| A Visit to the Faerie Realm |
| There are many, many stories of people enjoying short visits with the fairy folk and suffering no undue harm. These visits vary from the duration of a few hours, a whole night, several months, or a year. A peasant girl of one of the Western Isles went down to the village well to draw some water one evening. Her foot slipped as she leaned towards the well, and she fell. When she got up and looked around it seemed to her as if she was in some strange place, and all around her was changed as if by enchantment.
At some distance she saw a great crowd gathered round a blazing fire, and she was drawn slowly towards them, until at last she stood in the very midst of the people; but they kept silent, looking fixedly at her; she was afraid and tried to turn and flee, but could not. Then a beautiful youth, like a prince, with a red sash, and a golden band in his long yellow hair, came up and asked her to dance.
"It is a foolish thing of you sir, to ask me to dance," she said, "when there is no music.
Then he lifted his hand and made a sign to the people, instantly, the sweetest music sounded near her, the young man took her hand, and they danced and danced until the moon and the stars went down. She seemed like one floating on air, and she forgot everything in the world except the dancing, and the sweet low music, and, her beautiful partner.
At last the music came to an end. The young man smiled at her and said, "You are safe with us, but it is time for you to go now." With this he placed a small branch of the plant called Athair-Luis (ground ivy) in her hand. "Keep this with you always and no one can harm you." He whirled her around and let go of her hand, regaining her balance, she found herself alone in the darkness.
Frightened and confused she fled through the dark night to home, burst in through the door to be greeted by her startled parents with, "Where have you been since last night? We searched everywhere all night and again today. The pail was found next to the well where you left it."
All the villagers agreed she was indeed exceedingly lucky to escape unscathed. She kept the small branch with her all her life, she never was harmed by anybody, and led a happy and long life.
There are many legends of mortals being captured by the fairy race and never being seen again. All unexplained disappearances were seemingly blamed on "fairy capture", especially tales of young women being kidnapped and whisked away to become a fairy bride. But then, should these folklore tales be true: who is to say the brides, and others, did not eventually return some centuries later? As there is no definition of time in this realm, everything is the present moment only, what meaning does the word forever have?
A Old Irish Tale
~author unknown~
Page Courtesy of Circle of Witches�?/FONT> Iam not the author of the above writtings nor do I claim to be. This information may be distributed, unaltered, to other non-profit, educational Pagan sites/groups when accompanied by this disclaimer and all credits, links, & copyrights remain intact
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