Fairies of the Eastern Green

Drift off to the rugged Cornish coast where smugglers and supernatural beings once crossed paths in the moonlight. So snuggle up in your blankets and have sweet dreams. 

The music in this episode is Every Detail by Johannes Bornlof. 

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Dreamful is produced and hosted by Jordan Blair. Edited by Katie Sokolovska. Theme song by Joshua Snodgrass. Cover art by Jordan Blair. ©️ Dreamful LLC

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:20

Welcome to Dreamful Podcast. Bedtime stories or slumber. In this bonus episode I will be reading Fairies on the Eastern Green. So snuggle up in your blankets and have sweet dreams, thank you.

Speaker 1: 1:10

Returning somewhat late on the following evening from a long ramble to see remarkable places in the neighborhood, we found the manager of Zenar Stamps and the other of cronies seated in their accustomed places by the fireside Shortly after the landlord came in from his work. He was a sturdy fellow, a fifty or there away, burnt as brown as a berry. Most of his time was passed at work on this farm. He had a good-sized one for that part of Zenner, and the public house was left to his wife's management. During the evening, after much coaxing, our host told the story which his wife has spoken of as a true one, telling how a company of smugglers of his acquaintance had been driven away from Eastern Green by small folks, or fairies or fairies. There is some hope that all the fairy folk have not yet entirely forsaken this neighborhood, as there are persons now living who have seen them dancing and holding their revels on the eastern green within the last fifty years. At that time, however, there were many acres of grass-grown, sandy banks there and a broad belt of soft green sward which skirted the carriage road, afforded a pleasant walk from Kayandar to Makaju Bridge, from Kaander to Makaju Bridge. Great part of this green has now been swept away by the waves and much of what the sea spared has been enclosed by the grasping owners of the adjacent land. Though their right to this ancient common is very questionable. Though their right to this ancient common is very questionable. The following fairy adventure was told to me a short time since by a grave elderly man who heard it related by the principal person concerned in it.

Speaker 1: 3:43

Tom Warren of of Paul was noted as one of the boldest smugglers round. On a summer's night about 40 years ago, he and five other men landed a boatload of smuggled goods at a short distance from Long Rock, the brandy salt etc. Having been taken above high water mark. Two of the men departed for Markachu, where the best customers lived, and one went over to Newtown to procure horses that the goods might be secured before daybreak. Tom and the other two being very tired, lay down by a heap of goods hoping to get a dose whilst their comrades were away. They were soon disturbed, however, by the shrill tweeting of feepers, slick quills or reeds, which give a shrill note when blown in. Besides, there was a constant tingling, just like old women make by rattling pewter plates or brass bands to frighten their swarming bees home or to make them settle. The men thought this noise might be from a company of young folks keeping up a dance on the green till a very late hour. Tom went to see who they were and to send them home, for it wasn't desirable for everybody to pry into the fair trader's business.

Speaker 1: 5:27

Having passed the beach, he mounted a high sandbank to have a look around, as the music seemed very near him. At a little distance, in hollows between sandbanks, he saw glimmering lights and persons like gaily-dressed dolls skipping about and whirling round. Going near, he beheld, perched on a pretty high bank in their midst, a score or so of little, old-looking chaps. Many of them blew in mouth organs, some beat cymbals or tambourines, whilst others played on harps or tweeted on may whistles and veepers. Tom noticed that the little men were rigged all in green except their scarlet caps. Small people are so fond of that colored headgear that they used to be nicknamed red caps. But what struck him and tickled his fancy most was to see the little old, old, grave-looking pipers with their long beards wagging and moving their mouths over the reeds stuck in their breasts. They looked more like buck goats than anything human, so Tom said, and that for the life of him. He couldn't forbear shouting will he be shaved? Will he be shaved? Old redcaps, he hailed them twice and was about to do so again when all the dancers, with scores and hundreds more than he noticed at first, spring up, bring themselves in rank and file, arm themselves in an instant with bows and arrows, spears and slings. Then, faced about looking like vengeance, the being disposed alongside played a quick march and the troops of Spriggans stamped on towards Tom, who saw them getting taller as they approached him. Their threatening looks were so frightful that he turned tail and ran down to his comrades and roused them, saying Put to sea for your lives. There's thousands of small people and buckaboos, most on our backs. They'll soon surround us.

Speaker 1: 8:25

Tom made off to the boat and his comrades followed close at his heels, but on the way a shower of pebbles fell on them and burned like coals of fire whenever they hit them. The men pulled many fathoms from shore before they ventured to look up, though they knew themselves safe when on the sea, because now the fairy tribe dare touch salt water. A glass landward. They saw, ranged along the shore, a company of as ugly-looking creatures as they ever beheld, making threatening gestures and vain endeavors to sling stones at them. When a furlong or so from land, the men rested on their oars and kept watching their assailants till near daybreak. Then horses being heard galloping along the road from Markajew.

Speaker 1: 9:39

Small people retreated to the sandbanks and the smugglers rode to land. Retreated to the sandbanks and the smugglers rode to land. Tom again shouted to the retiring host I'll shave them all and cut your tails off if you ever show here anymore. But the fairies disdained to notice his impudence and presently disappeared. The other smugglers who were now on the beach with plenty of help, while seeing their mates leaving the boat, inquired of the riding officer at Hove and Sight at Hove in sight. In such a case, smugglers usually took to sea that they might not be known. They didn't mind seeing the goods, for the most valuable would be secured before the king's men came to take them.

Speaker 1: 10:44

After spilling an anchor and treating all the neighbors who came to help or purchase or both, tom related how they had run from their lives and taken sea in order to escape an army of small people. Some could scarcely believe it, though. Others thought the story likely. An owl All blamed Tom for mocking the fairies. As said, bad luck would cross his path very long for a nice work Aye, and their forebodings were verified before another summer came around, however without further mishap. For that night the goods were quickly disposed of, the greater part in market you, and the rest left at an old tin work near the marsh Tal wanted. We have not heard of fairies having been seen on the eastern green since they were thus shamefully derided by Tom Warren. There never was a better pair of fair traders than Tom and his mates, continued the landlord, and they found good customers in the old well-to-do farmers of Senor who dearly loved their toddy. The Lord rest them.

Speaker 1: 12:30

Returning somewhat late on the following evening from a long ramble to see remarkable places in the neighborhood, we found the manager of Zenar Stamps and the other of cronies seated in their accustomed places by the fireside, shortly after the landlord came in from his work. He was a sturdy fellow, a fifty or there away, burnt as brown as a berry. Most of his time was passed at work on this farm. He had a good-sized one for that part of Zenner, and the public house was left to his wife's management. During the evening, after much coaxing, our host told the story which his wife had spoken of as a true one telling how a company of smugglers of his acquaintance had been driven away from Eastern Green by small folks or fairies, or fairies. There is some hope that all the fairy folk have not yet entirely forsaken this neighborhood, as there are persons now living who have seen them dancing and holding their raffles on the eastern green within the last fifty years. At that time, however, there were many acres of grass-grown, sandy banks there and a broad belt of soft green sward which skirted the carriage road, afforded a pleasant walk from Kayandar to Makachu Bridge, from Kaander to Makachu Bridge. Great part of this green has now been swept away by the waves and much of what the sea spared has been enclosed by the grasping owners of the adjacent land, though their right to this ancient common is very questionable. Though their right to this ancient common is very questionable. The following fairy adventure was told to me a short time since by a grave elderly man who heard it related by the principal person concerned in it.

Speaker 1: 15:03

Tom Warren of of Paul was noted as one of the boldest smugglers round. On a summer's night about 40 years ago, he and five other men landed a boatload of smuggled goods at a short distance from Long Rock, the brandy salt etc. Having been taken above high water mark, two of the men departed for Markachu, where their best customers lived, and one went over to Newtown to procure horses. That the goods might be secured before daybreak. Tom and the other two, being very tired, lay down by a heap of goods hoping to get a dose whilst the comrades were away. They were soon disturbed, however, by the shrill tweeting of feepers, slick quills or reeds, which give a shrill note when blown in. Besides, there was a constant tingling, just like old women make by rattling pewter plates or brass bands to frighten their swarming bees home or to make them settle. To frighten their swarming bees home or to make them settle, the men thought this noise might be from a company of young folks keeping up a dance on the green till a very late hour. Tom went to see who they were and to send them home, for it wasn't desirable for everybody to pry into the fair trader's business.

Speaker 1: 16:47

Having passed the beach, he mounted a high sandbank to have a look around, as the music seemed very near him. At a little distance, in hollows between sandbanks, he saw glimmering lights and persons like gaily-dressed dolls skipping about and whirling round. Going near. He beheld perched on a pretty high bank. In their midst a score or so of little old-looking chaps. Many of them blew in mouth organs, some beat cymbals or tambourines, whilst others played on harps or tweeted on may whistles and veepers.

Speaker 1: 17:46

Tom noticed that the little men were rigged all in green except their scarlet caps. Small people are so fond of that colored headgear that they used to be nicknamed Red Caps. But what struck him and tickled his fancy most was to see the little old, grave-looking pipers with their long beards wagging and moving their mouths over the reeds stuck in their breasts. They looked more like buckcoats than anything human. So Tom said, and that for the life of him he couldn't forbear shouting. Will he be shaved? Will he be shaved? Old redcaps? He hailed them twice and was about to do so again when all the dancers with scores and hundreds more than he noticed at first, spring up, bring themselves in rank and file, arm themselves in an instant with bows and arrows, spears and slings. Then, faced about looking like vengeance, looking like vengeance.

Speaker 1: 19:05

The band being disposed alongside played a quick march and the troops of Spriggans stepped on towards Tom, who saw them getting taller as they approached him. Their threatening looks were so frightful that he turned tail and ran down to his comrades and roused them saying but to sea, for your lives. There's thousands of small people and buckaboos, most on our backs. They'll soon surround us. Tom made off to the boat and his comrades followed close at his heels, but on the way a shower of pebbles fell on them and burned like coals of fire whenever they hit them.

Speaker 1: 20:00

The men pulled many fathoms from shore before they ventured to look up, though they knew themselves safe when on the sea, because now the fairy tribe dare touch salt water At length. Casting a glance landward, they saw ranged along the shore a company of as ugly-looking creatures as they ever beheld, making threatening gestures and vain endeavors to sling stones at them. When a furlong or so from land, the men rested on their oars and kept watching their assailants till near daybreak. Then horses being heard galloping along the road from Markajew. Small people retreated to the sandbanks and the smugglers rode to land. Tom again shouted to the retiring host Now shave them all and cut your tails off if you ever show here any more. But the fairy's disdain to notice his impudence and presently disappeared.

Speaker 1: 21:28

The other smugglers, who were now on the beach with plenty of help, while seeing their mates leaving the boat inquired of the riding officer at Hoven sight. In such a case smugglers usually took to sea that they might not be known. They didn't mind seeing the goods might not be known, they didn't mind seeing the goods, for the most valuable would be secured before the king's men came to take them. After spilling an anchor and treating all the neighbors who came to help or purchase or both, tom related how they had run from their lives and taken sea in order to escape an army of small people. Some could scarcely believe it, though. Others thought the story likely an owl. All blamed Tom for mocking the fairies. As said, bad luck would cross his path very long for a nice work, aye, and their forebodings were verified before another summer came around, however without further mishap.

Speaker 1: 22:52

For that night the ghosts were quickly disposed of the greater part in market. You and the rest left at an old tin work near the marsh till wanted. We have not heard of fairies having been seen on the eastern green since they were thus shamefully derided by Tom Warren. We have not heard of fairies having been seen on the eastern green since they were thus shamefully derided by Tom Warren. There never was a better pair of fair traders than Tom and his mates continued the landlord and they found good customers in the old well-to-do farmers of Senor who dearly love their toddy no-transcript.