Red Fairies #3: Do NOT Use the Chimney February 4, 2016
Author: Beach Combing | in : Modern , trackback
One curious folklore tradition survives about ‘the red fairies’. This is David Pennant our earliest extensive source.
The traditions of the country respecting these banditti, are still extremely strong. I was told that they were so feared, that travellers did not dare go the common road to Shrewsbury, but passed over the summits of the mountains, to avoid their haunts. The inhabitants placed scythes in the chimneys of their houses, to prevent the felons coming down to surprize them in the night; some of which are to be seen to this day.
Scythes in the chimney?! Nor did they disappear with the slaughter of the Red Fairies in the sixteenth century, which remember is only recorded two hundred years later. One writer in 1820 in the Cambro-Briton shares the information that this tradition continued:
There were scythes fixed in the chimnies at Dugoed Mawr, the scene of the murder, about thirty years ago, but they are now removed.
In 1902 the following was written:
it is said that within the recollection of ‘the oldest Inhabitants’ scythes and other sharp instruments were found in the chimneys of the district, having been placed there by their forefathers to prevent the savage rascals from coming down upon the peaceful slumberers at dead of night
This could be just a series of memories based off Pennant, who published in 1778. But even if we just have his word there does seem to have been a tradition of putting scythes in uncomfortable positions into the late eighteenth century. Two thoughts here. First, is it really possible that a scythe would stop a gang of hardened criminals who were counted in their tens if not hundreds (why not use the door?); also hadn’t all that happened two hundred years before?
Second, chimneys are traditionally seen as dangerous points of entrance for fairies, particularly ones intent on changing children (i.e. stealing children and replacing them with ancient fairies). They are also points of exit for changelings who have been discovered. In this light there may be a trace of a fairy tradition. The scythes block the fairies’ ingress because they are sharp and, of course, because they are iron (fairies hate iron). This is not definitive evidence at all, but it is perhaps the best evidence we have that the bandits and the fairies were mixed up in tradition in some way.
Other thoughts on chimneys and scythes: drbeachcombing AT yahoo DOT com
PS One nineteenth century author includes this detail: ‘They built no houses, and practised but few of the arts of civilized life. They possessed great powers over the arrow and the stone, and never missed their mark.’ If there had been something about them not liking iron this would have been a very interesting passage…
