The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-28
THE BELIEF IN FAIRIES,
IT is SAID TO STILL EXIST IN SOME
PARTS OF THE WORLD.

In countries where good deal of Celti
blood yet remains pure and untainted witt
TeutOnic or Scandinavian lingering be
lief in fairies may still be traced in remot
parts. A few years ago an old man in tn
Isle of Man solemnly assured a travele
shere that he himself had one night behelt
the fairies at their revels In such multi
tudes that there was quite thickness
tremendous Of them," and no amount O
skeptical questioning could shake the ole
man in his belief AT the present day, il
the wilder parts of Cornwall, a quite
walls. "Piskie7 pixie in Deyonian) is the
common Cornish name for fairies, and Ger
tain mischievous sprites among them art
supposed to derive great pleasure in entic
ing unwary travellers across the wild noors
and hills from the right paths and leading
them grievously astraY. After landing
some unlucky wight in a bog burst OF
merry laughter in the air generally informs
the traveller who his guide has been. The
only way to circumvent these airy spritee
is to turn the coat inside out before ventur
ing across desolate expanse. That they
have a certain command over the powers
OF nature is shown by their having the
power to blind and bewilder the traveller
by throwing fog around him, so that he
cannot trace his way.
WHAT AUNT JOAN" SAW
The following account of their personal
appearance is preserved in a tale told by
old wives in the neighborhood of Lamorna,
beyond PenZance: An old woman called
Aunt JOAN" when on visit to neighbor
popularity supposed to be a white witch,
rubs little ointment she finds hidden
under some fern upon one of her eyes, and
the result is that when she opened her eyes
1.-The place was full of sprites and spriggans.
In all the folds of the nets and sails hang
ing from the beams troops of small people
were cutting all sorts of capers. The little
creatures were tossing up their heels, wav-
ing their feathered caps and fans as thew
launched up and down on the merest bits
of sticks or green twigs. Numbers of them
were swinging in the cobwebs that hung
from the rafters, or riding the mice in and
out through the holes in the thatch.
Il noted that all the little men were
dressed in green, pinked out with red, and
had feathered caps on their heads, high
riding boots, with silver spurs on their
heels Their ladies were al decked out in
the grand old fashion; their gowns were
of green velvet with long trains, some
Topped up with silver chains and bells or
tassels, others had their trains sweeping
behind them as they walked in grand state
up and down. They seemed to think there
was nobody in the house but themselves.
prancing about in their high heeled shoes
sparkling with diamond buckles. The
Iltt ia all bIuh
hats like mine, with wreaths of the most
beautiful flowers of all colors around
them, sprigs and garlands on all the other
parts of their dress and in their hands as
well, flirting their fans in the faces of the
men. They were the sauciest little NOR
tails | ever did see. What puzzled me
most was to see SO many sweet flowers
with them at that time of the year. I
spied some ugly spriggans seated in the
dark corner looking very gloomy, because
they are doomed to guard the treasures
and do irksome things the merry small
people are free from. A troop of the small
people entered, playing such sweet strains
on the pipes, flutes and other Instruments
they had made with green reeds of the
brook and shells of the shore"
Then follows an account of how the fairy
band approached the old dame Chenance
THE white witch), and cast punches of the
herbs into her apron, with which she made
healing salves and lotions. As soon ss
these fairies retired others came forward.
bearing in their hands unopened flowers
Of the foxglove, from which they poured
magic dyes, which no sooner touched her
dress than it was changed into velvet:
others laid silver cord on the cuttings of
the petticoat, and decked the old dame on.
n all manner and variety of flowers. The
house Is covered with marvellous tapestries.
and the old dame so transformed with
her fairy attire that Aunt Joan gets fright
ened and hobbies off, but on glancing back
With her unanointed eve sees Dame Che
nance in her ordinary clothes sewing: bu
IN looking with the anointed eye the fairy
scene is again revealed
LITTLE ''BoBBY GRIGLANs."
Another story relates how man, cutting
urze on the heath, finds among the bushes
tiny figure asleep. He was no bigger
han a cat, and dressed in a green coat.
ky blue breeches and diamond buckled
shoes. Uncle Billy takes him home to mis-
who make great friends with
1lm. and call him Bobby Griglans (grig-
ans Is old Cornish for heath. Heis CAV
ittle creature, who sings and dances for
tours together, with great adherence of
iIrt or dust. He only drinks milk. and
ats blackberries or hips and haws. They
leep him few days. but among the furze |
me day Bobby and the children meet a lit
lie man ana woman. the man dressed Just
s boooy, only wearing riding boots with !
liver spurs. The little woman wore q |
'reen gown sprlnkled all over with silver |
tars- her little steeple crowned hat was |
with heather perched on her |
.olden curls, and the pretty soul wss |
5ringing her hands a-crying. "Ob. my |
ear and tender Skillywidden. where ever |
anst a be gone to, my only joys" Now |
zoe back said Bobby to the children. |
my dad and nam are come. Here | am |
nanny"
By the time he said Here I am" the /
title man and woman ana Skillvwidden |
sniShed, and were never more seen. The /
hildren got a good thrashing for letting
'klllywidden go, for If they had Kept him
e would have shown their daddy where
rocks Of gold are buried. and they would
Il OF them have been rich.
All things pass away: even our children
ow will scarcely deign to own belief in
he of the purest fancies that ever entered
unia1s negotiations, and which IN former
AyS great poets deigned 10 treat As by no
means despicSble belief Fairies are whole
oner olet for our babies minds than anec-
o'eS OF great men and diluted history Of
uman enoeavors and failures. Let the
a Keep their fairies as long As pos
ioie, Tor fairy reverence means simple |
Ai0n IL goodness, and il does no harm for
eh'io 70 see fairies in the cups of the