Without overstating the obvious, there are probably more things on earth and in heaven than we can imagine and much of what we believe from our childhood stories might well be misleading at best. Angels, fairies, gnomes and even the wee people we call the Leprechauns of ancient Celtic prehistory are often misunderstood. While we have discussed the basics of “Angels,” their hierarchy and the difference between them and their more wicked brethren, the demons elsewhere in these pages, the lessons learned at one “haunting” in Texas is a primary example of the less well known entities.

Ghosts are acknowledged to be the essence of a once living human (or in some case the Out of Body presence of a very much alive one) and so are more or less ruled by the limits of our species, or at least that is the theory. But what do you know about Fairies? What about Brownies and wood nymphs? For most of us, Tinkerbell is the embodiment of the typical Fairie; many a grown man has admitted to a crush on that cunning little creature and no one dares to utter any disbelief, for fear that the old curse that to disavow their existence will cause one of them to die. This belief system is based on Sir James Barrie, creator of Peter Pan, who introduced us to the likes of Ms. Bell and later to Walt Disney, who molded Barrie’s words into the Tink we know and love today. She is precocious, stubborn, protective of those she loves to a fault and oddly beautiful for a creature no bigger than your thumb! But is she truly a representation of real fairies, if in fact they do exist?

There are entire encyclopedias dedicated to these creatures, not the new wave illustrated coffee table variety, but comprehensive works from earlier centuries when such entities were in proliferation. Celtic nations describe a race of diminutive people who had been driven into hiding by invading humans. They came to be seen as another race, or possibly spirits, and were believed to live in an Otherworld that was variously described as existing underground, in hidden hills.

In old Celtic fae lore the sidhe (fairy folk) are immortals living in the ancient barrows and cairns. The Tuatha de Danaan are associated with several Otherworld realms including Mag Mell (the Pleasant Plain), Emain Ablach (the Fortress of Apples or the Land of Promise or the Isle of Women), and one of the most well known Tir na nÓg (the Land of Youth). The concept of the Otherworld is also associated with the Isle of Apples, known as Avalon in the Arthurian mythos (often equated with Ablach Emain). Here we find the Silver Bough that allowed a living mortal to enter and withdraw from the Otherworld. According to legend, the Fae Queen sometimes offered the branch to worthy mortals, granting them safe passage and food during their stay.

Some 19th century archaeologists thought they had found underground rooms in the Orkney resembling the Elfland in Childe Rowland. In popular folklore, flint arrowheads from the Stone Age were attributed to the fairies as "elf-shot". The fairies fear of iron was attributed to the invaders having iron weapons, whereas the inhabitants had only flint and were therefore easily defeated in physical battle. Their green clothing and underground homes were credited to their need to hide and camouflage themselves from hostile humans, and their use of magic a necessary skill for combating those with superior weaponry.

While we could go on and on, the legends go on forever; the fact is that most paranormal investigators today attribute the wee folk to superstition and a fair amount of demonic presence when they do appear. While most humans pay little attention, and others relegate them to collectible ornaments and good luck charms, there is a growing number who are looking at the past research with real dread. As with everything the paranormalist studies, there is always the concept of “What if…” to be considered. The fact is that there are fairly well documented tales of negative entities among the wee folk, so how would you know whom you are dealing with if one were to come into your presence?

With that said and without writing an entire book on the subject, the ASUP does have a few Fairie related cases in their portfolio that simply do not fit into any other category. We are not going to belabor the idea that negative entities can be summoned in any size, shape or descriptive; we are suggesting that when you come in contact with them, you utilize extreme caution… as Frank Baum once noted in the words of Dorothy Gale, “We are definitely not in Kansas anymore.” The rules are different when dealing with such creatures if you should find one.

We often joke about bringing something unwanted home with you after an investigation, but in one case, there is a good chance that the wood elves, gnomes and fairies may have been spread by an unsuspecting investigator, much like the carriers of the plague in the Dark Ages of Europe. In this particular case, the team first encountered movement sounds and even images of what looked very much like wood folk, adjacent to a haunted graveyard. The assumption was that the creatures, if they were real at all, were somehow tied to the abandoned burials, even though there is nothing in the literature of the unexplained to suggest there might be a tie.

Later, the same investigator suggested that the team come to her home, where she seemed to be encountering both dark presences and what looked like scurrying little folk in what was a new house in a new subdivision with absolutely no negative history before. The visiting team was shocked to find that there seemed to be a very strong negative feeling in the house, even though its occupants were very happy. The team also noted that the house was filled with little collectibles that included fairies, gnomes, and assorted nymphs. There was also an amulet, the kind that can be purchased in any gift shop, hanging in the doorway. Only a very well versed believer would know that it was to ward off evil, but can also be used to seal it in where the presence is known to reside. The great fear was that the power was already in the house and that the amulet was keeping it there!

Living in a haunted house is one thing, but living with wee people is another…even at its best, they are naturally tied to the earth, not normally a home, so the effect of sealing them in could cause some major problems. Remember a good deal of what we know about such creatures goes back to the Dark Ages, when a good deal was written about how to ward off the wrath of such beings, so it can be assumed they are not prone to being proper house guests under almost all cases. After leaving the house, it was noted that several team members were extremely angry for reasons they could not understand. One lost their temper at another without provocation and they were normally best of friends. Suggestions were made on how to clear the house, but the individual chose to leave the group, again with no logical reason that anyone knew about. We wished them well and have heard nothing more.

In summation, the lesson to be learned here is rather illusive, except perhaps to act as a warning about any investigation of such matters. While the images of Fairies and the like may be “cute” to the casual observer, the fact is that “The Fae” are far from cuddly and sometimes border on the demonic. So little is known of them today, that most overlook them entirely, but many still believe in their existence and to believe is to be!

Evidence

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