THE ELIZABETHAN FAIRIES

EARTHLY LIFE OF FAIRIES
sea from which they came,15 and disappeared when their
fairy mistresses were forced to depart. In 1662, the
fairies in Scotland were reported to have " elf-bullis
rowtting and skoylling wp and downe." l6 And in 169 I,
They also pierce Cows or other Animals, usewally said to be Elf-
shot, whose purest Substance (if they die) these Subterraneans
take to live on, viz. the aereal and aetherial Parts, the most
spirituous Matter for prolonging of Life, such as Aquavitae
(moderately taken) is among Liquors, leaving the terrestrial
behind.17
Even, in 1793, the minister of Wick reported,
Some small stones have been found, which seem to be a species of
flint, about an inch long and half an inch broad, of a triangular
shape, and barbed on each side. The common people confidently
assert, that they are fairies arrows, which they shoot at Cattle,
when they instantly fall down dead, though the hide of the animal
remains quite entire.ls
In England, the fairies obtained their beef by another
method which Reginald Scot describes as follows:
You must also understand, that after they have delicately
banqueted with the devil1 and the lady of the faries; and have
l6 Silva Gadelica, O'Grady ed., 1892, Eng. trans., pp. 119, 121 ;
Rhys, Celtic Folklore, Welsh and Manx, I~OI, Vol. I, pp. 8, 10, 23-
24-
le Pitcairn, Crim. Trials, Gen. App., p. 604.
17 Kirk, Sec. Comm., p. 21.
le8 Sinclair, Stat. Acct. of Scotland, Vol. 10, p. 15. Cf. also Collins,
Ode on the Popular Superstitions of the Highlands; and Kirk, Sec.
Comm., pp. 21-22. The possession of a charm to ward off elvish
arrows had always been a necessary equipment for a successful
farmer, though the cure for such wounds, if one knew it, was surprisingly
simple. It consisted " only for a Man to find out the Hole
with his Finger; as if the Spirits flowing from a Man's warme Hand
were Antidote sufficient against their poyson'd Dairts."