. Some well-known brags are said to live at Picktree (where it was called the Picktree Brag) and Humbleknowe.
There is also another similar shape-shifter in Northumbrian folklore, the Hedley Kow.
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
and Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
that usually takes the form of a horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
or donkey
Donkey
The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
. It is fond of tricking unwary wayfarers into riding on its back before throwing the rider into a pool of water or bush before running off laughing, much like the Bäckahästen (brook horse) or kelpie
Kelpie
The kelpie is a supernatural water horse from Celtic folklore that is believed to haunt the rivers and lochs of Scotland and Ireland; the name may be from Scottish Gaelic cailpeach or colpach "heifer, colt".-Description and behaviour:...
. The brag is also said to have appeared as a calf
Calf
Calves are the young of domestic cattle. Calves are reared to become adult cattle, or are slaughtered for their meat, called veal.-Terminology:...
with a neckerchief
Neckerchief
A neckerchief, necker or less commonly scarf is a type of neckwear associated with Scouts, cowboys and sailors. It consists of a triangular piece of cloth or a rectangular piece folded into a triangle. The long edge is rolled towards the point, leaving a portion unrolled...
, a naked headless man and even four men carrying a sheet. Some well-known brags are said to live at Picktree (where it was called the Picktree Brag) and Humbleknowe.
There is also another similar shape-shifter in Northumbrian folklore, the Hedley Kow.