Fair Folk

Did our ancestors call these mythological creatures "fair" because they were beautiful or because our ancestors were begging them to be fair in their dealings? That's kind of a tricky question that popped up while I was doing some research for my next Dragon Knights novel. Perhaps I'm sheltered, but I always thought the term "Fair Folk" was simply another name for elves, fairies, and the like. I thought it had something to do with their reputed beauty, or maybe their complexion - which might be a holdover from Tolkein's elves in my mind.

I've come to find that the term might actually be a bit more sinister in nature than I believed. By naming them "fair," perhaps our ancestors were employing a bit of wishful thinking. They hoped calling them "fair" would make them deal fairly with the human population. There are so many legends about changling babies and fey folk playing tricks on humanity, this explanation of the name bears some thought.

Still, I think I'd rather live in my little Polyanna world and believe the word "fair" refers to their coloring and/or countenance. In my books, at least, that's the way I'm going to take it. You heard it here first - and it's something of a spoiler - the next Dragon Knights novel, FireDrake, will feature a race of magical warriors known as the Fair Folk. Mine will be easy on the eyes and lethal - a fascinating combination. As to how they deal with humanity? Whether it's "fair" or not, remains to be seen...

The Forgotten One

For writers, everything is fair game when it comes to research. It's been said that there are really only 12 basic plot lines, and every one's been done a bajillion times over. So, in search of that unique twist or irresistable hook, writers wait, watch, and read for that nugget of research that will set a story in motion.

For me, it's usually an obscure, nearly forgotten factoid buried in a dusty book or archived article that piques my interest. A one-liner about a faery that melts into a puddle of water should it get caught in a shaft of sunlight. An tiny reference to a minor civil war skirmish that took place on the most haunted coastline in America. A statement uttered by an angel "expert" that had me raising my eyebrow and muttering, "Oh really? But what if..."

The spark that lit the fuse for my upcoming novella "Wildish Things" came while I was reading Patricia Monaghan's "The Red Haired Girl from the Bog." She mentioned a goddess so old that no one remembers her name, or even what rituals were used to worship her. In Irish/Scottish folklore she is known simply as "The Cailleach", a word which has no real translation. She is thought to be old, the oldest of all goddesses. Possibly the mother of all goddesses. Her bones are the rocks; the plants and trees, her skin; her blood, the water.

And I got to thinking, what must life be like for this goddess? So much age, so much power - and the ability to scare the snot out of anyone. What would happen if one day she got tired of being bored and lonely, and decided to stir up a little trouble?

So, to do my little bit to make sure no one forgets her completely, I wrote "Wildish Things." Hopefully she will like my offering well enough to keep her meddling fingers out of MY life! Although, come to think of it, this old broad might be fun to lift a pint with.

Slainte,
Carolan
WILDISH THINGS, coming in eBook and trade paperback Nov. 1 from SamhainPublishing.com