Down amongst the long grass

Faeries and Goblins, depicted by the brilliant Brian Froud

While we're on the subject of alternate worlds and worlds between worlds, I have been reading a lot about faeries (or fairies) of late. Although they have mostly been reduced to the Tinkerbell variety in modern Western pop culture, many cultures have strongly believed in 'the Fae Folk' as they can be more authentically regarded, and continue to do so. Certainly in Ireland, for example, Celtic culture had (and has) a strong faith in the existence of Faeries. Throughout Europe, there were (and are) Faeries, Brownies, Elves, Goblins, Disir and Gnomes, to name but a few.

Unlike Tinkerbell, faeries are not always all sweetness-and-light. Sometimes they can be mischevious, sometimes malevolent - as with all entities and energies around us. So, in order to harness some good Fae energy around our little abode, I have installed some wind chimes in our backyard as well as threading a long string of multi-coloured beads which glistens and glitters in the sun (apparently faeries are attracted to the bright and shiny). Our backyard is apparently one which is likely to attract a faerie or two - longish grass in parts (good hiding spots) and not clipped and primped and preened within an inch of its life...others would perhaps call it a mess!

Do you believe in faeries or do you think this is a load of old nonsense? For me, the jury is still out, but either way, I figure the gentle, melodic chiming, the rustle of long grass and the bright glistening of a string of beads is bound to attract some good energy, from somewhere, and spread just a little bit of magic.