Myths surrounding the elder....

If you stand beneath an elder tree on midsummer eve you will see 

the King of the faeries and his entourage but be careful that you do not get

 swept away to faerieland. The tree and the wood is greatly prized by the fae folk 

so it must not be used to make mundane household objects, especially not a cradle 

or the baby will be pinched black and blue. 

Do burn the wood or bring it into the house as this is very unlucky and 

will bring the devil in.

The Elder Mother guards the tree and although she is usually kind she can become

 dangerous if her trees are harmed so you must always ask permission 

before cutting an elder tree.

'Ourd gal, give me some of thy wood

An oi will give some of moine

When oi grows inter a tree'

Faeries and Folklore of the British Isles



 Everyone knows faeries love music and merrymaking, and best of all they 
like the music from instruments made of elder wood. Wood from the elder tree 
lends itself well to the making of whistles, pipes, chanters and other musical instruments, 
as the branches contain a soft pithy core which is easily removed to create hollow
 pipes of a pale, hard, easily-polished wood. 
The elder is a protective tree, and it is auspicious if it  grows near one's dwelling, 

 especially if it had seeded itself there, traditionally  the elder's best place to grow 

was at the back door, to keep evil spirits and other negative influences from entering 

the home. The aroma exuded by the elder's leaves has long been known to repel flies, 

so this folklore may have been borne out of the need to keep such insects, and the 

diseases that they carried, away from the kitchen and food. Bunches of leaves 

were hung by doorways, in livestock barns, and attached to horses' harnesses for

 the same reason. Elder was traditionally planted around dairies and it was thought

 to be efficacious in keeping the milk from 'turning'. Cheese cloths and other linen

 involved in dairying were hung out to dry on elder trees, and the smell they absorbed 

from the leaves may have contributed to hygiene in the dairy. Elder trees were also 

traditionally planted by bake houses as protection from the Devil,

  and loaves and cakes put out to cool under the elders. 

Any foods left out overnight under an elder however were considered a gift to the faeries.