Strona 1 •^i^:%-u J. N^ w '^^.^. •-'-' u •'^,.-J^< i^ Strona 2 »»«.^...p.j.»«L»tj.iai- .tH;gm, ^^ Strona 3 Strona 4 Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2011 Strona 5 Strona 6 #"':^ -0' V '*- t .^^ / ^ Strona 7 / ; ^ J \ y' r .,< ^^ I \ \. \ k m :st yi f ^a^eaC S^+W Pe-^i^f^^ irtn. Ps>*^i(!C-i-3^2,*'f^ Hs^yt^ N A&y^i^H4, fi^, /^^//kA.e^ , Ne^ tf6i4<. Strona 8 He are most grateful to the publishers and authors who have kindly allowed us to use their material Colin Sm\tlie Limited for extracts from Tlie Middle Kingdom by Dermot Mac Manus, The Folklore Sociery for an extract from Somerset Folklore Country Senes I III b\ Ruth L. Tongue. EP Publisliins; Limited torextrac ts from Bntish Goblins by Win Sikes (originalK published b\ Sampson Low. Marstoii, Searle & Rivington- 1»«)). Samuel W'eiser, Inc. for extracts from Tlie Coming of the Fairies In .\rthui ( lonan Doyle. I heosophical Publishing House Ltd for extracts from Fames at Work and at Flay b\ CJeoHiey Hodson. VVc are also indebted to Sarah Teale for her in\ aluable editorial assistance and advice in the preparation of this Ixx )k. Library ofdongressC^atalogueC^ard Number: 78-60699 International Standard Book Number: ()-«l()')-0<M)l-4 Copyright © 1978 Rufus Publications. Inc. Published in 1978 Harry N. Abrams, Inc. New ^brk. b\' All rights reser\ ed. No part ofthe contents of this book may be reporoduced without the written permission ofthe publishers. # C^olor reproduction by Carlton Repro International Ltd. a di\ ision ofSir Joseph C^auston & .Sons Ltd. London and Eastleigh. Printed and bound in the Inited States of .America. Strona 9 Strona 10 / The words ley' and come liom the French ikcrie' and started to replace the Old English 'elt^ during the Tudor period. Spenser and Shakespeare popularised the change. 'Elfland' and *Faeneland\ 'Elf and "Faerie" \\ ere and are still interchangeable words. The spellings of 'faerie' are numerous: fayer\ e, tain e, fa\ re, laerie. laen, lain. In this book Faerie refers to the world of Faerie as an entit\ (noun), as a geograj)hical location, as a general name for its inhabilanls (faerie, faeries) and as an adjectixe to describe its attributes, e.g., faerie music. Fain (fairies) is applied to a particular, diminutive, generally female species of Faerie; or when the spelling is common usage, e.g. fairy Ibol, a hill, \'ellow Fain- CUub, a toadstool; or if used in a source quotation. Nomenclature is difficult in Faerie. The same faerie species ma\ have \arious names according to the region. The denizens of Faerie are so varied that in the past some ha\e been wrongly or carelessK' categorized. One species shades into the next, so it is difficult to state precisely w here a Bogie ends and a Bogle begins. And what of the shape of shifting faeries? In one form the\ may be in one categon and in another form a quite different one. Hence no sensible rules appl\- to terminologA or, indeed, any other aspect of Faerie — it is a law unto itself. We shall do the best we can to clarify with the facts axailable. The pronunciation of niany of the names of specific faerie indix iduals or tribes may be difficult. For purposes of clarity, howexer, ue haxegixen xvhere possible approximate pronunciation equixalenis after proper names. Strona 11 TZ}^U^<T>1^^ - /^ IMBi^ 0-f- lj^r\'<4^J'U5T^. We say ''by ay of'' berause there leally is no \\ This is precisely the core ol much of i heir eiiwof introduction to tiie w orld ofFaerie. 1 hat is. no one mortals and the .source of a good deal of the trouble can introduce \ ou to Ikeries. (This is an old-fashioned theycau.se. for faeries are themsekcs creatures of the idea, probal^ly rooted in the w ealtli of questionable raw stuiroflile and are ceaselessly attracted to all fiction about these ul^icjuitous creatures) forms ofVreati\ir\ and pariiciihuly to momenisof" high emotion in w hich the\ seek to be ])articip<niis. The fact is. they will either accept you as a part of their Lovers, pc^ets, artists, w riters. sculptors, wcax crs. world, or the\ won't. It's up to them. Sometimes musicians and the like -all the arts, inckrd. indeed, a totalK' unwilling human will ne\ ertheless acknowk^dgeadebl to an unidentifiable, invisible. become captix e (i.e. captixated) -taken by Faerie for caj)ricious. sensitixc, delicate-. c-lusi\c-ancl powerful their own purposes. Sometimes no amount of which force is called "insj)iralioir". or ".\Iusc-"" and is moonino- around in misty forest glades or generalK irresistil)le when j^re.sent. It is no communing with nature at the bottom of'ihe garden coincidence that thc^searealso he chief characteristics I (erroneously said to be a laxourite haunt of faeries) of Faerie. Hence Faerie should be held as infinitely will bringabout an\ ihingotlu-r than a general sense \aluable. ol damj3. Faerie is a world ofdark enchantments, of cajitixating Our own personal experience with faeries is beauts', ofenornwtis ugliness, of callous su|)eiiiciality. complicated. I'his is necessarih sowilh creatures of of humour, mi.sciiief. joy and inspiration, of terror, such \aried and e\er-ciianging character In an elloii laughter, loxeand tragedy. It is far richer than fiction to bring some order, at least, loa controxcMsial would generally lc\id one to beliex e and. beyond that, subject, wc ha\e explored legend. m\ ih. folklore. it isa world toenter with extreme caution. fc)i"of all fiuMieloreand excn ouiriglu fanlasx. Ii has been things that faeries resent the most humans it is curious nec'cssaiA to sill down the massolnuuerial thus l)lundering about their private- domains like- so main acxumulated to practical dimensions. Our book ill-mannered tourists. So go softly - where the therefore is di\ ided uj3 into xarious categories of faerie rewards are enchanting, the dangers are real. (where j)ossil)le) and into \arious categories of faerie experience. Btit the time is getting short le)r the taking of such delicious risks — faerie ccjntact with humans. .\iulherewcnuisi makeonelhingxcMA clear. I hereal dejXMident as it is on the natural world of humans, is faeiieexpeiicnce is xciAcliflerent fi'om the general shrinking withourown shrinking habitat. It is time- xiewof faerie buill upb\ cioudsof seniimenial fichon and bexond- to distinguish theaccunuilaled with legionsof ine\ iiable ha|)i)ily-e\er-aftei- endings. sujXM'stitionsand conjectural fictions about I"ae-rie I he w ( )rld ( )f ""( )nce I ' jx )n a 1 "ime— ". delightluf as it is from its reality, to study the woildoflaerie with, we and higliK as wcxalue ii. is iioi ihc- ical world ol hojx'. kindlyobjeciixiiyanda j)ropeicMije)xinentolits laerie. laerie repi'esenls Power. m<igical power. iruexaiue te) man. incom|)rehensil)le lo humans, .ind lieiu c. inimical. II must al\\a\sl)erememberc-d thai iliough ihewoiid ol laerie- is to.i large exleni deixMulenl on humans, faeries are alien creauires w ilh \alues and ethicsfar remoxc'd fiom mankind: thesclo not I hiiik. and most nol.ibK. the\ do not jecL the wa\ tli.u luim.insdo. Cy^M^ ^Ml(' Strona 12 } ' 'i- (r- ~^. \ Strona 13 f^i^fe<^ The myths and legends about Faerie are man\- and dixerse, and ollen contradicton Only one thing is . certain — that nothing is certain. All things are possible in the land of Faerie. Faerie Ongins: The mystery of Faerie has been, oni the earliest li times, a subject of human speculation. W hai are faeries? \\ here did they come from!^ \orse mytiiologA relates how the maggots emerging from the corpse ol the giani \\\\\x iranslormed themsekes into the Light l^K es and the Dark Kl\ es. Light el\ es. li\ ing in the air. are benign, haj^py creatures, but the dark ekes, w hose domains are the underground regions, are swcU'iln. exihuid blighting. The Icelandic \ci"sion, on ihc other luuicL slates that L\e was \\ ashing all Ikt children In the rixci" w hen God spoke loher. In herawx-and iearshehid diose children she had not already washed. Ciod asked il all her children were there and she replied that they were. He then declared that those she had hidden from him would be hidden from num. Ihese hidden ciiildren became the ekes or taeries and were kn( )wn as H uldre Folk in the Scandinavian coiiniries. Huldre girls are exceptionalk beautiful. Ijui w ith long cow siails; or else they are hollow behind, presenting only a beautiful front. Thus they fulfil the deception of their origin. Elsewhere laeries are beliex ed to be iallen angels; or the heathen dead, not g(x>d enough for Hea\ en. but notexil enough to find a jMacein Hell -compelled to li\e lbre\ er 'in between" in the iw iliglil regions, the Middle Kingdom. In Dexon lor instance pixies are considered tobethesoulsofunbapiised hildn-n. ( Howexer. these beliefs stem only from the adxent of CHiristianity. bajDtism being uiiknoxvn prior to that time, and hence cannot be regarded as reliable. Faerie xcn ancient and predates Christianity b\ is scxeml millenia. Moreox er it exists, and has existed, in \ an ingtbrms, in many (ountriesall oxer the world. Strona 14 Strona 15 J^ FAER to lie with his knights, in the heart of a faerie hill, in a deep sleep from which he will awake in our hour of need again to rule o\er this land. Where is 'Faerieland'? Its position is elusive. It is sometimes just over the horizon and sometimes Faerie can reveal itself, bright and glittering without beneath our feet. Yet there ha\e been periods when warning, anywhere and just as suddenly disappear. faerieland was thought to be an actual geographical I ts and anc\ are all around frontiers of twilight, mists 1 area, although e\en this has tended to shift. For us and, like a tide running out, can momentariK instance, the Welsh first thought it was to the North of reveal Faerie before flowing back to conceal it again. their mountainous land, and then in the mysterious, The inhabitants of faerieland can be di\ided into rocky and misU' west peninsular of Pembrokeshire. \arious different species according to habitat. In Later it mo\ed to an island lying in the Irish Channel addition to the solitar\-li\inu; faeries, there are manv off thePembrokeshire coast. It was seen sometimes rural elf types w ho make their homes in the forests (or by sailors, and even landed on, but would then sometimes, more specificalK; 'adopt' a tree to such disconcertingly disappear. Xe\ertheless, its faerie an extent that the faerie and the tree become more or inhabitants were said to be frequent \isitors to the less synonymous), fields, hills and mountain ca\es. markets of Laugharne and Milford Haxen.The Irish There are those that li\e on faerie islands or in called the phantom isle Hy Breasail and, for them, it countries under the oceans while there are also water lay to the West. To Britons it was the Isle of Man faeries inhabiting the seas, lakes and rixers. Finally that was the faerie isle. The Isle of Man is a rich there are the domestic and house-spirits (brownies source of faerie lore. and so forth). Avalon is probably the most famous of faerie islands. Amongst the various species, life-st\'les vary The legendary King Arthur, described by the X\'th considerably between the small family units, the centurv' poet Lydgate as a 'King -crowned \ in hierarchicalK-organised communities (often Fairve', was brought here mortally wounded to be inhabiting hollow hills) and the solitaiy independent tended by four faerie queens. Arthur is beliexcd still faeries such as the Leprechauns. •i^v*:^: Strona 16 , _y>X"0t \ \ ,;, 7%e he<^B^ kH^€-u/^^y o^ / \ ''<^ i f ^-^;' 1- // 1, Strona 17 UOLLOV/ M!L-tC Ancient earthworks, forts and barrows are the It is definitely not recommended that faerie hills (or traditional home of faeries. The Gaelic for faerie is other habitat) be invaded by trespassers. But there is Sidhe (Shee) meaning people of the hills. At night nothing to be said against discreet observ ation, and a faerie hills are often seen ablaze with myriad sparkling friendly watcher may be rewarded. If, howexer, the lights. Sometimes the hill may raise itself upon pillars faeries seem reluctant to emerge from their hill, the to reveal the brilliant lights of Faeriewhich gradually entrance ma\" be disco\ered by walking nine times move ofTin procession towards another hill. Lammas around the hill at full moon. The entry way will then Tide (August 7) is the traditional time for this. be re\ealed. For those not bra\e enough actually to Hollantide (Xo\ ember 1 1) is, howexer, the time when enter the faeries home, an ear pressed close to the Hillmen or Hogmen, the most feared of Manx Faerie ground may be rew arded b\' the sounds of faerie people, choose to mo\'e their abode. One does not revels. \enture abroad on the night of November 1 1 if one is Besides being used for living in, the hollow hills are wise. Hogmen use well trodden paths and ways, hiding places for gold, and are also often used as faerie usually running in straight lines between faerie hills; burial places. We alread\- know about King Arthur centuries of moving in this way has led to an in\isible .Another king. King Sil, sits in his golden armour on faerie cats-cradle crossing the whole countrv*. 0\er his horse, deep inside Silbur\- Hill, Wiltshire. the millenia, a residual concentration of |X)wer has A similar stor\- surrounds the Hill of the Goblins, accumulated at thejunctions, or crossways, of these Br\n yr Ellyllon, near Mold, Glyd Flint; it is haunted paths, and thesejunctions are close to many by a figure in gold armour Excavations as recent as historically sacred human gathering places. 1833 did in fact re\eal a skeleton v\ith a gold corselet. Strona 18 Faeries go to great pains to protect their homes and some by accident, some by sudden their enterprise, their gold. Treasure seekers digging into faerie hills death, and some by violent fevers, all paid with their are warned by strange voices, baleful sounds and wild lives.' storms. Should these warnings be ignored, ill luck, Reported in the 'Old Lore Miscellany' ofjuly, 1911, disaster and even death will be the only reward. The is an account of an Orkney farmer, warned by a Reverend Warne relates in 'Proceeding', F. Trow not to dig in a mound in his field on pain of (Somerset, 5 i 30fl) 1854,how some men, eager to find losing six cows and 'six funerals from the house, treasure in a hill known as Casde Neroche in fellow', who nevertheless continued his Somerset, 'violated thesancdty ofthis mysterious hill. depredadons and lost both catde and family. But before they had found a single coin they were seized with a panic fear, and renounced their presumptuous enterprises, and wonderful and awiul to relate, within one month of the commencement of '^'^: •> Strona 19 Clearly one cannot idly invade or desecrate the chosen habitat of faeries. Ill-advised is he who elects to build on faerie terrain for the little people are perfectly capable of moving houses, churches and even castles if they object to their location. Houses built imprudently across a faerie path suffer from disturbance. One such afflicted house build in Ireland had an outside comer that was just o\erlapping a faerie way. At night the house was filled with noise and shook and seemed to be in danger of falling down. It was not until the offending corner was trimmed off that peace came to the house. In similar cases the problem has been soKed to some extent by lea\ing the front and back doors open at night to allow the faeries free passage. Despite this rather chilly solution man\- small cottages in Ireland, as a precaution against this t\pe of disturbance, ha\e their front and back doors opposite each other. » h ' ^ .f ir" 'fim > . '^r -:v, .V Strona 20 I liv