F is for Fairy

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Memory Nene Thomas Fairies Couture ! Fairies on MoonsDo you hear a bustle in your hedgerow? Based on my experience you should be alarmed. The fae aren't necessarily bad, but they are a bit... capricious. If your only reference for fairies is Tinkerbell then you haven't gotten the big picture of fairy history.

Indoor And Outdoor Garden Fairy Statue Set Of 2 by Collections EtcFor one thing,  in the whole of fairy literature they usually aren't what you would call nice. There are some distinctions between Seelie Court and Unseelie Court, but many of these are creatures that will happily steal your life, if not your soul, for their own whims and pleasures. Somewhere between a Greek god and a modern vampire. On the other hand, they may grant you wishes, treasures, or other worldy (and otherworldly) delights. Fortunately most of the fae don't have the power to take you to the fairy realm or do the really big stuff. But don't underestimate them.

What to Do About a Fairy Infestation
The Fairy Ring: An Oracle of the Fairy FolkFirst of all, don't upset them. Unless you happen to like to have things around your house broken, misplaced, and for your household to be otherwise inconvenienced. But there are a few strategies to use in order to reduce their impact or discourage their desire to stick around.
  1. DON'T cut down or disturb anything you suspect to be a fairy ring. This will not necessarily send them away, and whether they eventually decide to stay or go YOUR life will be at their mercy until they feel they have exacted their revenge.
  2. Do leave out something for them to fix. If you have a fae hanging around your house they are probably bored. Don't encourage them to alleviate that boredom by breaking and moving things around.
  3. Don't leave out food that encourages them to stay. No drips of honey, fresh fruit, or sugary drinks left out on the counter.
Sue London is a writer, blogger, and doodlist who is part fae on her mother's side. Check out what she's up to by visiting her Sueniverse.

Blog post for the April A to Z blogging challenge.

    Comments

    1. Debora SilkotchApril 8, 2011 at 7:13 PM

      Very nice! And informative -- here I've been blaming gremlins for all the stuff that gets inexplicably relocated or misplaced around my house, when it's been bored fae this whole time!

      ReplyDelete

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