Many fear the Pooka Fairy. It is a shape shifter and is out and about most nights. One usual form is as a horse. In this form, it rampages around the country scaring livestock, tearing down fences, and causing havoc.
In other forms, it demands shares of crops…. people who do not share suffer the consequences. Pooka has the power of speech and can let its wishes be known. In some cases, it has been known to be helpful by letting people know what the future holds.
One legend has it that the High King of Ireland Brian Boru only rode the Pooka in horse form. He rode the horse to submission and got the Pooka to promise never to bother the Irish again unless they were drunk or lawbreakers. However, the years seem to have eroded the promise because Pooka’s antics continue to this day with no regard given to your situation (sober or drunk, law breaking or not, Irish or not).
