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Showing posts with the label Cornwall

The Underground Realm of the Knockers

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The Knockers are fairy creatures well known in Welsh, Cornish and Devon folktales. They are also known as Bucca in Cornish tales and Bwca in Welsh. Knockers are tiny creatures, no more than two feet tall similar in appearance to other fairies such as dwarves and goblins that live underground. They were said to be spindly limbed with only slits for mouths and dark beady eyes. Like a lot of fairies they have a mischievous side! Knockers became well known when mining became a popular industry when humans began mining in their underground homes. To some they were malevolent but to others they were helpful . They earned their name as Kockers as they would knock underground leading the miners to valuable mineral deposits in return for food, proper Cornish pasties were their favourite treat? But they could turn nasty and scare the miners and play tricks on them. Knockers could not stand the sound of whistling and bad language, they often showered the perpetrators with a shower of s...

Where to Find a Pixie

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Once the world was full of the Fey folk which roamed free and untethered throughout this dark land. Concentrated in the west-country were the Pixies (Piskie's in Cornwall) who were small mischievous creatures. Have e’er you seen the Pixies, the fold not blest or banned? They walk upon the waters; they sail upon the land, They make the green grass greener where’er their footsteps fall, The wildest hind in the forest comes at their call. They steal from bolted linneys, they milk the key at grass, The maids are kissed a-milking, and no one hears them pass. They flit from byre to stable and ride unbroken foals, They seek out human lovers to win them souls. The Pixies know no sorrow, the Pixies feel no fear, They take no care for harvest or seedtime of the year; Age lays no finger on them, the reaper time goes by The Pixies, they who change not, nor grow old or die. The Pixies though they love us, behold us pass away, And are not sad for flowers they gathered yesterday, To...

The Witches of the Logan Stone

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Located on the ancient Redmoor on Helman Tor in deep Cornwall you'll find the Logan stone which has endured a deep association with witchcraft. It has long been believed that this desolate area once served as a midnight  meeting point for witches. In the past there had been eye witness accounts of people seeing dark figures dance and leap beside the Logan stone on moonlit nights and that the cries of these witches would carry on the wind terrifying those nearby unlucky enough to hear. It is said the witches came here to brew their spell potions and charms after gathering nearby plants and flowers from the wild moors.Christian priests arriving after succeeding the druids absolutely forbade anyone to visit there due to its arcane connection to the supernatural, lest they be suspected and charged with witchcraft. There have also been many reports that a solitary crone, an ancient witch, would stand upon the stone watching ships out at sea and brewing up storms to destroy them...