FairyWood of Brocéliande

Hi to all, Back to "whats in a name".. Much research is done and redone in ancient history. This research constitutes translation, which means crossing languages.. In the case of the Forrest of Brocéliande , Gaelic,& french language's for example.. Then different time periods also affect translation as well.This is really sometimes a great puzzle that needs to be solved as it was in the case of the location of the Forrest of Brocéliande .

I truly love reading and learning about this time period..

Enjoy this short blog about the FairyWood.

Bee

Brocéliande, is the remnant of a vast primeval forest which has been said that in the first centuries A.D. covered the interior of Brittany. The Location of the Forrest has been disputed. After doing a systematic search of the chambered cairns of the area, researchers studied all of the type called ; Clyde-Carlingford, there was only one candidate for Merlin’s Chapel on the Noquetran: the great chambered cairn on Windy Edge. The Windy Edge chambered cairn is, of course, in Dumfriesshire. It is now said with some degree of certainty that the chapel on the Noquetran is none other than the Windy Edge chambered cairn.

Photo; The great Chambered Cairn of Windy Edge.

Definition:

In this case "Cairn"--- pile of stones used as marker or as a memorial to somebody who died there.

In Gaelic, mid 16th century; "Carn" means --- "heap of stones".

Torannán is then such a location for Merlin’s mountain it would fit a earlier identification of Merlin's Forest of Broceliande (in Old French Briosque + "land"), wrongly relocated to Brittany by the French troubadours, with the -fries component of Dumfries. As this type of research is very painstaking... it falls to translation of old Gaelic ECT. A lot of good research has been done on this subject.

“It was in Broceliande that the enchantress Vivian trapped the madman/prophet in a chambered tomb.”

Lore;
Forrest of Broceliande is also known to be the place where fairies came from. The forest was also the homes of demons.

The dense shadowy forest has spawned numerous mysteries & legends including one of the most famous legends in western mythology. This enchanted region is the setting for the quest by the

Knights of the Round Table to recover the Holy Grail under orders from King devils and ghosts.
One of the best known inhabitants of the forest was Merlin the Magician. Merlin, a druid was friend & advisor to the young Arthur.

Note that the adventures of Vivienne and Merlin, Diana and Faunus, and Lancelot and Vivienne, all take place in Broceliande.

Ref; Audrey Shore Henshall’s 'The Chambered Tombs of Scotland' , Reference and Local Studies Department, Dumfries and Galloway Libraries, Information and Archives, Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Undines, Earth Gnomes, & Pixies

Water: Undines
The undines are the elemental beings that compose water. They are able to control, to a great degree, the course and function of the water element.
Etheric in nature, they exist within the water itself and this is why they can't be seen with the normal physical vision. These beings are beautiful to look at and are very graceful.
They are often seen riding the waves of the ocean. They can also be found in rocky pools and in marshlands. They are clothed in a shimmery substance looking like water but shinning with all the colors of the sea, with green predominating. The concept of the mermaid is connected with these elemental beings.
The undines also work with the plants that grow under the water and with the motion of water. Some undines inhabit waterfalls, others live in rivers and lakes. Every fountain has its nymph. Every ocean has its oceanids.
The undines closely resemble humans in appearance and size, except for those inhabiting smaller streams and ponds. The undines often live in coral caves under the ocean or on the shores of lakes or banks of rivers. Smaller undines live under lily pads.
The undines work with the vital essences and liquids of plants, animals, and human beings. They are present in everything containing water. There are many families of undines, as the chart indicates.
The ruler of the undines is a called Necksa. The undines love, serve, and honor her unceasingly. They are emotional beings, very friendly and open to being of service to human beings.
The smaller undines are often seen as winged beings that people have mistakenly called fairies. Those winged beings are seen near flowers that grow in watery areas. They have gossamer wings and gossamer clothing.

Subgroups ;
Limoniades,Mermaids,Naiads,Oceanid,Oreads,Potamide,Sea Maids,& Water Spirits.

Earth Gnomes
The nature spirits of the Earth are called Gnomes.

Subgroups; Brownies,Dryads,Durdalis,Earth Spirits,Elves,Hamadryads,Pans,Pygmies,Sylvestres, & Satyrs.

Pixies (or Piskies as they are sometimes known in Cornwall) are mythical creatures of folklore, considered to be particularly concentrated in the areas around Devon and Cornwall, suggesting some Celtic origin for the belief and name. In regional dialect, these mischievous little folk are sometimes referred to as piskies/piskeys or the little people. They are usually depicted as wingless, with pointed ears, and often wearing a green outfit and pointed hat.

Fire and Air

Fire: Salamanders

The salamanders are the spirit of fire. Without these beings, fire cannot exist. You cannot light a match without a salamander's being present. There are many families of salamanders, differing in size, appearance, and dignity. Some people have seen them as small balls of light, but most commonly they are perceived as being lizard-like in shape and about a foot or more in length.

The salamanders are considered the strongest and most powerful of all the elementals. Their ruler is a magnificent flaming being called Djin. Those who have seen him say that he is terrible, yet awe-inspiring in appearance.

Salamanders have the ability to extend their size or diminish it, as needed. If you ever need to light a campfire in the wilderness, call to the salamanders and they will help you.

It has also been said that salamanders (and the other elemental beings) can be mischievous at times. For example, a fiery temper and inharmonious conditions in a person's home can cause these beings to make trouble. They are like children in that they don't fully understand the results of their actions. They are greatly affected, as are all nature spirits, by human kind's thinking.

Air: Sylphs

The sylphs are the air spirits. Their element has the highest vibratory rate of the four (beside earth, fire, water). They live hundreds of years, often reaching one thousand and never seeming to get old. They are said to live on the tops of mountains.

The leader of the sylphs is a being called Paralda who is said to dwell on the highest mountain of Earth.
Sylphs often assume human form but only for short periods of time. The vary in size from being as large as a human to being much smaller. They are volatile and changeable. The winds are their particular vehicle. The work through the gases and ethers of the Earth and are kindly toward humans.
They are usually seen with wings, looking like cherubs or fairies. Because of their connection to air, which is associated with the mental aspect, one of their functions is to help humans receive inspiration. The sylphs are drawn to those who use their minds, particularly those on creative arts.

The 4 Elements

Elemental Kingdom

There are four basic elements of nature: fire, air, earth, and water. Within each of the four elements are nature spirits that are the spiritual essence of that element. They are made up of etheric substance that is unique and specific to their particular element. They are living entities often times resembling humans in shape but inhabiting a world of their own.
The beings in the Elemental Kingdom work primarily on the mental plane and are known as "builders of form." Their specialty is translating thought-forms into physical forms by transforming mental patterns into etheric and then physical patterns. Each of them is a specialist in creating some specific form whether it be an electron or interstellar space.
Elementals range in size from smaller than an electron to vaster than galactic space. Like the angels, elemental beings begin their evolution small in size and increase their size as they evolve. The elementals serving on planet Earth materialize whatever they pick up from the thoughts and feelings of mankind. This relationship was intended to facilitate the re manifestation of "heaven on Earth."
They take their orders from the devas.
They do not remain individualized as humans are. These beings are animated by the thought power of the lower angels and so are thought forms of sorts.
They may be etheric thoughts forms, yet they have etheric flesh, blood, and bones. They live, propagate off spring, eat, talk, act, and sleep. They cannot be destroyed by frosser material elements such as fire, air, earth, and water because they are etheric in nature. they are not immortal. When their work is finished they are absorbed back into the ocean of spirit. They do live a very long time--300 to 1,000 years.
They have the power to change their size and appearance almost at will. They cannot, however, change elements.

Natures Spirits & the Garden

Flowers
All the names I know from nurse: Gardener's garters, Shepherd's purse, Bachelor's buttons, Lady's smock, And the Lady Hollyhock.
Fairy places, fairy things, Fairy woods where the wild bee wings, Tiny trees for tiny dames-- These must all be fairy names!
Tiny woods below whose boughs Shady fairies weave a house; Tiny tree-tops, rose or thyme, Where the braver fairies climb!
Fair are grown-up people's trees, But the fairest woods are these; Where, if I were not so tall, I should live for good and all.

~Robert Louis Stevenson ~

Hi to all, For millennia there have been garden legends of malevolent and benevolent spirits that influence a garden's productivity, and even the health and welfare of the gardeners themselves.

Ancient Slavic garden legends speak of Kikomora and Polodnuci who, if not appeased, would wreak havoc in the garden or on the fields.

The Aztecs and Mayans feared the wrath of the garden gods and offered human sacrifices to appease them.

On a more positive side, in Findhorn, Scotland, a community was established in the early 1960's (and still exists today) with the belief that the area was ripe with spirits called 'Deva'. If you did what the 'Deva' asked you would be blessed with gigantic produce. Pictures of these products actually exist, including 40 pound cabbages and the like. But was it supernatural assistance or good gardening practices that resulted in these phenomena?

Devas are part of the Angelic Kingdom and are in direct service to
the world of nature expressing themselves as one of the 4 elements.
They exist in the ethereal world which runs parallel to our own.
They can be seen or felt intuitively or through the lens of a camera.

Thus I will start with a short descriptive series of blogs on Nature Spirits.

I will begin today with a short expalnition.

Many Sparkles

Bee

NATURE SPIRITS

To 'talk telepathcally with nature spirits is to understand that they were created to help restore the balance of nature as humanity is bi-polar and in a constant state of destruction. The destrucrion of the exco-systems around the world - the Amazon ran forests - are just example.

There are those of us who love the gentle and compassionate frequencies of many nature spirits - working with them - or just being in their energies as we move towards the evolution of consciousness.
Nature Spirits are one way that allows human consciousness to connect beyond the physical and otherstand other realms.

Pan is the God of the nature spirits. He is half man and half goat.

The nature spirits are for the most part composed of etheric matter. Their job is to build the plants. They channel the etheric forces ( a medium formerly believed to fill the atmosphere and outer space and to carry electromagnetic waves --> send a message across the ether--->14th century - Via Latin -Greek - aither- "upper air" .

May is Fairy Month

The month of May is tradition­ally associated with the fairies, and interactions between this world and the fairy realm. In Celtic folklore, human beings venture forth to meet with both mortal, and fairy lovers. If you desire this type of relationship, carry talismans of protection that will allow you to return to this world. These Scottish lyrics tell of a union with a fairy lover — use them if you dare.

Wine of the wort
I'll give to thee,
Well I'll love thee,
Under the plaid,
If you come home with me
To the fairy knoll.

I was last night In the meadow,

Drinking ale with the Beguiling one.
I left my love in the doorway Of the fairy bower

With eyes like a star, and a voice like a Stringed instrument
My green-clad love Of the mist.

I must add this tid bit. Maybe some of you can try this next year?

In the month of April on Betane Eve try this "Beltane Eve Fairy Spell".

On the eve of Beltane the fairies are out in force. this is a fairy spell to work in your own garden or backyard. Gather together violets, St. John's wort, and clover. The violets are a fairy favorite. The St. John's wort will protect you from becoming fairy-led or tricked, and the clover is for prosperity and good luck. Gather these plants together, forming a little posy, and then tie it up with green ribbons. Blow the fair­ies a kiss and leave the posy as a gift. Now go and sit in the garden and try to meditate or to communicate with the fairies.

Say to yourself;

Fairies from far and wide,

I offer you a gift,

Tied up in green for luck,

And sealed with a kiss.

I can sense you If I'm pure of heart,

Bless me with good luck and sooth my dreaming heart.

Fae Folk

Hi to all, I love this history / Lore??

ENJOY!!

Bee

The Faery and the Celts - from hostility to mutual love

The subtitle for this topic is misleading, for the Faan (also called the Fae) in what is now France do not seem to have opposed the Celts. The Faan were a Mesopotamian people who had settled in the area during the fifth millennium, and the Celts were Caucasians from Scythia (see 'Origin of the Celts'). Evidence in the Marne valley shows that integration occurred at an early date, and Wales is still peopled by a Faan/Celtic mix, descendants of central European Celts who had moved north from what is now France around 500 B.C. The integrated people of Britain took the old Faan name of 'Prydaan', but they had many Celtic attributes.

*~*

The Gaels were looking at Ireland as early as 800 B.C. These people had not arrived via central Europe like their cousins in France, but had taken a Mediterranean route, picking up an Egyptian princess on their travels. They included among them descendants of a man named 'Black Mil', whose black hair must have been noticeable among his predominantly red haired neighbours. Mil's brother Ith travelled to the island on a reconnaissance mission. It had been settled by Athenians from Greece who were relatives of the Faan. The dominant people of their kind upon the island, they had adopted the Faan religion and (like the British Faan) called themselves 'extra Fae' or 'Fae Rhy' (Faery). However, they retained a Mediterranean aggression in defending their land. They killed Ith, thereby absolving the Gaels of any obligation to approach them diplomatically.

*~*

Incensed, the Gaels invaded. The Bronze Age Athenians were no match for Iron Age Caucasians in open battle. But during the carnage, something happened that filled the Gaels with remorse. A Faery queen named Eire, the only one of her kind to welcome Ith, had been killed. Sadly the conquerors named their new home 'Ileann Eireaan', the Island of Eire, and the Island of Eire it has been ever since.

*~*

Their rage against her people was unaffected, however, and the Gaels began to hunt down their vanquished foe. Fortunately, this savagery was halted when the fugitives dried up their cattle and ruined their land. A truce was declared. Some of the Faery who were part Briton decided to leave. They are called 'Lleuanaan', perhaps because of their Lleuaaniaid ancestry (see 'Arthur'). But the full blooded Athenians decided to stay. The Gaels promised to leave them alone if they lived as refugees in their chamber tombs. They must have lived more or less in hiding (or at least in avoidance of the Gaels) for fully eight centuries, because a peace was not made between the two peoples until around the time of Christ. Pookha rebels of the Faery preyed upon the Gaels at night. There must have been problems with Celts in Britain too, for the guerrilla war was fought on both islands.

*~*

The man who changed everything in Ireland was Cuchulainn. A descendant of the Faery king Lleu (see 'The United Kingdom') and son of a Gaelic princess who lived with the Faery, he was 'given' to the Gaels of Uillaid in the sense that it was it his geise (duty imposed by another's mention of the word) to defend them at any cost. Because he was a man of war, he forged a peace that will never end and a love that will never die. Because he was a Gael, he brought the Faery back into their own and created what Ireland is today.

*~*

In the north of Britain the last migration of Gaels arrived via Ireland, where they had taken wives from among the Scots, descendants of the aforementioned Egyptian princess. Some of this last migration (the Miathians) integrated with the Prydaan, while in the farthest northern reaches others (the Caledonians) integrated with the Atecotti ('very old ones'), the original inhabitants who had long ago been Volsungrs from Scandinavia. The combined people were called 'Picts' by the Romans and 'Cruithne' by the Scots. Both words mean 'painted', but a Roman account says that the paint was under the skin, i.e. tattooing.

*~*

Not long before the Roman empire occupied Britain, Belgic Celts (part Germanic and part central European Celt) invaded in the southeast, forcing the Faan/Celtic people westward, where they built fortresses on man made islands. The unintegrated Faan probably retreated into the forest and were saved when the Romans wiped out the Belgic Celts. The invaders reached Ireland, however, where they have been confused with the Fir Bolg (see 'The United Kingdom').

*~*

In the second century A.D. the Romans planned to invade Ireland. By this time the Ui Niall dynasty had become High Kings on the island, and the Scots of Dalriada in Ireland had journeyed to what is now called Scotland, to unite with the Picts and eventually take them over. The Romans were prevented from invading Ireland by the High King's personal army, led by the Volsungr hero Finn McCuill.

*~*

The Ui Nialls, who took over much of Ireland, swore in their High King with a ceremony that symbolized the peace between the Caucasians and the little people. During this ceremony, the High King stood with one foot upon the hide of a red bull and the other upon the Faery coronation stone, standing as a bridge uniting the two. The Gaels acknowledged the stone's geissidh to the king of Ireland, i.e. its significance as an expression of his geise to rule well, and it stood as a reminder to him, calling out to him in spirit. By this time the Faery were asking the Gaels for help with their own conflicts, and many people were of mixed descent. Amid all the advantages of peace, the Caucasians discovered that the two cultures were incompatible regarding one issue, and that was the institution of the geise. The Faery controlled themselves, not each other, and refused to be bound by this extreme measure, which had been necessitated by Caucasian warfare. For the first time the Gaels had to make a concession.

*~*

Converts from the wizards of the Faan were among the earliest Christians, and their Church dates from as early as 37 A.D. The teachings of Jesus greatly resembled those of the Zoroastrian magi; the wizards were the magi of the north, and may have been joined by some of the Ephraimite magi, who were Zoroastrians. The wizards' high council made the revolutionary decision to convert to Christianity. The entire organization of the wizardry became the administration of their Church, which was associated with the Coptic Church.

*~*

From its inception, the administrative network of the Roman Church was modelled upon that of the wizards, who had been influential in northern Italy, and this became powerful after the reign of Constantine. The Romans had never been coercive unless their political rule was opposed, at which time they slaughtered all rebels. They made a famous exception of Christianity, which they persecuted until they finally succumbed to its persuasion. I can only assume that the ex-wizards dominating the early Church were both discreet and tenacious. When the Roman Church triumphed after the death of Constantine, it did not adopt a rivalrous attitude toward the Coptics, for the two organizations genuinely shared a common cause in those days, which would not be corroded until the Roman Church was taken over by Goths in the fourth century A.D.

*~*

When the Celtic Druids opposed Christianity, monks of the wizard tradition became missionaries to the Celts. The most famous were St. Columba, St. Patrick and St. David. Their courage and dedication earned them undying love in the nations which they converted. When the Roman Church became Gothic, the wizards' network was adopted in Germanic nations where Faan society had been broken down. But when Franks took over the Roman Church, the inheritors of the wizard tradition would be replaced as the new rulers rejected Coptic influences.

Seeing Fairies in the Fairy garden

"No fairies", said my mother "There are no fairies, dear!" But, oh, I wish my mother Would stop with me to hear, The lily bells in evening chime, And see the dew drops gleam, And notice how the mosses bend With green weight near a stream. I wish she'd watch the grasses dance And see the flowers nod, And look at places tiny feet Have worn away in sod, And then, though she'd not seen them, I think she'd change her mind. It doesn't mean "no fairies" Because they're hard to find. "

HUMmmmmmm? I agree~

Yet myths and legends still endure in secretive corners of our society. One such vestige is found in our gardens. Legends of garden magic have been around for centuries, and still persist today despite the exponential knowledge we have gained. Perhaps it’s because our gardens are one of the last aspects of our lives that remain close to nature itself, relatively untouched by technology and science (or so we like to believe). It’s as though we want to believe there’s still some magic at work in our gardens.
For millennia there have been garden legends of malevolent and benevolent spirits that influence a garden's productivity, and even the health and welfare of the gardeners themselves. Ancient Slavic garden legends speak of Kikomora and Polodnuci who, if not appeased, would wreak havoc in the garden or on the fields. The Aztecs and Mayans feared the wrath of the garden gods and offered human sacrifices to appease them. On a more positive side, in Findhorn, Scotland, a community was established in the early 1960's (and still exists today) with the belief that the area was ripe with spirits called 'Deva'. If you did what the 'Deva' asked you would be blessed with gigantic produce. Pictures of these products actually exist, including 40 pound cabbages and the like. But was it supernatural assistance or good gardening practices that resulted in these phenomena?

So with that said .. Here is a fairy call to try;

Sit where the cat sits.
Cross your toes.
Close your eyes.
And smell a rose.

Then say under your breath:
"I believe in Fairies, sure as death.
Gadflykins! Gladtrypins!
Gutterpuss and Cass!
Come to me fairily
Each lad and lass!"
*~*

Much Sparkles

BEE

Pixie Lore

Hi to all. It seems these mischievous creatures have hacked my blog<-- Re; the most recent blog post of "Cinco De Mayo" dated as March fifth -->instead of -->May 5th. I had pre -- prepared it, and the last thing I did yesterday was change the month for that post, and saved it as a draft?

Seems the "Pixies" had other ideas and did not want this post blogged about their tricks and tendencies!!! This is the post that was suppose to be here yesterday..

Bee Buzzing -- looking for pixies and brownies in her study!!



Tiny, lithe, winged trouble makers from the moors of Cornwall, England, Pixies have a colorful background. There are several myths and legends surrounding Pixies and their origins. One such myth is that Pixies were originally Druids who resisted Christianity, it's said the more they resisted the smaller they grew.. One other legend claims Pixies were once humans, who in the after life, weren't good enough to get into heaven, yet not bad enough for Hell. Destined to roam the earth for eternity they adapted.
Pixies dwell in the twilight, between day and night, between the heavens and the earth, between the conscious and the unconscious... where all things are possible, where our past and future meet, where we meet ourselves coming back. When we dance with the pixies, we dance with the reflections of our true selves and the true nature of the world.
Pixies love to dance. Their music is the most haunting and beautiful ever heard by human ears. Music filled with ancient sadness, as sweet as fresh honey, deeply sensual, with rhythms that are tranquil one moment, demented the next. Because of the limitations of the human ear, it is a music that is more felt then heard. Pixies often dance in circles, leaving rings of flattened grass to mark the sites of their midnight revels-- or circles of toadstools springing up where Pixie feet have trod.


Pixie have many abilities, cunning and mischievous they are normally looking for trouble of some sort. A Pixie is merely the size of a mortal mans hand, but they do have the ability to shift to full grown human size, possibly a left over gift from their days as humans. Their relationship with mortals is a tricky one at best, Pixies enjoy playing tricks, teasing mortals. "Pixie-led", an enchantment of sorts over a mortal, causing them to wander aimlessly through the forest, muttering in strange tongues. Some poor souls are never found...Pixie-led and never seen again. To ward off this fate, tis common for mortals to wear their coats inside out and backward...to confuse the Pixies...really it just makes the Pixies laugh. Farmers have been known to try and humor the Pixies by leaving sweetened milk out for them and sweeping their hearths for Pixie dancing.
Pixies are deeply rooted in magic, resistant to any but their own but because of their size they are very vulnerable to the cold. Of all the races, pixies are among the most intelligent, very wise and dexterous, they know few equals. A pixie can be your best friend or your worst enemy, being the holders of the secret of pixie dust; which they can use to make themselves invisible or put others to sleep, is one of their greatest weapons. Pixies may not be physically strong but attacking one would be ill advised, as pixies are very close knit and loving of one another, attacking one brings on the wrath of all.

"And the Fairies are rhythmic creatures. "They may not be approached through prose alone. The pulse of fairy-life beats in swaying rhythmic verse. So in this book will be found tales of Elves and witchery strung like precious fairy jewels on a gossamer thread of pale moonbeam, alternating with tiny beads of clan song, madrigal, and charm. And this wonder necklace, this chain of fairy gems flashing with morning dew, may it delight our children by its freshness."
-Frances Jenkins Olcott, "Wonder Tales from Fairy Isles", 1929.

Catkin Lore

Hi to All, Well spring is slowly coming on here at Ravenswood. While I was out trimming the burg's I spied a few "catkins" peaking out from the branches of my white willow tree. I had to trim--> but I preserved a few for a vase on my table to bloom as the days go by.. Pussy Willows one of my favorites..

Polish Legend:

Many spring times ago a kindle of kittens was chasing butterflies by the riverbank. So enchanted were they by the game that when the butterflies flew out across the river they failed to heed their mother's warnings. One after the other they fell into the churning waters.Frantic, the mother cat ran along the bank calling to her drowning kittens. The willows at the river's edge heard her plaintive cries and longing to help her swept their long graceful branches into the waters to rescue the tiny kittens. One by one the kittens found a branch and gripping tightly they were brought safely to shore. From that day to this, and for each springtime to come, the branches of the willow tree sprout tiny fur-like buds at their tips where the tiny kittens once clung.

More Lore;

A witch's cat came to be called a ?grimalkin?. The Scottish goddess of witches was called ?Mither o' the Mawkins?, a mawkin or malkin being either a cat or a hare. Originally a gremalkin was a gray cat. Later the term came to refer to the "pussies" or "catkins" on a pussy willow, as well as to the witch's cat.

Faeries; Their also known as-->

Here are other names for the Faerie as seen in literature, as well as common names from around the world.

Fays - early form of the word
Fair Family/Fair Folk - Welsh nickname
Farisees/Pharisees - Suffolk nickname
Fary - Northumberland nickname
Fees - Upper Brittany nickname
Feriers/Ferishers - another Suffolk nickname
Frairies - Norfolk and Suffolk version
Good Neighbors - Scottish and Irish nickname
Good People - Irish reference to the Sidhe
The Green Children - Faerie reference in medieval literature
Greencoaties - Lincolnshire Fen version
Greenies - Lancashire nickname
The Grey Neighbors - Shetland nickname for the Trows
Henkies - Orkney and Shetland nickname for Trows
Klippe - Forfarshire nickname
Li'l Fellas - Manx nickname
The Old People - Cornish nickname
People of Peace - Irish reference to the Sidhe
Pigsies/Piskies - Cornwall variations of Pixies
Sith/Si - Gaelic variations of Sidhe
Sleigh Beggey - Manx language version of Little Folk
The Small People of Cornwall - Cornwall variation
Still-Folk - Scottish Highland version
Themselves/They/Them that's in it - Manx replacements for "Faerie"
Verry Volk - Gower (Wales) nickname
Wee Folk - Scottish and Irish nickname

Did you know that the difference between Angel wings and Faerie wings are;

Angels wings are like birds, and Faeries are like butterflies...

Faeries favorite plants

Hi All, With springs speedy approach..--> OK I am a optimist! But I have new growth on all my native trees here so that is a sure sign.. that spring approachs..

I thought this blog on the Fae's favorite plants could ad those who would like to start a fairy garden this year or just add a few faerie lures to their garden.

Sparkles

Bee

Foxglove

Name is derived from "Little Folks' Glove". Florets are worn by Faeries as hats and gloves.

Primroses

Make the invisible visible. Eating them lets you see Faeries. If one touches a Faerie rock with the correct number of primroses in a posy, the way to faerieland and Faerie gifts is made clear. The wrong number means certain doom.

Ragwort

Used as makeshift horses by the Faerie.

Wild Thyme

Part of a recipe for a brew to make one see the Faeries. The tops of the Wild Thyme must be gathered near the side of a Faerie hill.

Cowslips

These are loved and protected by the Faeries. They help one to find hidden Faerie gold.

Pansies

the flower that was used as a love potion by Oberon, a Faerie king thought to have been invented by Shakespeare.

Bluebell

One who hears a bluebell ring will soon die. A field of bluebells is especially dangerous, as it is intricately interwoven with Faerie enchantments.

Clover

A four-leafed one may be used to break a Faerie spell.

St. John's Wort

Has a calming effect, used when stress is overwhelming. Helps break spells as well.

Hazel

Celtic legend says it is the receptacle of knowledge; the hazelnut is a symbol of fertility in England.

White Oak Bark

Cleanses and tones entire alimentary canal (tract that food passes through from ingestion to elimination), excellent astringent. Good for external and internal hemorrhage - bleeding in stomach, lungs, rectum.

Rowan

Protects against bad spirits. Used in butter churns so that the butter would not be overlooked by Faeries. Bewitched horses may be controlled by a rowan whip. Druids used rowan wood for fires with which they called up spirits whom could be forced to answer questions when rowan berries were spread over the flayed hides of bulls.

Buckthorn

Made from bark, aids liver congestion, helps to carry blood and liver toxins out of the body. Good for gall stones, lead poisoning.

Oak

Oakmen are created when a felled oak stump sends up shoots. One should never take food offered by them since it is poisonous.

Willow

At night they uproot themselves and stalk travelers, muttering at them.

Elder

Sometimes is a witch disguised as a tree. Never lay a baby in an elder wood cradle or the Faeries will pinch them so they bruise. Burning elder wood is dangerous since it invites the Devil.

Birch

If the spirit of the birch tree (The One With the White Hand) touches a head it leaves a white mark and the person turns insane. If it touches a heart, the person will die.

Alder

Protected by water spirits.

Apple

To ensure good harvests, leave the last apple of your crop for the Apple-Tree-Man.

Ash

Druids wands were made of ash twigs. It also has healing properties. Weak-limbed children were passed through split ash trees which were then bound up. If the tree grew straight, the child would as well. Also may be used as a substitute for Rowan.

Toadstools

Some have poisonous hallucinogenic properties. The Vikings ate it and gain their reputations as berkerkers. In Celtic lore, they are among the food of the gods, as with many red plants. Some toadstools associated with the Faerie are Fly Agaric, Yellow Fairy Club, Slender Elf Cap, Dune Pixie-Hood, and Dryad's Saddle.

Fairy Ring Mushroom

Marks the boundaries of Faerie rings.

TIP;

Roses

Roses seem to attract the wee ones in a powerful way. If you wear rose oil when seeking the Fae Folk, they will be drawn to you despite their wish. A rose water preparation can be made to bathe in before doing any rite of the Fairy Tradition. It is traditionally made by taking 21 measures of rose petals and steeping them in a copper kettle with a lid. They should be left to soak for the space of full moon to full moon. This rose water can be used to scent the body and hair and as "holy water" in works of Faerie Magic.

Fairy Dress's for Midsummer Nights Eve

Hi All, With Midsummer Eve's fast approach. I thought the fairies needed new gowns for the all night Gala. Here are four choices.. I think they are lovely.. These are designer gowns by; " Fairie-Ality The House of LLwand..
Sparkles
Bee

The Fairy Ball
In the East the Sunshine Castle sparkled with golden light A Fairy Ball for one and all was scheduled for that night The fairy folk cleaned the hall and dressed all to a "T". Suits and dresses, curling tresses, from the biggest to the most tiny But one little fairy, Chloe, in a rosebud, took a rest While her fairy sisters and brothers prepared for each guest. The clock struck nine, the party began and the fairy folk danced through the door,The rosebud opened for a look at the fun and Chloe fell Plop! on the floor! "Oh My! Oh My!" she began to cry"I'm not ready for the ball!" But from a Wise One's wink, Chloe changed in a blink to the fairest fairy of all!

Author Unknown

Leanan Sidhe ; The Muse

*~* Leanan Sidhe the Myth and Lore*~*

The translation of her name hold the first clue to who and what she is. The words are Gaelic and refer to "faery muse". "Leanan" means the love of my soul or spirit...my inspiration. "Sidhe" is the word for a faery. In Irish poetic tradition, she was the muse who appeared to the bard as the "Aisling" or vision. In his vision he meets her on a hillside and she then inspires music or poetry that has an otherworldly sadness and regret for the glorious past of the Irish. For those who settled the Celtic Countries, this could be a later translation of contact with the women of the Sidhe. The Sidhe are an ancient race who once made their home on the Green Islands long before the coming of the Irish. A race that remains to this day, an unannounced yet vital influence upon the imagination.

Leanan Sidhe is a powerful muse who bestows a gift; the ability to create a work of art, music, or poetry with great depth of feeling. The price of her dark and delicate gift is often a sorrow or heartbreak that is born of obsession. An artist may be spent as furiously as he draws from his source, hence the mythos of the artist who when possessed of the Leanan Sidhe lives a brilliant but brief life. Her true purpose is revealed in the creative works she inspires in poets, painters, and musicians. She is an empath who is compelled to inspire love and despair, longing and desire. She teaches the beauty and power of such emotion and that all such feeling is vital to creation with many dark nights of the soul required to convey the sorrow of her history.
She is intelligence and creativity, art and magic. In this earthly realm, so embraced with fear of the erotic and the sensual, it is no wonder she who is the embodiment of these very qualities, has been considered dangerous and evil, as many woman have been considered evil who revel in their mystery, power and dark exotic beauty.

Leanan Sidhe is often quoted as meaning "the fairy mistress" or the "fairy sweetheart". She is a the famous Celtic muse with such a dark and unearthly beauty that her lover was often distraught with longing and suffering for her absence. In legend, the Leanan Sidhe often takes an artist for a lover, hence the title "the fairy sweetheart". It is said that her lover gives her the vital depth of emotion that she craves and she in turn inspires his genius.
He is the artist, who lost without his inspiration, unable to create his works of art and compositions of song, suffers in a deep depression and sometimes commits suicide or gives up his creative work in despair. Yet an artist who has lost the connection to his muse has failed to honor and nurture the gift he has been given. The role of the artist in the loss of his muse is not often considered or understood. The self destructive nature of many inspired artists probably lent itself to the misconception that she was evil and dangerous. Evil is not darkness, for darkness she is, and she can also be dangerous and destructive. When her gift is honored and nurtured, she shines as a luminous light in the darkness. For those who understand her true nature, who do not idolize or fear her, she is a sliver of moonlight in the blackest night.
The most common and widespread myth attached to Leanan Sidhe is that she is a vampirish spirit who attaches herself to one man. To this man, an artist or poet, she appears irresistibly beautiful, and if he is seduced by her, he is ruined body and soul. This misunderstanding is not in keeping with her original purpose and is only as recent as Medieval Scotland when she was associated with the Christian superstition of the succubi. It was popularized in print by the poet W.B. Yeats who claimed that she was a "blood sucking vampire" This was a dramatic touch, but is more likely a symptom of the Victorian obsession with succubi along with a bit of poetic license. Unfortunately, most research on the subject of Leanan Sidhe goes back no farther than the account Yeats held of her. There is a rich and enduring history and deeper meaning to the name Leanan Sidhe that is much more interesting than the popular vampire fantasies.

Feast of the Cold Sophie

Many of the old weather rules are forgotten. Nowadays, we rather rely on the weather forecast of radio and television. The "Ice Saints" Pankratius, Servatius and Bonifatius as well as the "Cold Sophie" are known for a cooling trend in the weather between 12th and 15th of May. For centuries this well-known rule had many gardeners align their plantings after it. Observations of weather patterns over many years have shown, however, that a drop in temperature occurs frequently only around May 20. Are the "Ice Saints" not in tune anymore? The mystery solution is found in the history of our calendar system: Pope Gregory VIII arranged a calendar reform in 1582, whereby the differences of the Julian calendar could be corrected to the sun year to a large extent. The day of the "Cold Sophie" (May 15) was the date in the old calendar and corresponds to today's May 22. Therefore the effects of the "Ice Saints" is felt in the time span of May 19-22. Sensitive transplants should only be put in the garden beds after this date.
"For some gardeners, the next three days are quite special. May 11, 12 and 13 are the feast days of saints Mamertius, Pancras (or Pancratius) and Gervais (or Gervatius). These three are known as the Three Chilly Saints, not because they were cold during their lifetimes, but because these days are traditionally the coldest of the month. According to folklore, these days were most likely to bring a late frost. In Germany, they were called the "Eismänner", or Icemen Days, and people believed it was never safe to plant until the Icemen were gone.

Today, most of us feel quite comfortable planting during the long weekend in May. But some gardeners, like Grandma, never put annuals in until after the full moon in May. This year the full moon was quite early in the month, next moon is not until the 30th.

By the way, the full moon in May is the Full Planting Moon or the Full Grass Moon.

I don't think I'll be able to hold off quite that long, but I will wait until the Icemen are gone."

:-)

Bee

The many stories of Rhiannon

Rhiannon, Celtic Goddess of the moon and inspiration. The enchanting fairy princess who rode so swiftly that no horseman could catch her, loved and chose to marry a mortal king of Wales. Accused of murdering their infant son, Rhiannon bore her humiliating punishment with a grace and dignity that melted the hearts of her adopted countrymen.
Eventually proven innocent, Rhiannon was reunited with her husband and son and restored to her throne. Later the Celtic Goddess Rhiannon became the famous Lady of the Lake who, in the legends of Camelot, gave Arthur the magical sword called Excalibur.



Rhiannon (her name is either "Maid of Annwn" or a variant of Rigatona, "Great Queen"), a version of the horse goddess Epona and of sovereignity. She was mistress of the Singing Birds. She appeared to Pwyll lord of Dyfed, as a beautiful woman in dazzling gold on a white horse. Pwyll sent his fastest horsemen after her, but could not catch her. On the third day, he spoke and she told him she wanted to marry him instead of her espoused husband Gwawl. Pywll was to meet her in a year and a day.
He won her at the court of her father, Hefeydd the Old, by her aid. She bore Pwyll a son, who vanished. Her women killed a puppy and smeared its blood on her, to avoid blame at the child's loss. As punishment, Rhiannon spent seven years telling her story to all comers and bearing them, like a horse, to the court.
The child, meanwhile, turned up at the court of Teyrnon, whose mares foaled on May eve and lost the foals mysteriously. When Teirnon kept watch, he saved a foal from a mysterious beast and also discovered, outside the stable, a child, whom he and his wife adopted. Then child grew to young manhood in seven years, and was given the foal rescued on the night he was found. Teirnon recognised the child as the son of Pwyll and returned him to his family, where he was named Pryderi ("worry") by his mother.
Later, after Pwyll's death, Rhiannon married Manawydan, brother of Bran and Branwen and son of Llyre a great magician. One day, all of Dyfed turned into a wasteland, and only Rhiannon, Manawydan, Pryderi, and his wife Cigfa, were spared. Manawydan and Pryderi were out hunting following an enormous white boar into a caer,( caer or kaer was a royal residence during the 1st millennium AD or earlier. Caer can be loosely translated castle or palace or fort)where Pryderi saw a golden bowl; when he touched it, he was en - spelled. Rhiannon went after him and fell under the same spell the caer then vanished, taking them with it. She was rescued when Manawydan captured the wife of their enemy, Llwyd, who was taking revenge for the ill treatment of Gwawl.

My New Girls

Hi All, Well my Mays Days Eve so far has turned out great. I received my Fairies from England this morning very unexpected.. I also received flower starts from my friend Casdo that are very special.To top it off I received my KF Fairy wishing ball necklace today it is so cool*~* it lights up so bright I can use it like a flash light.. It will be great tonight when go out to watch the moon on this Beltane Eve.. Let me introduce you to my new girls... Rhiannon,( sitting) Leanan, & Honey. They are all currently enjoying their place near the carnations on my dinning table..
Sparkles & Spring flowers
Bee