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Arkan sonney

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Arkan sonney ("lucky urchin" or "plentiful little pig") is the Manx term for hedgehog.[1] In Manx folklore it is a type of fairy animal that takes the form of a white pig that brings good fortune to those who manage to catch it.[2][3] It was even considered a favourable omen just to have seen the "lucky piggy".[3] It was also said that if you caught one you would always find a silver coin in your pocket.[1]

In Fairy Tales From the Isle of Man (1951) by Dora Broome, the white pig is described as having red eyes and ears, and though it can alter its size it is not able to change its shape.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Vocabulary of the Anglo-Manx Dialect "Arkan Sonney"
  2. ^ Briggs, Katharine (1976). An Encyclopedia of Fairies. Pantheon Books. p. 10. ISBN 0394409183.
  3. ^ a b Gill, Walter (1929). A Manx Scrapbook. J. W. Arrowsmith. Chap. 4
  4. ^ As retold in Briggs (1976).