Happy International Fairy Day.
Except for Tinker Bell (who I hated in Peter Pan, but love in Pixie Hollow), I don’t think most Americans think of fairies that often. Disney’s Artemis Fowl went direct to Disney+, and there are fairies in that, but outside of movies and books, they do not affect our lives.
In honor of International Fairy Day, I’d like to share how fairies impacted my young life. Feel free to share if fairies are a part of yours.
When I was a kid, I had a book called Faeries by Brian Froud. It was full of beautiful illustrations of fairies of all types. I was fascinated and explored the pages of this book so often that it fell apart. I still have this book, but it is protected in a 9×12 envelope. I always wished I could play with the fairies in this book, and I think one of the reasons I love forests is that I hope I’ll find a fairy ring or a fairy tree.
“Many trees are the haunts of Faerie. Humans foolish enough to pass by a host-tree late at night find their arms bruised or pinched by small faerie fingers… Or on the other hand, Thorn tree branches can be hung with ribbons and even rags as porpitiating gifts for the faeries.”
Brian Froud and Alan Lee
Luckily, you don’t have to buy a copy of this book for $100 (it was published in 1978) to enjoy some fairy lore. There are lots of books about fairies, including the Pixie Hollow books which are as fun as the movies. Or you could take a walk in the woods and see what you discover.