Eilian of Garth Darwen

The story of Eilian of Garth Darwen illustrates the power of faerie glamour very well. 

Eilian was a poor servant girl who worked long hard hours for a local midwife, 

when Eilian disappeared one day it was agreed by her mistress and the neighbours 

that the girl had gone off with the faeries. The girl was not seen for some time until 

one dark stormy night the midwife was called out by a stranger to attend his wife, 

who was about to give birth. She was taken to a richly furnished room inside a 

grand house where a young woman  lay on the bed. After a while the baby was 

delivered and the father handed a pot to the midwife and asked her to rub the 

ointment onto the baby's eyes; she did this but accidentally smeared some on to 

one of her own eyes. Instantly the wonderful room vanished and instead there 

was just a damp dark cave and lying on a bed of bracken was the servant girl Eilian. 

The midwife was paid for her services with a handful of gold coins but by the time 

she had reached home the coins had disappeared and dried leaves lay in her purse.

Several months passed before she saw the father again strolling through the 

local market. He was very surprised when the midwife greeted him and inquired 

after the mother and baby. He asked with which eye the midwife could see him and 

when she pointed to it, the eye instantly went blind.

Faerie Glamour

The faeries art of concealing their true appearance is called glamour and is often

 used to conceal mortals, they can alter their own shape as well as the appearance 

of food, money and surroundings. So a splendid feast spread out on a beautiful table 

could be nothing more than nuts and berries laid out on a log.

The term glamour comes from the Scottish word glaumerie which means magic,

 traditionally this power was used to capture mortal partners for breeding. 

As mentioned before faeries are always trying to improve their own race by mingling 

it with human blood.

The use of faerie ointment on your eyes will reveal them in their true state but 

be careful, their wrath can be terrible!

'Faeries and Folklore of the British Isles'

Faerie Markets

A faerie market takes place on the Blackdown Hills every week, many mortals have 

stumbled across the faerie gathering and have fared differently according to the 

respect that they show the faerie folk.

They gather dressed in bright colours on the side of the hill and mill around the 

many tents that are set up  around the field, inside they are piled high with various

 faerie goods and peddlers walk amongst the crowd with trays piled high with 

trinkets and ribbons. Musicians dance and pipe around the crowds as the faerie 

folk make their purchases.

There is one account where a man travelling home came across the fair, as he 

drew nearer the crowds faded from view and as he passed through the invisible 

throng he felt himself being pushed and pinched. 

The man began to feel extremely ill and hurried home as quickly as he could. 

By the time he had reached his home in Combe St Nicholas he was paralysed 

down one side , this affliction stayed with him for the rest of his life.

The market has been seen many times but most avoid it, one man however was 

more fortunate. He had always put out a plate of fresh water outside his home for 

the faeries and a dish of scalded cream. This served him well for one night he stumbled 

into the faerie market, seeing the wares on display he decided to buy a 

wooden  cider mug. This he bought and received  a handful of leaves for 

change, he politely said nothing and took the mug home. 

The next morning the mug was solid silver and the leaves had turned into lumps of gold.

Happy new year to you all

May you start the new year with

 a song in your heart and a spring to your step!

My steps will not be that springy as I have eaten too many mince pies!