The Pooka (also known as the Phouka, Pwwka, Pooka, Puka, Phouka, Púka), or Púca in Irish is an Irish folklore shape shifting creature. Púca means “goblin” in Irish. The pooka is ferared by those who believe in it.

The Pooka is a shape shifter who can change shape into something that is feared or something that is pleasing (think that blue creature in the X-men movies!). According to legend the Pooka can may appear as horse, rabbit, goat, goblin, or dog but again it could be anything… so not an easy one to track down and a particularly difficult folklore character for the paranoid. It most commonly takes the form of a sleek black horse with a flowing mane and luminescent golden eyes.

If a human is enticed onto a púca’s back, it has been known to give them a wild ride; however, unlike a kelpie, which will take its rider and dive into the nearest stream or lake to drown and devour him/her, the púca will do its rider no real harm. The púca has the power of human speech, and has been known to give advice and lead people away from harm. Though the púca enjoys confusing and often terrifying humans, it is considered to be benevolent.