Sunday 30 September 2012

The Pixies of Devon and Cornwall






  


The pixies of this part of the country dress in the colours of the earth 
using materials such as moss, grass and lichen. If this camouflage does 
not work they disguise themselves as hedgehogs. Local farmers often 
blame the pixies if any of their livestock go missing as they have been 
spotted in the past going for wild rides on the backs of horses, cattle etc. 
But the farmers are cautious not to offend the pixies and will make them 
welcome in the home, their wives leave out buckets of clean water at night
 so that the pixie mothers can wash their babies.
 Milk is also left out for them and every hearth must be swept so that the 
pixies can have somewhere clean to dance.

Buckland St Mary is the last place where the red clothed faeries were seen
 in Somerset, they were defeated in battle by the pixies so now everywhere 
west of the river Parrett is now pixie land. The red clothed faeries fled to 
Ireland although a few did settle in Devon and Dorset.









Thursday 27 September 2012

Did you know....?

 


Did you know that people with long narrow ears
are supposed to be envious or those with ears
close to the head are dull and sluggish while those
 lucky people with hairy ears are supposed to live a long time...?


Fearie Flora



Finished my new book Faere Flora at the beginning of the year, it explores the myths and legends surrounding our most common flowers and plants of Britain.
Just toying with the idea of publishing it myself, we found the Ali Baba site and were looking at the section for chinese printers, there are hundreds to choose from so perhaps in the new year that the direction that I will go in...

Tuesday 25 September 2012

Pick blackberries now before the Devil fouls them!



Blackberries are beginning to ripen so pick them soon tho in Scotland the Devil poisons the brambles on Old Holy Rood Day sept 26th .
 Oh Weans! Oh Weans! the morn's the Fair
Ye may na eat the berries mair
This nicht the Deil gangs ower a'
To touch them with his pooshioned paw.



While in England it safe to pick them as he doesn't spit or urinate on them  until Michaelmas Day. Some people say that the Devil is a traditionalist and keeps to the old calender (Old Michaelmas Oct 10th)

Friday 14 September 2012

Devil's Nutting Day




The 14th  of September is Holy Cross or Holy Rood Day and is 
the beginning of the nutting season. 
It is also called Devil's Nutting day. 
The hazel nuts which are collected today have
 magical properties, if you can find a double nut 
this will ward off rheumatism, toothache 
and the  spells of witches.
But do not pick them too early as the hazel is a 
powerful tree, it's wood is used for divining rods 
and to gather its nuts unripe is unlucky or even dangerous.

All the hedgerow trees and bushes are beginning to fruit, 
a heavy crop presages a hard winter.
Many Hawes, many snows.

The rowan is the most powerful of all plants against evil and witchcraft. 
Hang it above your door or plant in the garden. It will protect against the influence of witches  and faeries: while rowan wood used in coffins will prevent the dead from walking.

Rowan tree and red thread
Hold the witches all in dread

The Perpetual Almanack of Folklore

Tuesday 11 September 2012

Believe in the Faeries...




Believe in the Faeries
Who makes the dreams come true
Believe in the wonder
The stars and the moon
Believe in the magic
From Faerie above
They dance on the flowers
And sing songs of love
And if you just believe
And always stay true
The Faeries will be there 
To watch over you



Wednesday 5 September 2012

Wistmans Wood Devon

Finally made it to Wistmans Wood, what a place! The moss hangs from the trees like beards and there are ferns growing from the tops of the oaks. This wood is well worth a visit, it doesn't look much as you approach along the footpath but once you step inside...