Cthulhu Lives!: An Eldritch Tribute to H. P. Lovecraft by Greg Stolze, Tim Dedopulos, John Reppion, Lynne Hardy, Gabor Csigas, Gethin A. Lynes Page B
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Brian J. Showers ([email protected])
From: John Reppion ([email protected])
Sent: 21 Dec 2008 21:09
Subject: Jenny Greenteeth
Brian,
Almost as soon as I had sent my previous message mentioning witches, I came across my notes on Jenny Greenteeth. She was once Princes Park’s resident crone – in a manner of speaking anyway. In 1841, when the park was still under construction, an article appeared in the wonderfully named Liverpool Porcupine newspaper, stating that something quite unexpected had been found on the site:
Labourers working under the supervision of Mr. Edward Milner upon land in the district of Toxteth made a most surprising discovery yesterday. The men were engaged in excavating a channel, which is to form the basis of an artificial lake, when they unearthed a great wooden figure. The statue is said to be some seven feet in height and was evidently carved from a substantial trunk many years ago. Despite its age, the figure was not in any great state of decay and could easily be discerned as that of a woman holding a twisted staff in one hand and clutching an infant to her breast with the other. The chisel work is said to be very intricate with knotted and curling hairs being wonderfully rendered upon both the child and the lady’s heads. Skilful though her maker may have been, she is nevertheless rather an unattractive woman and in such a state of undress that Mr. Milner is said to have already rejected the possibility of the figure being displayed publicly.
For whatever reason – perhaps the Porcupine article drew too much interest – Milner recanted. The statue went on public display when Princes Park was opened in 1842. Jenny Greenteeth, as the figure became known, stood beside the boat-house, looking out over the lake beneath which she had once lain. I remember seeing a very old photograph of the statue in some volume or other when I was researching 800 Years of Haunted Liverpool . The unseemly “state of undress” written of in the article had been dealt with by the application of a considerable amount of dark paint, giving Jenny a distinctly nun-like appearance.
The choice of name, while presumably unofficial, is interesting. Marc Alexander’s Companion to the Folklore Myths & Customs of Britain has the following entry for Jenny Greenteeth:
A particularly evil entity who dwelt in stagnant ponds and scum-covered pools. Jenny Greenteeth would seize unwary children with her fangs and pull them down to their death. She was obviously a creature of cautionary folklore perpetuated by parents to ensure their children kept away from dangerous places.
In addition, Harland & Wilkinson’s 1867 book Lancashire Folklore contains the following related passage:
We derive the familiar epithet of “ Old Nick ” from the Norwegian Nok , the Norse Nikr , or the Swedish Neck ; and no further proof of their identity is required than a comparison between the attributes possessed in common by all these supernatural beings. The Nok is said to require a human sacrifice once a year, and someone is therefore annually missing in the vicinity of the pond or river where this sprite has taken up its abode. The males are said to be very partial to young maidens, whom they seize and drag under the water; whilst those of the opposite sex are quite as attractive and dangerous to the young fishermen who frequent the rivers. The German Nixes possess the same attributes. Both sexes have large green teeth; and the male wears a green hat, which is frequently mistaken by his victims for a tuft of beautiful vegetation. He is said to kill without mercy whenever he drags a person down; and a fountain of blood, which shoots up from the surface of the water, announces the completion of the deed. A perfect identification of this with our own popular belief is now easy. Nothing is more common at present than for children who reside in the country to be cautioned against venturing too near the water’s brink, lest “ Green
From: John Reppion ([email protected])
Sent: 21 Dec 2008 21:09
Subject: Jenny Greenteeth
Brian,
Almost as soon as I had sent my previous message mentioning witches, I came across my notes on Jenny Greenteeth. She was once Princes Park’s resident crone – in a manner of speaking anyway. In 1841, when the park was still under construction, an article appeared in the wonderfully named Liverpool Porcupine newspaper, stating that something quite unexpected had been found on the site:
Labourers working under the supervision of Mr. Edward Milner upon land in the district of Toxteth made a most surprising discovery yesterday. The men were engaged in excavating a channel, which is to form the basis of an artificial lake, when they unearthed a great wooden figure. The statue is said to be some seven feet in height and was evidently carved from a substantial trunk many years ago. Despite its age, the figure was not in any great state of decay and could easily be discerned as that of a woman holding a twisted staff in one hand and clutching an infant to her breast with the other. The chisel work is said to be very intricate with knotted and curling hairs being wonderfully rendered upon both the child and the lady’s heads. Skilful though her maker may have been, she is nevertheless rather an unattractive woman and in such a state of undress that Mr. Milner is said to have already rejected the possibility of the figure being displayed publicly.
For whatever reason – perhaps the Porcupine article drew too much interest – Milner recanted. The statue went on public display when Princes Park was opened in 1842. Jenny Greenteeth, as the figure became known, stood beside the boat-house, looking out over the lake beneath which she had once lain. I remember seeing a very old photograph of the statue in some volume or other when I was researching 800 Years of Haunted Liverpool . The unseemly “state of undress” written of in the article had been dealt with by the application of a considerable amount of dark paint, giving Jenny a distinctly nun-like appearance.
The choice of name, while presumably unofficial, is interesting. Marc Alexander’s Companion to the Folklore Myths & Customs of Britain has the following entry for Jenny Greenteeth:
A particularly evil entity who dwelt in stagnant ponds and scum-covered pools. Jenny Greenteeth would seize unwary children with her fangs and pull them down to their death. She was obviously a creature of cautionary folklore perpetuated by parents to ensure their children kept away from dangerous places.
In addition, Harland & Wilkinson’s 1867 book Lancashire Folklore contains the following related passage:
We derive the familiar epithet of “ Old Nick ” from the Norwegian Nok , the Norse Nikr , or the Swedish Neck ; and no further proof of their identity is required than a comparison between the attributes possessed in common by all these supernatural beings. The Nok is said to require a human sacrifice once a year, and someone is therefore annually missing in the vicinity of the pond or river where this sprite has taken up its abode. The males are said to be very partial to young maidens, whom they seize and drag under the water; whilst those of the opposite sex are quite as attractive and dangerous to the young fishermen who frequent the rivers. The German Nixes possess the same attributes. Both sexes have large green teeth; and the male wears a green hat, which is frequently mistaken by his victims for a tuft of beautiful vegetation. He is said to kill without mercy whenever he drags a person down; and a fountain of blood, which shoots up from the surface of the water, announces the completion of the deed. A perfect identification of this with our own popular belief is now easy. Nothing is more common at present than for children who reside in the country to be cautioned against venturing too near the water’s brink, lest “ Green
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