Rosa Thorne's Place

Preface

The creatures referred to as fays, fe'es (accent with no separation), fairies and Faeries in Romance languages and English are by no means confined to Western European culture. Under one name or another they are found all over the world; they are more frequently met in Europe and Asia, less frequently met with in America and Africa. The Fairie concept belongs to a rather advanced stage of culture. The English attempts to translate the German Marchem or the Swedish Saga tended to group folk tales and Faerie tales into a loosely held group referred to as fairy tales, hence Cinderella is a fairy tale and so are tales of changelings (new born carried away by Faeries who leave Faerie babies in heir places). This is most unfortunate, because only a small number of stories so grouped actually have to do with Faeries.

The Faerie has the same general characteristics wherever they are found. They are usually diminutive, often very small but sometimes pygmy like. They can become invisible at will, often by putting on a magical cap. Faeries usually live underground in a burrow or under a hill, or in a heap of stones. Usually these creatures are clothed in green; sometimes his skin and hair are also green. White is also associated with Faeries, and frequently solitary Faeries are clothed in brown or gray. Faeries are rarely harmful. They delight in playing pranks; milking cows in the fields, soiling clothes on the line, appropriating food, curdling milk. But they are helpful too, for they often take food and money to the poor, give toys to children, work counter magic to break spells laid by witches. These collective inhabitants in a land should properly be called Fas (compare French fee). Hence our reference becomes standard with Faerie's).

There are two groups:1) Those who belong to the Faerie "race" or "nation" and live in fairyland in an organized society of their own. 2) The individual Faeries associated with a place, occupation, or household.

Faeries made up of individuals (group 2) are much more varied in behavior and nature. One of the most important of these is the household familiar, such as the Billy Blin of the Scottish ballads. He is about the size of a year-old child, but often has the face of an old man with a long beard, and usually wears a jaunty little cap.

Where did Faeries come from?

Throughout history, there have been hundreds of references to the very same sort of thing: the Faerie, the Fay, the 'little people', or the elf. Here are some examples.

In Iceland, it's believed that while Eve was washing her children, God spoke to her. In her surprise and awe, she hid the children she had not yet washed. God asked if all of her children were there, and she said yes. Then He said that from then on, the children hidden from Him would be hid from all mankind. They became Faerie-folk, elves, and Huldre Folk*.

In Norse mythology, it is told of how maggots emerging from the corpse of the giant Ymir transformed themselves into Light Elves and Dark Elves. The light ones were good and happy, and flew. The darks were evil, blighting, and lived underground.

Elsewhere, it is said that Faeries were fallen angels; to evil to enter heaven and to good to settle in hell. In Devon, pixies were considered the spirits of unbaptised children. But all over the world, there are different beliefs concerning Faeries and elves.

Huldre Folk - beings of Faerie with beautiful fronts, and hollowed or bark-like backs. Huldre girls are exceptionally beautiful, but often with cow's tails. And so, the Huldre Folk displays only a beautiful front, to hide their true origin.

Faerie Food

It is known that Faeries savour the most natural foodstuffs. They bake whole meal bread and drink cow's milk directly from the udder. It's known that they will take cheese or milksops as payment. In Ancient Legends of Ireland, the author, Lady Wilde, reports that the little people love milk and honey, and sip the nectar from the cups of the flowers which is their fairy wine". Giraldus Cambrensis says that Welsh Faeries ate nether flesh nor fish, but lived on a milk diet, made up into messes with saffron. Other legends go on how the Faerie kingdom needs no food nor drink but that of human recognition.

The spelling of Faerie

Fairy, faery, faerie, fayre, fayerye, and fairye. They all are correct, used in different languages and countries.

Interesting facts on little folk

 The Cornish little people have the strangest life cycle of all. Each shape-shifting operation they do results in a slight reduction to their normal size, until the last stage, whereupon the Faeries end their days as ants. That's why it is sometimes said to be unlucky to kill ants in Cornwall.

  Faeries will often steal human babies and leave a Faerie changeling in its place. Usually, the changeling will die, and then real human baby will be brought up in Faerieland. If it does not die, it may develop a wizened or deformed appearance, or be sickly and fretful, or else have a voracious appetite. The changeling can be forced to betray it's Faerie nature by various means. One is to place it on a red-hot shovel, or throw it in the fire. It would then fly up the chimney. A less brutal way is the brewing of water in empty halves of eggshells. Upon seeing this, the changeling would sit up and say; "I have seen the egg before the hen. I have seen the first acorn before the oak. But I have never seen brewing in eggshells before", thus revealing its old age. Throw it in the chimney, and the true baby will then be found on the doorstep.