The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-10-03
- GA CoRNWA IIl
4 IRisE Of Elves WITH THE SOULS
or MclENT Cells


zheyhre Trieksy spIrfts. Wen slsEued
IN Glafsour and ulusEon-The. Good
nnd Raa THAT, Are Charged 20 These
PrnnI<Ish Litt1e PEOPLE.
Plskies. pixies or pIgsies are tribe
OF elves peculiar to old Cornwall, a
territory once extending to the eastern
edge Of Dartmoor. which Is still in
Guided N the duchy- They are not ele-
mentary spirits, but in material life
were those Of the Celtic tribes who re-
fused to give up their ancient religion
for Christianity. but otherwise lived
bIameless, hence their sympathy with
humanity. Not good enough for heaven
nor bad enough for hen, their wander
ing souls were permitted to remain on
earth. haunting their own familiar
noorIands, wooded coombes and waste
seabeaches.
In early May 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 sllrunken In size and are
now indistingulshable by daylight from
aunts, moths or butterflies, except by
those intimately acquainted with their
appearance. A troop of these sprites
was DEnG4u CT 4ANG LEeLA6 " ghg wiz
had the gift OF such sight on a sunny
hillside one brilliant summer after
noon They we're dangling amid the
heather bells. climbing tan foxgioves,
tr1nbling queer somersaults, cutting
fantastic capes and, as the Cornish
saving runs Laughing like plsky."
This shows them to be merry race.
Apparently they nre gradually Secom-
ing converted TO Christianity. for on
Christmas eve they assemble In the
deepest mines to celebrate the holy sea-
son. when solemn, enhancing music
may be beard and chOirs Of unearthIy
voices chanting. Novel;. Novel;"
They are tricky elves. skilled In gla-
mour and illusion. A favorite deceit
of theirs is enucing the lonely night
traveller into boys by appearing like the
Light in a cottage window, or a man
walking with lantern across ground
where no human foot can tread In
safety. They steal pretty babies from
their cradles, leaving ugly changelIngs
In their places.
II spoken of dlsrespectfully, or even
mentioned by name. they take violent
offense Hence they are called the
Others" THE small people in green"
or 1.-THE good folks" at Germol is
green lane well known as a resort OF
fairies. Once on midsummer eve two
timers who worked ut Croft Gothal, a
mine hard by, were returning late
down This bat lane aforesaid and
found IT fu'l from end 10 end OF the lit
tie people holding high festival.
Anou- the crowd one of the men
recon 5zcI his own child, for one
evening lie 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 day
at Croct GotEal ne was suddenly
thrown into a deep pit and almost
killed. When carried home his wife,
furious nj the cause of their misfor-
tunes, exclaimed that the pixies were
'.taxin'. tricBsy devils" Instantly
she fell backward into the Gre and
was burned severely. q convincing
proof that these elves must not be
trIhed with.
At Treonike, a small hamlet In st.
Austeu parish. a boy was once be-
gIIiIed 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 on a tuft Of brackCn, hard by
bis fathers cottage door. His own
story ran thar he had been playing |
near that spot on the day OF his disap- |
pearance. when he heard most cNqni- |
site music in the air.
At first he mstook this for Llrd |
songs. but soon realized that the little |
people must be the unseen musicians. !
Following the sounds. he easily pcnc
trated n thicket whose depths he had |
never before succeeded In entering. for |
some Invisible guide gmoothCd the un
icrgrowth in his pnth. While causing |
thorEs and briCrs TO spring up, closer
and more matted than formerly. be 2.
hind him and en- either hand. Also tac I
music became iDCIe md more ravish
Ing
at last he fcund blmself SpOn the
shore uf n small lake. which. 10 his sur
prise. reflected the sky thick with stars,
though ii had been full nooutide ON the
common but short time earlier. Their
a lovely Indy came through the dark
ness. took him by the hand and lcG
him about underground palaces with
crystal arches. glowing with changing
tints. far finer than any Governs IN tile
deepest mine.
There he saw many marvellous sights,
'ensted on daiu'ics lie bnd never tasted
n his life Dui.re snmboied or coli
-ersed with :rUom Of mei1'3 play
mates. all heautiTHily Dressed Ia green.
II last he fell asleep from sheer wCarl-
less, and awoEc In the spot where he
lad first heard the pisky MINISTRIES.
Tie Gump. knoll near st. Just, Is a
soted spot for pisky rsyeis. Many
worthy folks have been privileged to
witness their feHsts, in spirit OF
and often were given valu.
bic presepts.-LOndOn Globe.