Dave White's Field

Auntie Mary has a final flourish:

“Now, it was a very sad blow for Mary Kate losing her husband and all; but, she was lucky in one way. Because, when she went looking for the singer by the stone, she didn't run into the banashee. “And here's why she was lucky: if you do see the banashee, and she sees you --- if your eyes lock --- it means that you are about to die.”

Auntie Mary's last line is enough to make me choke on my biscuit. Obviously, there's no chance of turning the tables on a banshee. But how do you tell who is a banshee and who is not?

Afterwards, I find myself deliberately not looking in Auntie Mary's direction. Over the next a day or two I steer clear of `Auntie Mary's'; and I get to thinking:

Auntie Mary with the beautiful flowing red hair;
Auntie Mary who is often dressed in green;
Auntie Mary who has the gift of Story-telling;
Auntie Mary who has dropped the dreaded comb:
Auntie Mary who foretells the future in her tea-leaves;
Auntie Mary wailing as though she is at a funeral;
Auntie Mary with the changing, colourful, hypnotic eyes;
Auntie Mary combing her hair (in the shimmering moonlight);
Auntie Mary sitting (on that stone).

there is the banshee;
there is the lenanshee;
and then there is
auntie Mary.