Episode 29
Bargains with Blood: The Terrifying Tale of Robin Redcap
Today, we're diving headfirst into the spine-tingling tale of the Redcap, a wicked little goblin lurking in the shadows of ancient ruins between Scotland and England. Picture this: a creature that thrives on the blood of its victims, with a cap that gets its vibrant color from the very essence of those it slays. Yeah, you heard that right—this guy needs to keep killing just to stay alive! We explore the story of William de Soulis, a not-so-nice nobleman who made a deal with this bloodthirsty goblin, thinking he could get away with murder (literally). Spoiler alert: it didn't end well for him, and let’s just say the villagers had a little surprise cooking up for their cruel lord. So buckle up, because this tale is equal parts eerie and fascinating, and trust me, you don’t want to miss it!
Imagine wandering through the foggy borderlands of Scotland and England, where every shadow tells a story and every stone has seen more than we can imagine. This isn’t just any trip; it’s a deep dive into the folklore that still whispers through the ruins. We're talking about a creature that's as terrifying as it is fascinating—the Redcap. This little guy isn’t your friendly fairy; he’s part of the Unseelie Court, the dark side of fairyland. Picture a goblin with a cap soaked in blood, lurking in the remnants of old castles where horrors unfolded. When the cursed traveler stumbles by, that’s when the Redcap strikes—he needs fresh blood to keep his cap red and his life intact. It's not about thrill-seeking; it's about survival. The tale unfolds around Hermitage Castle, ruled by the cruel William de Soulis, who made a wicked pact with the Redcap, thinking he was untouchable. But as the villagers band together, they devise a clever way to outsmart the dark magic, leading to a fiery end for de Soulis and a lingering mystery about where Robin Redcap disappeared to. Talk about a chilling adventure through history, don’t you think?
Takeaways:
- This podcast dives deep into the chilling lore of the red cap, a nasty goblin that thrives in the ruins of Scotland and England.
- The story of William de Soulis and his dark pact with the red cap is a total rollercoaster of evil and magic.
- A redcap's power comes from the blood of its victims, making it a creature of pure survival instinct.
- The Unseelie Court represents the darker side of fairies, and the redcap is one of their most fearsome members.
- The tale reminds us that cruelty can attract dark forces, and sometimes, those forces come with a hefty price.
- Exploring ancient ruins can be spooky, especially when legends like Robin Redcap linger in the shadows, reminding us to tread carefully.
Transcript
Welcome to bite sized folklore, where old myths speak loudest in silence and the past never really stays buried. Today's tale comes from the misty borderlands between Scotland and England. It's a land of stone and sorrow, where battlefields have gone long cold.
But something else still lingers. A creature that haunts ruins and drips with blood. And a goblin from the darkest corners of the fairy world. And a servant of cruelty itself.
This is the story of the redcap and the tale of the man who made a deal with one. Now there are fairies and then there are Unseelie. The Unseelie court is the dark side of the fairy realm.
The malicious, dangerous and bloodthirsty ones. And the red cap is very much part of their number. He lives only in the borders, in the ruins of old castles, forts and towers. But not just any ruins.
Redcaps make their homes in places soaked in violence. Castles burned in war, towers where people were tortured. Places where something awful happened and the walls still remember.
They hide in the shadows of these ruins, waiting. And when a lone traveler passes by, they strike. Sometimes they throw stones from the ruins themselves. And sometimes they go straight for the kill.
But one thing is always the same. Afterwards, they dip their cap in the blood of their victim. That's what gives it its colour and its power.
Because if a red cap's hat ever dries out, he dies. So he must keep killing. Not for pleasure, not for revenge even, but to stay alive.
iam Hensworth, writing in the:Gristly hair streaming down his shoulders. Iron boots. A pikestaff in his left hand and a red cap on his head. Not exactly the sort of creature you want to meet in a ruined tower.
But someone did. And not just anyone. A lord. In the far south of Scotland, not far from the English border, stands Hermitage Castle.
Even now it looks haunted, bleak, grey and grim. Like it was carved from the bones of the earth. Long ago, it was ruled by a man named William de Sully. William was a powerful nobleman and a monster.
He was cruel to his tenants and obsessed with the dark arts. He stole children from local farms for his rituals. He practiced black magic and hurt people because he could.
And cruelty, as you might expect, draws attention. One day a. A stranger came to Hermitage Castle. An old man with long fangs and burning red eyes. It was Robin Redcap, the red cap of legend.
Robin had an offer in Exchange for free reign of the land around the castle. He would give William complete protection from harm.
No blade, no spell, no force on earth could injure him unless he was bound with a rope made of three strands of slip. A rope that really could not exist. William agreed. With his red cap protector watching the land, he became more arrogant and more evil.
Convinced that he was untouchable. His people suffered. His lands grew quiet. And still no one could stop him. That was until somebody remembered an old name. Thomas the rhymer.
The poet, the prophet. And some say a man who once rode with the Queen of the Fairies herself. William's tenants begged for Thomas the Rhymer's help. And he agreed.
He crafted a special belt. A three stranded belt made of lead, hollowed out and filled with sand. Not a rope, but close enough to cheat a promise made to something inhuman.
The villagers launched an attack. And this time, time it worked. They bound William to Suli with the lead belt filled with sand. And they dragged him from his throne.
Robin Redcap was nowhere to be seen. The villagers boiled William alive in a massive cauldron. A punishment for the pain he'd inflicted on them all. And as for Robin Redcap, he vanished.
But the castle never truly quieted for years. And after. Travellers claim to see a shadowy figure haunting the ruins of Hermitage Castle. Tall as a man, fast as a fox, eyes glowing red.
Some believe Robin Redcap stashed away a treasure hoard in the castle during his time there. Gold, relics, or something darker. And every so often, he comes back, still looking for it. Or maybe just making sure his cap never dries out.
So if you find yourself wandering the borders and you come across a lonely old ruin where nothing stirs and the air feels wrong, don't go in alone. And if you hear iron boots on stone behind you, don't run, don't look. Just pray. Loudly. Thank you so much for listening to bite sized folklore.
If this story gave you the chills, follow and share it. Helps keep the legends alive. And if you ever see a red cap on the ground, leave it where it lies until next time. Stay curious, stay wary.
And never trust a bargain sealed in blood.
