Cornwall’s wild landscape is home to many Faerie Folk, but the Piskies are by far the most infamous. Piskies (or as they are known elsewhere – Pixies) are solitary creatures who seem to take an equal delight in mischief making and helping farmers with their chores.
The expression ‘Pisky-led’ described how travellers returning home late at night (often after patronising the local inn) would unwittingly be led astray by Pisky lights. Most likely the unlucky wayfarer would find himself lost on the moors or stumbled into a bog, but on occasion the Piskies would take pity on the poor souls and guide them home safely.
Joan the Wad was a queen of the Piskies who achieved World-wide fame when her image was cast into lucky brass amulets, which sold in their hundreds of thousands in the early 20th century. Even today the visitor to Cornwall will find lucky Cornish Piskie charms everywhere they look, sitting cross-legged and pointy-hatted, on toadstools – and for the full-on Cornish experience – even on a pasty!