R

R –RED CAPS, RAVENS

A red cap is a kind of evil, murderous dwarf, goblin, elf or fairy found in folklore. Known to inhabit ruined castles on the border between England and Scotland, they are said to murder travelers who wander into their homes and dye their hats with the victims’ blood. If the dye on their hats dries, they will die, therefore they must kill often. They are too fast to outrun. 

Their description is a sturdy old man with hands bearing talons, large teeth, and red eyes. They wear the red hats and hold a pikestaff in their left hand.

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Ravens can be found in many legends. They are usually seen as a bad omen, and are connected to the dead and lost souls. While they are seen as the ghosts of murdered people in Sweden, they are believed to be souls of the damned in Germany.

The ravens named Thought and Memory sat on Odin’s shoulders to bring him news of all they saw and heard in Norse mythology.

In England, the legend goes that if the ravens that inhabit the Tower of London are removed, the Kingdom of England will fall. There have been at least 6 at home there for many centuries.

The above information and photos were found at Wikipedia.