Doon Hill and the Reverend Robert Kirk
The Reverend Robert Kirk, a seventh son said to have been gifted with second sight, wrote the Secret Commonwealth of Elves Fauns and Fairies in 1691. The extraordinary book explores the nature and social structure of a race of supernatural beings, or fairies, that inhabited Doon Hill in Aberfoyle. The church where he served as Minister stands nearby, and Kirk would take daily walks there for exercise. In 1692 his dead body was discovered on the hill, having apparently collapsed whilst on his daily stroll. The story goes that shortly after his burial Kirk appeared to his cousin, Graham of Duchray, and informed him he was in fact not dead, but a prisoner in Fairyland. His release could be obtained at the baptism of his posthumous child, when his apparition would appear. Duchray was instructed to throw a knife over the apparition to ensure Kirk’s escape. However when the time came and Kirk duly appeared in the room his cousin, whether though surprise or terror, neglected to throw the knife and Kirk disappeared again.
To this day Robert Kirk’s spirit is said to be held in the Fairy realm, or else imprisoned in a tree standing on Doon Hill known as the Ministers Pine. The tree is festooned with ribbons and rags bearing wishes and petitions to the Fairies, an old custom practised in many places. The church now stands in ruins, but on the southeast side visitors can see a memorial to Robert Kirk, although this was only erected in 1793, a hundred years after his death!
Photo courtesy John Webster.
Filed under Faerylore | Comment (0)The Fairy Island
There was said to be a fairy island on Llyn Cwn Llwch, near the Brecon Beacons in Wales. The island was invisible from the shore but once a year, on May Day, a door would open on a rock on the lakeshore. Going through this door would give mortals access to the cave and tunnel under the lake, thus allowing them to visit the island to join in the Faeries May Day revels. This practice continued for many years, until one man took a flower from the island and brought it back to the shore. The Faeries, angry at the thief, closed the door and it has never opened since.
Filed under Faerylore | Comments (2)Where is Faerieland?
An elusive island, an ancient site, the depths of the forest or at the bottom of your garden – just were do the Faeries call home?
Some say they Fae inhabit Hollow Hills, the ancient burial mounds and man-made hills which are found throughout Europe and beyond. Their elaborate palaces are just below our feet, but you won’t find them by digging. If you are in the right place at the right time you may see the hillside door open and hear the sweet sounds of Faerie revels spilling forth.
Others claim they are to be found on a mysterious Island, somewhere to the West, where it is always Summer and death is unknown. These Islands are hard to find, some being under the water and only coming up at night or only visible once in a while. Many names have been given to these elusive islands, including Tir Nan Og (the Land of the Young), Tire Nam Beo (Land of the Living), and Tirfo Thuinn (the Land Under the Waves).
There are further thoughts the Fair Folk are found in the wild areas still as yet untouched by humans – the far forests, the remote moors, the mountains and lost valleys… Their habitat shrinks as humans encroach further and further into their world and they retreat further still.
Of course their world could also be all around us, it just remains invisible and intangible to our limited senses. Sometimes you will catch fleeting glimpses, usually accompanied by giggles and your keys mysteriously going missing…
To Summon A Fayrie
From a 17th Century manuscript written by Elias Ashmole, now in the Bodleian Library, Oxford.
An excellent way to gett a fayrie, but for myself I call margarett Barrance but this wil obtaine any one that is not all ready bound. First gett a broad square christall or Venus glasse in length and breadth 3 inches, then lay that glasse or christall in the blood of a white henne 3 wednesdayes or 3 fridayes: then take it out and wash it with holy aqua and fumigate it: then take 3 hazel sticks or wands of an yeare groth, pill them fayre and white, and make soe longe as you can write the spiritts name, or fayries name, which you call 3 times, on every sticke being made flatt one side, then bury them under some stone hill whereas you suppose fayries haunt, the wednesdaye befor you call she, and the fridaye following take them up and call she at 8 or 3 or 10 of the clock which be goode plannetts and howres for that turne: but when you calle, be in cleane Life and turn thy face towards the East, and when you have she bind her to that stone or glasse.
An unguentto annoynt under the eylidds and upon the eyelidds evninge and morninge, but especially when you call, or finde your sighte not perfect. Putt sallet oyle into a viall glasse but first wash it withe rose water, and marygold flower water, the flowers be gathered toward the east, wash it til the oyle come white, then putt it into the glasse, ut supra, and put there to the buds of hollyhocke, the flowers of marygold; the flowers or topps of wild time the budds of young hazle, and time must be gatherred neare the side of a hille where fayries use to go oft, and the grasse of a fayrie throne, there, all these putte into the oyle, into the glasse and sett it to dissolve 3 dayes in the sonne, and thou keep it for thy use; ut supra.
The Dryads
From Greek mythology come the Dryads – female nymphs or tree spirits. Like all nymphs, Dryads lead supernaturally long lives and are tied to a particular tree or locale. Hamadryads are specifically linked to one tree only, and when that tree dies they do too. The word Dryad comes from the Greek drys, meaning oak, so Dryads were originally oak tree nymphs but the name has now come to mean any tree nymph. The Dryads will punish any who harm their beloved trees, but from time to time they would also marry a mortal. Many Dryads also began their lives as mortals but became Dryads at the will of one of the Greek Gods or Goddesses (often to escape the amorous attentions of another God!).
Art by Debra of Garden Beguiled
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