Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Fairy Magic; Have you met any of the Good People?


        Image credit: magical landscape-with-waterfalls by ateliersommerland / 123RF Stock Photo


0My most recent book release, Some Enchanted Waltz, is a story that takes place in 18th century Ireland. As part of my research for the book, I delved into Irish folklore and found some wonderful tales about Fairy Magic, along with various beliefs about Irish fairies of the time period. Here is the premise for the book. As you can see, it's ripe with potential for a love story between Fey women and Mortal Men. 
      “At certain seasons of the year, Fairy Queens make Great Efforts to carry off the fine stalwart young men of the country to the fairy palace in the cleft of the hills. Or they attempt to lure them to their dancing grounds, where the men are lulled into dreams by the sweet, subtle fairy music and forget home, kith and kindred, and never desire to return again to their own people. Even if the spell is broken and they are brought back by some strong incantation, they are never the same; for everyone knows by the dream look in their eyes that they have danced with the fairies on the hill, and been loved by one of the beautiful race, who, when they take a fancy to a handsome mortal lover, cast their spells over him with restless power.”

The Book of Irish Cures, Mystic Charms & Superstitions
By Lady Wilde,  1896


In Some Enchanted Waltz, Lord Dillon rescues a woman from British soldiers. As an 18th century Irish lord, he is convinced Tara is a member of the Fey Race. Tara, a 21st century woman, scoffs at his assessment--but is he deluded--or has he recognized something in Tara that is very beautiful and unique? 
 In Irish folklore, there are stories of encounters with the Good People, The Other Folk or the Fairy Folk. I've read several accounts of people traveling along deserted roads at night and having met strange folk who took them to other realms, both in past centuries and even in the present one. Sometimes the mortals had trouble getting back to their realm, and had to do some very quick thinking to outwit their enchanted hosts. 

A very good book I recently found regarding encounters with the Fae Folk in Ireland is Meeting the Other Crowd; the fairy stories of hidden Ireland, [collected and edited by Edie Lenihan with Carolyn Eve Green]. In this book I read countless tales collected from interviews of people being contacted or abducted when walking home alone a road. 

Even today, in Ireland, it is bad luck to say anything derogatory about the Good People. In one such incident from Meeting the Other Crowd, two women were driving down a winding country road in their car one night, discussing the Fae. The driver scoffed at the idea, and within seconds of her derisive laughter, their car stalled, dead--nothing--nada. Now they were two women stranded alone on a dark, winding country road. After the woman profusely apologized to the other folk,  her car started again! This is recent account, from our century!  

                      Image credit: trail-in-the-misty-forest-at-dawn by nature78 / 123RF Stock Photo

So, what ever you do, don't talk ill of the Good People. They'll hear you, and you'll be sorry. In my house, we respect the Fae. If something is missing and we cannot find it, we say the fairy folk have borrowed it, and we ask them politely to return it when they are finished with it. And usually within the day, the item is recovered. Think what you will, but I do believe in fairies!

Now it's your turn. Have any stories to share, or a tidbit of folklore? I'm dying to hear your stories.


12 comments:

Shadow said...

I always been fascinated with folk lore. My favorite stories are about fairies. :) Thanks for sharing! You have a wonderful week!
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com

Amy Jarecki said...

Hi Lily - I popped over here from Beach Book Blast - Some Enchanted Waltz sounds amazing. I am working on a series that takes place along Hadrian's Wall during the Barbaric Conspiracy. Fun Stuff!

Stacey Joy Netzel said...

Around here the favorite saying when someone doesn't want to take responsibility is "Magic Man did it." LOL Poor guy's been blamed for EVERYTHING!

Denise Z said...

18th Century Ireland, Irish folklore, and fairies - I'm sold ;) Sounds like a fun read. I hopped over from the facebook event, signed up to follow, and it is nice to meet you.
dz59001[at]gmail[dot]com

bn100 said...

Congratulations on the book! No stories to share.

bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

Na said...

I would love to visit Ireland one day. It definitely comes across as a place where magic is possible. There are so many legends and lores that seem to come from there.
Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com

wyndwhisper said...

thank you for the chance at such a great giveaway. i love the cover, it's gorgeous and the book sounds wonderful. i've always been interested in the legends of Ireland and usually read most anything i can get my hands on that the word fantasy, fairy or similair. guess i never outgrew the fairytales . LOL

tammy ramey
trvlagnt1t@yahoo.com

lsilver60 said...

Thank you, Stacey, for sharing with me. Poor Magic guy. Watch out, he might get mad one day and your internet will go down. :0

lsilver60 said...

Na, Ireland would be my first choice for a vacation or holiday. One day, I'll get there, in physical form, not just my dreams. Thanks for visiting.

lsilver60 said...

Shadow, thank you for visit. Yes, I've always loved fairies, too. Ever since Peter Pan when I was a kid, and Tinker Bell.

lsilver60 said...

Denise, thanks for signing up to join our site. And I hope you won some great prizes at our Beach Blast Event! It's still going, folks, thru Saturday, August 18th, so if you haven't entered the contest at the BBB site to win the free Kindle Fire, please do. Links are in my blog post.

Becky said...

I remember my mother telling me tales when I was growing up and most of them dealt with Ireland since that was where my father side of the family was from. I just don't remember everything she used to tell me to share. I love to read about folklore and legends.
beckyqward@gmail.com

Post a Comment