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A History of Fairy Lore
The Enchantment of Fairies
By
Lillian Glockson
From the beginning of time man has believed that fate was
not entirely in his own hands, but also in the hands of all-powerful
beings, residing within an alternate dimension, separated
from our perception of time and space.
The entities believed to inhabit that plane of existence have
been countless. A very large and heavy book would be required
to recount all of their names, not to mention the variations
on their names in different countries. Let it suffice to give
only generalized references within this article for the sake
of brevity.
Even
to this day there are people who continue to believe in those
elusive masters of destiny, and who continue to perform rituals
meant to appease, just in case, for fear of the consequences
of not believing.
Although people of
every continent have embraced the supernatural at one time
or another, to the point of worshiping those entities they
thought would favor them, there has been an effort by some
to abolish all other beliefs but their own. Through disinformation
they have reshaped the public sentiment, to transform the
once benevolent into malevolent creatures that evoke fear
rather than reverence.
Such was the fate
of the Fay: The fairies of the Seely Court and the fairies
we know as nature spirits. In an unpredicted twist of circumstances,
their fortune came to rest in the hands of humankind rather
than the reverse
Where did they come
from? Were they just imaginings that took on an existence
of their own? Were they a race that is now extinct? Are they
still with us? These questions have never been conclusively
answered. Nonetheless, for the humans who share in the passionate
love of nature that fairies epitomize, and who wish to do
all they can to preserve its balance, it does not matter.
They are alive in the hearts of those who believe, and life
would not be complete without their stewardship.
Because fairies were
very real to so many of our ancestors, it is difficult to
know for sure whether or not the many tales about them were
grounded in some truth. Most people now feel that fairy stories
were just flights of fancy, but there is strong evidence in
literature that they were either a popular tool for scaring
children or enhanced accountings of actual events. Perchance
they were both. Reports of recent sightings are rare, but
fantastic rumors of fairy encounters were once numerous and
quite descriptive.
The fairies of legend
have always been with us under one name or another. Whether
or not they were ever real, it is well documented that great
caution was always used when referring to fairy-kind. The
names they were called by, such as "Gentle Folk",
were more wishful than descriptive. It was held that dealings
with the Fay could bring about either fortune or misfortune.
No one really knew for sure which it would be, so it was the
practice at least to try not to anger a fairy and at best
to find favor, just in case it was ill-tempered
The more recent trend
is to classify a fairy as light, dark, or gray - suggesting
a disposition or tendency. However, many of our ancestors
would have never dared to do so. Stories passed down on the
subject frequently reported that fairies despised those who
would attempt to define them and objected to even being called
by the name fairy or Fay. As such, they would have certainly
taken exception to being classified by human moral values.
Fairies were thought
to be the servants of nature, and it appears that the fairy
code of ethics was no more reconcilable with human morals
than would nature be herself. Nature cannot and will not follow
the moral codes we have set for ourselves, because to do so
would ensure its extinction.
Tales of the Fay often
described them as seductively alluring, as well as deadly.
Fairies were believed to be entwined within nature's driving
need to reproduce itself, to ensure species survival; and
death is as important a part of life as birth in keeping a
delicate balance. This custodianship of nature intimately
involved them in both the procreation and the decline of all
living things. They were symbolically responsible for the
renewal of life that comes with the emergence of spring.
Not unlike humans,
fairies were often attributed with extreme emotions such as
happiness, joy, anger, and rage. Perhaps that is why we tend
to judge them by our own standards. The resemblance is so
profound that it is difficult to see more than superficial
differences. It is also true that humans are part of nature
and its innocence. This makes it very tempting to see fairies
as lighter versions of ourselves, but that comparison would
be groundless. We do not truly serve nature, as fairies were
renowned for doing; we depend on nature to serve us. That
alone makes us significantly different.
It is well documented
in literature that fairies loved music and dance. In that
aspect fairies and humans have always been very much alike.
The Fay were also noted to be eternally young with childlike
qualities of curiosity and mirth, and like children they delighted
in playing pranks on the unsuspecting.
Still, life was not all gaiety and fun for their kind. Sometimes
their dancing was said to weave magical rites of the seasons,
in their service to nature. The ground where these dances
took place was considered sacred, with fairy rings marking
their places of revelry. Legend says that any humans who dared
to tread there, did so at risk of great peril.
Also well established
is that fairies instinctively distrusted humans, and for good
reason. Intrusions on their privacy seldom went unpunished,
unless of course the intruder was a child. There seemed to
be a softening of restrictions, in those instances, that can
only be indicative of nature's love of youth and beauty.
Some stories suggest
that fair human youths were once irresistible to fairies,
who were accused of spiriting away those that they favored.
Some tales speak of the fairies wishing to rescue those they
stole, from a life of cruelty and/or hardship. Indeed, those
captives were often given full fairy status and lived in luxury
within the fairy realm. An identical child, changeling, was
thought to be left in place of the stolen one, but this is
where the story turns to true horror: That child was often
tortured by its human parents, to make the fairies return
their true rightful offspring.
Of course there were
also tales written about adults being taken to Elfame (also
known as Fairy or Fairyland) as servants or mates. Once released,
they found that more time had passed in the human world then
they had realized. Time had not been perceived and they had
not aged during their stay in Elfame. The fairies living there
also did not age and were considered immortal due to their
indeterminate life-spans.
Marriages between
fairies and humans were recorded as well. Fairies remaining
in the human world had to give up their powers and live as
mortals, but children born from those unions were noted to
be greatly gifted with talent and beauty. Sometimes, after
a number of years, the fairy wife returned home to her own
people and was never seen again.
Elfame, the legendary
realm of the fairies, was renowned for being accessible through
magical portals. The entrances were thought to lie under hills,
under water, and under certain trees. The distance between
those doorways was of no consequence, as time and space did
not exist within, and any human who entered was changed forever
by the experience.
Admission into that
world was by invitation only and did not come without a price.
Going there often resulted in indefinite imprisonment, even
for guests, and trespassers were dealt with severely. Yet
for those who claimed to have visited the fairy kingdom, it
seems the price paid was not felt to be unjust.
Accounts of Elfame
described it as a resplendently dazzling land with elaborate
castles dotting magnificent farmland, rolling hills, and meadows
covered with wild flowers. Trees were heavily burdened with
exotic fruits of every kind and it was rumored that one taste
of fairy food would forever make all other food seem unpalatable.
Magnificent celebrations
were held there frequently - lavish spreads of sumptuous foods
were served on golden platters and wine was served in bejeweled
goblets - but the biggest party of the year was believed to
be held in May on the full moon. Almost every fairy attended.
The fairies were summoned
at midnight by the ringing of bluebells. They dressed in extravagant
finery made from the most exquisite cloth and embellishments.
Enchantingly beautiful music could be heard floating on the
evening breezes, and it was said that the lights from the
fairy ball could be seen sparkling through the water on those
moonlit nights.
The remarkable sights
reportedly witnessed from within the fairy world are as yet
unrivaled. Only fleeting glimpses of that same grandeur were
ever seen from outside its magical gates. The glittering jewels
and golden spires of that realm were noted to be hidden from
the eyes of those who did not possess fairy sight, an ability
to see through fairy glamour.
Tricking the human
eye, into believing whatever it sees, was easy for fairies;
and the use of glamour made that possible. Legends and stories
are filled with fairies able to hide or transform portions
of the landscape, to the dismay of travelers. They even transformed
themselves into animals and inanimate objects. In the blink
of an eye they could either disappear or disguise themselves
completely. The forms taken were limitless.
Fairies were even known to make
themselves look like humans, but the image that most readily
comes to mind is that of a tall, elegant, radiant nymph that
is lithe and beautiful with delicate wings shaped either like
a butterfly or like a dragonfly. Other popular shapes are
that of a child with wings and that of a very tiny, luminescent
being that resembles a firefly.
It is also said that
the use of fairy glamour allowed fairies to decorate themselves
however they chose. Flower fairies appeared dressed in the
same flower petals as the flowers that they tended, forest
nymphs appeared in the colors and substance of the wood, and
water sprites appeared almost as crystalline as water itself.
There were also many other variations when it came to the
choice of clothing or the lack of it.
The Fay were not always
described as having wings. Earlier stories recounted an elfin
creature endowed with a strong work ethic and/or mystical
healing powers. These were sometimes skilled master craftsmen,
able to create fabulous works of art overnight. Metalwork
was one of the more favored trades. Jewelry, armor, and legendary
weapons – all bestowed with magical properties - were
said to have been made by elfin fairies.
How ever the Fay were
described, their most outstanding and consistent quality was
that they all served nature in one way or another. They were
noted to be guardians of the forests, the trees, the flowers,
the waters, the rocks, the mountains, the children, the birds,
and all wild animals. They were friends to all gentle creatures.
For
a great number of years, stories of fairy encounters were
passed down by word of mouth or in letters; but recently scholars
have been compiling many of those tales into numerous volumes
of books. Intellectual analyses of those accounts have also
added a dimension to the fairy lore. How they lived, where
they lived, their interactions with humans, and the amazing
powers they were believed to possess are all subjects of great
speculation.
There seems to be no end to the information gathered about
fairies throughout the ages; yet we still cannot fully define
them nor conclusively establish their existence. Nevertheless,
we continue to be spellbound by them. Legends of their magical
enchantments and influences on destiny have irresistible appeal
for children and adults alike.
Despite all the time that has passed since people believed
in fairies, they still have the power to hold us captive.
COPYRIGHT 2006
The Plate Lady of Tampa Bay
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