Hobgoblins,Puck, Brownies, Selkies, Leprechauns, Boggarts, Bogies, Bogles, Bogeymen, Kelpies, Will-o-the-wisps, and Redcaps are just some of the types of fairies we read about in literature.
Current beliefs and images show fairies as small dainty figures with wings, but that is mostly incorrect and was a construct of Victorian times.
They come in all shapes and sizes and in all manners of good and evil.
It is told in some legends that once there was a time when the human world was one with Faerie. However, due to some dramatic change (use of iron by humans is suggested) faeries had to retreat. However, these same legends say that there still exist some gateways between the world of faeries and humans. Those who have the gift or are in possession of the magic mantra can enter into faerieland. The two worlds are said to be connected by fairy rings, fairy islands and fairy steads, magical gateways to the other world.
The passages that lead to Faerieland were as numerous as people and countries. Banks of mists often surround fairy rings or fairy hills. However, there sometimes can be found a gap in the mists. This is called the mist-gate. Some of the easiest doorways to find are "tween places" or a place that's "in between" other places; it's not really one place or the other (like a hallway, stairwell, doorway, window, the point between a path and the rest of the woods). There are also tween times - noon, sunrise, midnight, sunset. The places between light and shadow are also tween places. There are portals to the fae realm in each of these places.
According to legend (it's true since I'm the one they're writing about!), Thomas the Rhymer (that's me) had ventured into the land of Fae in the service of the Queen for seven years after I kissed her in the woods while I was playing my lute. After seven years of serving her, which seemed like 3 days to me, I was escorted back to Scotland by the queen and given an apple for my wages. This apple gave me a tongue that could never lie. She also let me choose between being a great harper or prophet and I chose prophet. My fellow Scots were amazed to see me after disappearing for 7 years (and not looking a day older). My truthful tongue caused me some issues but I became well known for my prophecies, told in the form of songs or rhymes. However, I missed the land of Fae and 7 years later a snow white hart and a snow white hind were seen walking through my village. I made my last prophecy – “My sand is run; my thread is spun; those messengers are for me.” I set out for the place where I met the Queen of the Fae and was never seen again, legend telling you that I returned to the land of the Fae, finding a doorway to take me back as well as allowing me to return to my world occasionally.
Fairies are slowly finding their way back to our world as they learn to live with iron but it turns out that human visitors are quite infrequent but still valued, especially by those bearing gifts. Small shiny trinkets are much appreciated by the fairies and they will journey to our world to find them and bring them back to their world, unless someone conveniently finds their way to Fae AND brings them gifts. In one of my recent trips back to the human world (which I barely recognize) I found myself MUCH closer to civilization than some of my previous visits. In order to bring more visitors to their land, I placed a container by the gate into Fae containing lots of these trinkets so you can take a few with you to offer as gifts and also bring them to your house so the fairies will be more likely to visit you. The outer container is iron in order to keep the fae that venture to our world from taking all of the trinkets. Please refrain from placing items in the container that might cause the fairies harm like iron, crosses, gorse, dill and rowan sprigs, and bells. Fairies appreciate food as a gift but it is forbidden here.
Finally, the “in between” place is a place of magic, so use of your technology will prevent you from being transported to the Land of Fae. Lucky for you I was able to retrace my route, since I needed to return to the Queen, and provide written instructions for how to get back to this lost doorway. From the starting point you’ll need to take a bearing of 032° and go approximately 285 feet to the Borderlands Bridge. This will be the last time you use your GPSr as the magic needed to take you to Fae interferes with your technology. Looking straight ahead as you cross this bridge, you might see a large mortal intrusion into the edge of the lands that border Fae. The Land of Fae has slowly begun to take over the area around this large intrusion so you might need to weave a bit between the trees to get there. This large iron structure has made many a fairy sick and prevented them from visiting us more frequently. Once you get there (you'll know you've found it when you go through the trees), continue heading in the same direction around the edge of the woods, sticking to another, but less intrusive, human construct used for walking and also driving those large iron boxes. It can get quite muddy back here so come prepared! Continue on the path between the trees until it begins to rise. On your right should be a more natural barrier about 12 feet high that keeps humans from wandering into the fairy domain, also with a metal mesh barrier about 3 feet high that keeps the fairies from venturing into human lands. You should see a small path into the woods amongst the English ivy. This is where your journey to Fae will take you next. You'll have to wander along the barrier, ducking under multiple bushes and trees to get into their kingdom. You'll see a larger standing tree with a small "cave" that offers shelter for the dwellers of Fae, as they visit our world and you'll also pass a more natural post that used to be part of a barrier of metal. My memory has grown hazy as years have passed so I'm not sure which one comes first or if they might be next to each other. Continue on until you see a fallen tree on your right, about 20 feet from the barrier. The doorway to the Land of Fae is there at that tree.
Should anyone question you about your actions, please let them know that the property manager (whose card will be in the letterbox) has given permission for this cache to be placed on their property. Also, FTF will receive a 15$ credit toward the purchase of their own stamp for future use on letterboxes (or your personal preference) from the site where I got mine made.