I’m going to attempt something a little bit different with this month’s newsletter. So far, in Fairy Lights, I’ve been expanding on the theme of each month’s video with a small write up. But while sharing information can be useful, I also enjoy sharing stories, images, music, poetry and symbols. So, that’s what I’m going to try out here. I think it’s appropriate somehow given that the topic of this newsletter is fairies and they seem to communicate with us through imagination, dreams and fleeting glimpses.
What follows is a sort of collage of glimpses—stories, symbols, images, poetry, and music that I think evoke the theme of this month’s video. My hope is that it offers you a moment to reflect, and perhaps find your own spark of inspiration during these long, shadowy nights.
The Nisses in Vosborg
One very severe winter, a lonely house in which there were six calves was so completely covered by the snow, that for the space of fourteen days no one could get into it. When the snow was gone, the people naturally thought that the calves were all dead of hunger; but far from it, they found them all in excellent condition; the place cleaned up, and the cribs full of beautiful corn, so that it was quite evident the Nisses had attended to them.
But the Nis, though thus grateful when well treated, is sure to avenge himself when any one does anything to annoy and vex him. As a Nis was one day amusing himself by running on the loft over the cow-house, one of the boards gave way and his leg went through. The boy happened to be in the cow-house when this happened, and when he saw the Nis's leg hanging down, he took up a dung fork, and gave him with it a smart rap on the leg. At noon, when the people were sitting round the table in the hall, the boy sat continually laughing to himself. The bailiff asked him what he was laughing at; and the boy replied, "Oh! a got such a blow at Nis to-day, and a gave him such a hell of a rap with my fork, when he put his leg down through the loft." "No," cried Nis, outside of the window, "it was not one, but three blows you gave me, for there were three prongs on the fork; but I shall pay you for it, my lad."
Next night, while the boy was lying fast asleep, Nis came and took him up and brought him out into the yard, then flung him over the house, and was so expeditious in getting to the other side of the house, that he caught him before he[Pg 147] came to the ground, and instantly pitched him over again, and kept going on with this sport till the boy had been eight times backwards and forwards over the roof, and the ninth time he let him fall into a great pool of water, and then set up such a shout of laughter at him, that it wakened up all the people that were in the place.
~ The Fairy Mythology by Thomas Keightley
A LITTLE Fairy in a tree Wrinkled his wee face at me: And he sang a song of joy All about a little boy, Who upon a winter night, On a midnight long ago, Had been wrapt away from sight Of the world and all its woe: Wrapt away, Snapt away To a place where children play In the sunlight every day. Where the winter is forbidden. Where no child may older grow, Where a flower is never hidden Underneath a pall of snow; Dancing gaily Free from sorrow, Under dancing summer skies, Where no grim mysterious morrow Ever comes to terrorise. ~ Moira O'Neill
Kilmeny, The Thirteenth Bard's Song
But to sing the sights Kilmeny saw, So far surpassing nature's law, The singer's voice wad sink away, And the string of his harp wad cease to play. But she saw till the sorrows of man were by. And all was love and harmony; Till the stars of heaven fell calmly away. Like flakes of snaw on a winter day. ~ James Hogg
Winter is a season of contrasts—of long nights and bright lights. The fairies of this season remind us that even in the coldest, darkest times, there is magic. What symbols, stories, or songs speak to you during this season? I’d love to hear your thoughts and inspirations.
Until next time,
Your Scary Fairy Godmother
P.S. if you’re looking for a good fairy read on a wintry day, may I suggest that you give my fairy fantasy novel The Ghosts of Nothing a try. It’s getting great reviews and has now even won several awards. Check it out right here: https://books2read.com/theghostsofnothing
Santa Claus by Arthur Rackham
Fairies in the Snow by John Anster Fitzgerald