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Article THE FAIRY FAMILY. ← Page 12 of 13 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Fairy Family.
Or on the beachy margent of tho sea , Thoy dance on ringlets to the whistling wind . " The popular belief in Fairies , like many other popularities , received a check Avhen it came into collision Avith the religious A'iews of the period . Sir Walter says , " The fulminations of the Romish Church Avere directed against the realms of Fairy-land
, as much as against those of Olympus . " In the time of the Virgin Queen , Johnson tells us that Fairies were extremely important beings , that monarch herself being much attached to the tiny race , which the transcendent genius of Shakspeare had painted in such fanciful ancl delicate hues . In 1590 , Spencer's " Faerie Queen" appeared ; whereas we have seenhe confuses
, , Classical ivith Gothic deities ; and Shakspeare , in the " Midsummer Night's Dream , " has peopled the classic groves of Greece with his native elves . The magic charms of poetry , hoAvever , reconcile us to these , and to much greater anomalies . Fairy tales were much in vogue during the seventeenth century , among Avhich the " Pentameron" of Basilio led the Avay .
Perrault published his " Conte de ma Mere l'Oye" in 1697 , ancl Avas followed by a variety of other writers . This popular taste led to the translation of the Arabian Nights' Tales , by the famous Orientalist Antoine Galland , about 1704 . In this short sketch many details have been necessarily omitted , and some members of the Fairy family left entirely
unnoticed . Such are the Fees of Normandy , Avhich live in the Grottes des Fees , and resemble English elves very much , in their pranks , dances , ancl child-thefts . By the Avay , our indignation is mitigated at the child-stealing propensities of Fairies in general , Avhen we bear in mind that they were compelled to deliver a certain yearly tribute , either of the elfin or human
kind , to their rulers ; and that they therefore only took young children for the purpose of recruiting their numbers . In like manner the Water Spirit Avas not supposed to decoy men to death amidst the Avaves through personal ill-will , but that he might enjoy the society of their spirits beneath . This view both lessens the unreasonableness of then - cruelties , ancl the humiliation of taking measures to secure their good-will ancl forbearance .
In Poland there exists , too , a highly interesting being upon whom ive might enlarge , called Vila . She is a mountain nymph clad in Avhite , whose voice resembles that of the woodpecker . Her steed is a seA en-year old hart , haA'ing a bridle formed of snakes , ancl she carries a quiver full of deadly arroivs . This spirit is Avell knoivn in Dalmatia . Limited space must be our excuse for the imperfections and omissions in this rapid outline
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Fairy Family.
Or on the beachy margent of tho sea , Thoy dance on ringlets to the whistling wind . " The popular belief in Fairies , like many other popularities , received a check Avhen it came into collision Avith the religious A'iews of the period . Sir Walter says , " The fulminations of the Romish Church Avere directed against the realms of Fairy-land
, as much as against those of Olympus . " In the time of the Virgin Queen , Johnson tells us that Fairies were extremely important beings , that monarch herself being much attached to the tiny race , which the transcendent genius of Shakspeare had painted in such fanciful ancl delicate hues . In 1590 , Spencer's " Faerie Queen" appeared ; whereas we have seenhe confuses
, , Classical ivith Gothic deities ; and Shakspeare , in the " Midsummer Night's Dream , " has peopled the classic groves of Greece with his native elves . The magic charms of poetry , hoAvever , reconcile us to these , and to much greater anomalies . Fairy tales were much in vogue during the seventeenth century , among Avhich the " Pentameron" of Basilio led the Avay .
Perrault published his " Conte de ma Mere l'Oye" in 1697 , ancl Avas followed by a variety of other writers . This popular taste led to the translation of the Arabian Nights' Tales , by the famous Orientalist Antoine Galland , about 1704 . In this short sketch many details have been necessarily omitted , and some members of the Fairy family left entirely
unnoticed . Such are the Fees of Normandy , Avhich live in the Grottes des Fees , and resemble English elves very much , in their pranks , dances , ancl child-thefts . By the Avay , our indignation is mitigated at the child-stealing propensities of Fairies in general , Avhen we bear in mind that they were compelled to deliver a certain yearly tribute , either of the elfin or human
kind , to their rulers ; and that they therefore only took young children for the purpose of recruiting their numbers . In like manner the Water Spirit Avas not supposed to decoy men to death amidst the Avaves through personal ill-will , but that he might enjoy the society of their spirits beneath . This view both lessens the unreasonableness of then - cruelties , ancl the humiliation of taking measures to secure their good-will ancl forbearance .
In Poland there exists , too , a highly interesting being upon whom ive might enlarge , called Vila . She is a mountain nymph clad in Avhite , whose voice resembles that of the woodpecker . Her steed is a seA en-year old hart , haA'ing a bridle formed of snakes , ancl she carries a quiver full of deadly arroivs . This spirit is Avell knoivn in Dalmatia . Limited space must be our excuse for the imperfections and omissions in this rapid outline