A BBC news item yesterday told how the real world intruded on the Fairy Woods. Officials in Somerset, UK announced the need to curb the "profusion of elfin construction".
“No,” the children cry. “How will the fairies get in and out of the trees?”
But it's not the fairies who have left hundreds of fairy doors attached to the bases of trees in Wayford Woods, Crewkerne. Local people have joined in the fun so their children can leave messages for the fairies.
But a trustee of the woods claims there are little doors everywhere and the whole situation is in danger of getting out of control.
Originally an extension of nearby Wayford Manor Gardens, the 29 acres of woodland boasts a stream, meadow and ornamental lake. At the beginning of the millennium, a little door appeared in the roots of a tree. A perfect fit, it boasted a little turned handle. Inside, it led to a bed. The Trust left it undisturbed. After more doors appeared, the fad gathered momentum. A year ago, more than 200 little doors had been screwed, nailed and installed on trees. Little tokens, fairy toys and notes have been left inside. Now, the trust will put a stop to the activity which is endangering the trees and the whole area with trampled undergrowth.
But why have parents done this?
From the early history of Britain and Ireland, leprechauns, elves, sprites, faeries and pixies have been mentioned.
“No,” the children cry. “How will the fairies get in and out of the trees?”
But it's not the fairies who have left hundreds of fairy doors attached to the bases of trees in Wayford Woods, Crewkerne. Local people have joined in the fun so their children can leave messages for the fairies.
But a trustee of the woods claims there are little doors everywhere and the whole situation is in danger of getting out of control.
Originally an extension of nearby Wayford Manor Gardens, the 29 acres of woodland boasts a stream, meadow and ornamental lake. At the beginning of the millennium, a little door appeared in the roots of a tree. A perfect fit, it boasted a little turned handle. Inside, it led to a bed. The Trust left it undisturbed. After more doors appeared, the fad gathered momentum. A year ago, more than 200 little doors had been screwed, nailed and installed on trees. Little tokens, fairy toys and notes have been left inside. Now, the trust will put a stop to the activity which is endangering the trees and the whole area with trampled undergrowth.
But why have parents done this?
From the early history of Britain and Ireland, leprechauns, elves, sprites, faeries and pixies have been mentioned.
A good faerie is often referred to as a godmother (faerie godmother); but they may also cause misadventures for humans. A brownie is a good-natured tiny being who appears usually at night to do household tasks: more often outside chores, such as cutting the lawn and tending weeds in flower beds. A pixie is usually a young, mischievous or roguish faerie. A Sprite refers to a faerie of pleasing appearance who is older than a fae and who is to be admired for ease and lightness of movement. Sprite can also refer to an impish or even hostile being. Source: The Pagan's Path.
Are they real? Who knows? That brings into question the reality of angels, vampires, people who take on wolf form, dragons and wizards. All of them ring true in some people and many books explore the reality of these legends—some harmful and some benign.
I'm reading a book at the moment, Dragon Down, by Casey Knight, in which all these creatures are taken for granted. Normal humans don't see them. Ah, that's because they keep their presence hidden by magic.
We take our Creator on faith. We can't see or hear the Almighty, yet most of us believe we will pass on to another plane some of us call heaven. I guess that's the wonder of being human—we know our lifespan is limited, yet we joyfully pursue our existence anyway.
So, are fairies real? My neighbor's sister claimed they exist. As a former heavy drinker, she emerged from a near death experience a wiser and kinder woman, believing in God and all things supernatural.
Some say we don't need fairies now days. Yet, it's human to believe in the unexplained. We need to know that our existence has some purpose, and that our spirit will survive.
So, do you think fairies exist?
I'm reading a book at the moment, Dragon Down, by Casey Knight, in which all these creatures are taken for granted. Normal humans don't see them. Ah, that's because they keep their presence hidden by magic.
We take our Creator on faith. We can't see or hear the Almighty, yet most of us believe we will pass on to another plane some of us call heaven. I guess that's the wonder of being human—we know our lifespan is limited, yet we joyfully pursue our existence anyway.
So, are fairies real? My neighbor's sister claimed they exist. As a former heavy drinker, she emerged from a near death experience a wiser and kinder woman, believing in God and all things supernatural.
Some say we don't need fairies now days. Yet, it's human to believe in the unexplained. We need to know that our existence has some purpose, and that our spirit will survive.
So, do you think fairies exist?
RSS Feed
