The Archivist's Corner by Carolyn Emerick

Scottish Witch Trials: When Witches Communed with Fairies

4/23/2017

*Note: because this article touches on topics that I have expanded on in great detail in other articles, I have linked to related articles throughout the text so you can read more.

Our modern conventions tend to view the realms of fairies and witches separately. Witches have been viewed as evil, while fairies are seen as benevolent, cute, and kind. As scholars reevaluate witch trials and the confessions of those accused, we are coming to new conclusions on accused witches. One subject that has been discussed in the academic field of folklore, but has seemingly not seeped into the popular consciousness, is the connection between fairies and witches.

Changeling Tales

9/16/2015

Tales of Changelings come up frequently in Celtic folklore. The term “changeling” refers to a human being, usually a child but sometimes an adult, who has been taken by the fairies and replaced by a look-a-like. Technically, the changeling is the look-a-like, while the real person is thought to be held captive by the fairies. This topic is briefly discussed in my article “Ten Reasons Fairies are Scary."

The Changeling by John Bauer, 1913

Changeling stories come up often in folklore. So, for this edition of the Archivist’s Corner, I have decided to let the folklore speak for itself. Here is a selection of some folkloric accounts of changeling tales from books that are in the public domain. Both books are available for free download on ProjectGutenberg.org.

Fairy Lore from the Isle of Skye

5/15/2015

For many hundreds of years Skye remained an island isolated from the rest of Scotland. It did not exist in a complete vacuum, as it was settled by both Celts and Norse, and probably by the Picts before them. There were always comings and goings by way of ships and boats from the mainland and abroad. Due to this sea access, Skye became a Viking hot spot, like so many of the other Scottish Isles.

Its isolation became more pronounced toward the Industrial Revolution. As mechanized farming equipment, rail roads, and eventually motorways became the norm across mainland Britain, residents of Skye continued using traditional farming methods and modes of transport. It is no wonder, then, that fairy lore lingered on after it had begun to erode elsewhere.

Fairies by Edwin Austin Abbey

The Fairies’ Passage: Journeys of the Fae

2/18/2015

Celtic folklore is rife with tales of the Fae. According to the lore, to avoid angering the fairies you should always refer to them by a euphemism, such as “the Good People.” The fairies can be friend or foe, though in Celtic folklore they are more often known for their trickery than in neighboring Germanic lore, where elves are quite helpful. Germanic lore did make its way to Lowland Scotland with the Anglo-Saxons. The stories of helpful Scottish brownies, who do chores around the house are analogous with other Germanic domestic elves such as the German kobold and Scandinavian Tomte. Fairies could travel in groups, known as trooping fairies, or be solitary figures, such as the leprechaun.

The Fairy Flag of Dunvegan Castle

1/1/2014

The Fairy Flag is an heirloom passed down in the McLeods of Dunvegan family for generations. It is held in the Clan’s ancestral home, Dunvegan Castle. This castle has been in the possession of Clan McLeod for over 800 years, making it Scotland’s oldest castle continuously inhabited by the same family.

Dunvegan Castle & Gardens (Wiki Commons, by Dunvegan Castle)

Open the Timecapsule

Scottish Witch Trials: When Witches Communed with Fairies

Changeling Tales

Fairy Lore from the Isle of Skye

The Fairies’ Passage: Journeys of the Fae

The Fairy Flag of Dunvegan Castle

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Open the Timecapsule

Scottish Witch Trials: When Witches Communed with Fairies

Changeling Tales

Fairy Lore from the Isle of Skye

The Fairies’ Passage: Journeys of the Fae

The Fairy Flag of Dunvegan Castle

Archives

Categories

Do you believe European heritage should be preserved? Please support this ongoing work!

Bitcoin tips can be sent to:

Do you believe European heritage should be preserved?
Please support this ongoing work!