The Faery Maiden of Llyn Y Fan Fach

Each year on the First of August it is said a water faerie can be seen on the surface of Llyn y Fan Fach, a mountain lake in the Myddfai region of Wales.
She is perhaps the same faerie who, in the 12th Century married a local farmer named Gwyn. He tried to catch her attention by offering a gift of bread, but she refused as it was too hard. The next day she found his bread too soft. On the third day however she found the bread to her liking and accepted his offer of marriage.
Her father said he would allow his daughter to marry a mortal if young Gwyn could tell her apart from her identical twin. Gwyn has having difficulty distinguishing between the sisters, but at last one moved her foot slightly and he recognised his love.
As a wedding gift she brought from the lake many fairy cows, sheep and horses, and they all settled on Gwyn’s farm. There was one condition the faery placed upon their marriage however, that if Gwyn should strike her three times during their life together she would leave forever. But the years that followed were happy ones and the couple had three fine sons.
Then one day, Gwyn tapped his wife on the shoulder. At this she began to weep and said he had stuck the first blow. Later at a wedding she started to sob, but when Gwyn patted her shoulder to comfort her she said he had struck the second blow. From now on Gwyn took all care to do touch his wife in any way that could be considered a blow, until one day they attended a funeral. The Faery started laughing during its course and Gwyn, embarrassed, put his hand on her arm to quiet her. This was to be the final blow, and she left her broken-hearted husband and returned under the lake’s surface with her dowry of fairy animals.
The farmer never saw his wife again, although she would sometimes come to the surface to teach her eldest son the secrets of herbal medicine. He and his descendants became the famed Physicians of Myddfai. The last of the family line descended from the farmer and the lake faery died out in the 19th Century.

The Enchanted Creations of Pixiwillow

With a background in portraiture, artist Michelle Bradshaw made the transition into sculpting nearly 10 years ago when she created a doll for her daughter. Since 2001 her miniature sculptures have been available to the rest of us via eBay. The Pixiwillow site showcases past creations including Faeries, Goblins, Sprites, Wizards, Pirates and even Hedgehogs. The animal sculpts are particularly wonderful – who could resist a cheeky little faerie riding a white mouse!
Each sculpture has amazing detail and character – some mischievous, others mysterious – but all are very, very beautiful.

Lucy Locket – For all Fairy Princesses

Lucy Locket is every little girl’s dream – pink and fluffy and sparkles galore. Here you will find pretty Fairy dresses, stationery, wands and wings, mirrors and fabulous bed canopies, and much more besides. There are also lots of Princess and Ballerina themed gifts, so you can be whatever your heart fancies. Perhaps even a Fairy Princess Ballerina!

Meet the RenFaeries

The world of the RenFaeries is a sunny one. The Florida based performance troupe has been attending festivals and celebrations in the South East United States for over 10 years. These professional faeries have made it their mission to introduce the world to the joys of being a RenFaerie, and delight young and old alike.
Their site is home to extensive galleries of previous events as well as profiles for each of the Faeries. You can also find a small shop with prints and the most adorable one of a kind fashion doll Faerie makeovers.

Icelandic Elf School

This is not a Hogwartian fantasy, there really is an Elf school in the Iceland city of Reykjavík. The school, known as Álfaskólinn in Icelandic, teaches students and visitors about the different kinds of elves that are believed to inhabit the country. The school’s founder Magnús Skarphéðinsson has created a full curriculum, text books and various certificate programmes ranging from half-day tasters to longer diplomas.
The school is also engaged in a long-term research programme into Iceland’s Hidden People and publishes papers on their findings. 10% of Icelanders believe in elves and supernatural beings, while a further 80% refuse to rule out their existence. The belief is so widespread the authorities employ folklorists as consultants in the construction industries. A new road was recently re-routed at the port of Hafnarfjordur so as to avoid a large rock thought to be home to elves.

Magpie Magazine

Issue one of Magpie Magazine is now available. It is a charming little ‘zine full of art, prose and poetry and will be sure to delight all you fair folk, hippies, frolickers, pagans and mad hatters. This first issue features art by Nedda Shishegar, Jasmine Beckett-Griffith and a whole host of other talented folk.

The Stolen Child

Where dips the rocky highland
Of Sleuth Wood in the lake,
There lies a leafy island
Where flapping herons wake
The drowsy water-rats;
There we’ve hid our faery vats,
Full of berries
And of the reddest stolen cherries.

Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world’s more full of weeping
than you can understand.

Where the wave of moonlight glosses
The dim grey sands with light,
Far off by furthest Rosses
We foot it all the night,
Weaving olden dances,
Mingling hands and mingling glances
Till the moon has taken flight;
To and fro we leap
And chase the frothy bubbles,
While the world is full of troubles
And is anxious in its sleep.

Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world’s more full of weeping
than you can understand.

Where the wandering water gushes
From the hills above Glen-Car,
In pools among the rushes
That scarce could bathe a star,
We seek for slumbering trout
And whispering in their ears
Give them unquiet dreams;
Leaning softly out
From ferns that drop their tears
Over the young streams

Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world’s more full of weeping
than you can understand.

Away with us he’s going,
The solemn eyed:
He’ll hear no more the lowing
Of the calves on the warm hillside
Or the kettle on the hob
Sing peace into his breast,
Or see the brown mice bob
Round and round the oatmeal-chest.
For he comes, the human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
From a world more full of weeping
than he can understand.

by W. B. Yeats

Nedda Shishegar & David Gough in San Diego

Fantasy artists Nedda Shishegar (one of our previous Artists of the Month) and David Gough will be making an appearance at the San Diego Renaissance Faire on August 5th and 6th. You will be able to meet the artist and buy signed prints and merchandise.

Faerie Magazine Out Now

The Summer 2006 issue is now out – featuring the art of Josephine Wall, faerie photography by Alexandria La Nier, Toadstool Farm’s fairy horses, Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle and a guide to fairy flowers, plus lots more.
If you haven’t yet seen a copy I strongly urge you to pick one up. Faerie Magazine is an absolutely beautiful publication, 100 full colour pages of faerie art, fashion and fun, and now it its second year it just gets better and better.

The World of Faeries Festival

Vasa Park (Illinois, USA) will again become faerie touched this August 5-6th for the World of Faeries Festival makes it’s return. There are lots of performers including Mediaeval music ensemble Istanpitta (pictured above), and the Swords of Valour, plus crafts and retail vendors. There will also be games and activities for younger visitors.