Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-09-02
l8AhE:lal4,. aa A.@
PIXIES OF CORNWALL
A TRIBE OF ELVES WITH THE SOULS
OF ANCIENT cELTs.

iShiSS, piAicS VI plSScS uEC u u. 10
OF elves peculiar to old Cornwall, n
territory once extending TO tho eastern
fdge of Dartmoor, which Is still In
alluded in the duchy. They are not ele-
mentary spirits, but In material lifo
were those OF the Celtic tribes who re.
fused to give up their ancient religion
for Christianity, but otherwise lived
blamelcss, hence their sympathy with
humanity. Not good enough for heaven
nor bad enough for hell. their wander.
ing souls were permitted to remain OH
earth, haunting their own familiar
moorlands, wooded coonbes and waste
seabeaches.
In early Muy and during the reign of
the harvest moon they are active In
revel, but their chief festival Of the
year Is held on midsummer eve. With
the passing Of many centuries they
have greatly shrunken In size nnl are
now indistlngulshuble by daylight from
aunts, moths or butterflies, except by
those intimately acquainted with their
appearance. a troop OF these sprites
was bcheld Of late years by one who
had tue gift of such sight OH n sunny
hi'''itS viz
noon. They were dancing amid the
heather bells. climbing tall foxglovcs,
tumbling queer somersaults, cutting
fantastic capers and, as the Cornish
saying runs, laughing like n plsky."
This shows them to be merry race
Apparently they are gradually becon-
Ing converted TO Christianity, for OH
Christmas eve they assemble In theI
deepest mines to celebrate tho holy sea
son, when solemn, enhancing music
may be heard and cliolrs of uncarthly
voices chanting, NOVEL, Novel;"
They are tricksy elves, skilled In gla-
mour and Illusion A favorite deceit
of theirs Is enticing Tie lonely night
traveller into boys by appearing like tho
light In cottage window, or man
walking with lantern across ground
where 10 human foot can tread in
safety. They stcal pretty babies from
their cradles, leaving ugly changellngs
In their places
If spoken OF disrespectfully, or even
mentioned by name. they take violent
offcnsc. Hence" they are called "thc
Others" "tiic small people In green"
or "tlc good folks" At Germol is n
green lane well known ns resort OF
fairies. Once OH midsummer eve two
timers who worked at Croft Gothal,
mine hard by. We're returning late
down this bat lane aforesaid and
found 1t full from end to end Of the lit
tie people holding high festival
Among the crowd one of the men
recognized his own child, for one
evening the boy had been as beautiful as
could be seen and next morning was
ugly, weakened and altered There
fore "the others" must have changed
him. When relating this tale next dry
Mt Croft Gothal lie was suddenly
thrown into n deep pit and almost
killed. When carried home his wife,
furious Mt the cause Of their misfor-
tunes, exclaimed that the pixies were
"taxin', trcksy devils" Instantly
she fell backward into the fire and
was burned severely, a convincing
proof that these elves must not be
trihed with.
At Treonike, small hamlet in st.
Austell parish, n boy was once be-
guiled away from his home, lost for
many days and finally. after all hope
of finding him had been given up, he
was one morning discovered fast
asleep OH q fluff of bracken, hard by
his fathers cottage door. His own
story ran that lie had been playing
near that spot OH tile day Of his disap-
pcarance, when he heard most exoul.
site music in the air.
R,.cf I,o
songs, but soon realized that the little
people must be the unseen musicians.
Following the sounds. he easily penc-
trated thicket whose depths he hnd
never before succeeded In entering, for
some invisible guide smoothed the un.
dcrgrowth In his path, while causing
thorns and brlers TO spring up, closer
and more matted than formerly. be.
hind him and on either hand Also the
music became more and more ravlsli-
ing.
at last lie found himself upon tho
shore OF small lake, which, to his sur
prise, reflected the sky thick with stars
though 1t had been full noontide on the
common but short time earlier. Then
lovely lady came through the dark.
ness. took him by the hand ana led
him about underground palaces with
crystal arches, glowing with changing
tints, far finer than any caverns in the
deepest mine. "
Inere he saw many marvellous sights,
Toasted on danties lie had never tasted
In his life before, gambo or con.
versed with troops Of merry play.
mates, all beautifully dressed in green.
AT last lie fell asleep from sheer 'weari.
ness, and awokc in the spot where he
Fad first heard tliepisky MINISTRIES.
The Gump, knoll near st. Just, is n
noted spot for psky revels. Mnny