The Fairy Mythology: Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various CountriesKeightley, Thomas
General
The Fairy Mythology: Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various Countries
Keightley, Thomas
Fairies; Fairy tales; Folk literature; Folklore
They called them the Good People, and said that their reason for
dwelling in the hills and woods was, their dislike of the vices of
towns. Hence the houses which they deigned to visit were thought to be
blest. In these houses, a tub or pail of clean water was always left
for them to bathe in. Good, however, as they were, they used to change
children. Mr. Waldron saw one of these changelings; it was nearly six
years old, but was unable to walk or even stand, or move its limbs.
Its complexion was delicate, and it had the finest hair in the world.
It never cried or spoke, and it ate scarcely anything; it rarely
smiled, but if any one called it _Fairy-elf_, it would frown and
almost look them through. Its mother, who was poor, was often obliged
to go out for whole days a-charing, and leave it by itself, and when
the neighbours would look in on it through the window, they always saw
it laughing and in great delight, whence they judged that it had
agreeable company with it, more especially as let it be left ever so
dirty, the mother on her return found it with a clean face, and its
hair nicely combed out.
_The Fairy-Chapman._
A man being desirous of disposing of a horse he had at that time no
great occasion for, and riding him to market for that purpose, was
accosted in passing over the mountains by a little man in a plain
dress, who asked him if he would sell his horse. "'Tis the design I am
going on," replied he: on which the other desired to know the price.
"Eight pounds," said he. "No," returned the purchaser, "I will give no
more than seven, which if you will take, here is your money." The
owner thinking he had bid pretty fair, agreed with him, and the money
being told out, the one dismounted and the other got on the back of
the horse, which he had no sooner done than both beast and rider sunk
into the earth immediately, leaving the person who had made the
bargain in the utmost terror and consternation. As soon as he had a
little recovered himself, he went directly to the parson of the
parish, and related what had passed, desiring he would give his
opinion whether he ought to make use of the money he had received or
not. To which he replied, that as he had made a fair bargain, and no
way circumvented nor endeavoured to circumvent the buyer, he saw no
reason to believe, in case it was an evil spirit, it could have any
power over him. On this assurance, he went home well satisfied, and
nothing afterwards happened to give him any disquiet concerning this
affair. This was told to Waldron by the person to whom it happened.
_The Fairy-Banquet._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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