SOME ENTRIES FROM THE FAIRY CENSUS

“I turned and saw a figure, about three feet high, walking towards the car– he looked like a leprechaun”

(#68) ENGLAND (LANCASHIRE)

Female; 1950s; 0-10; on or near water; with several other people, some of whom shared my experience; 12pm-3pm; two to 10 minutes; aloof; occasional supernatural experiences; you had just woken up or were just about to go to sleep [‘awoken from sleep, by experience’]; loss of sense of time, profound silence before the experience, unusually vivid memories of the experience.

“We were on the way to see our Gran, with my sister aged nine, and our Father. We went under railway arches, and turned into a long lonely lane, with a stream at both sides, the railway embankment on both sides. We had done this walk many times, especially our Dad, from childhood. We were walking along, and our Dad said, ‘Wonder whose those kids are, out on their own’. We noticed straight away, their pale greenish skin and pure white hair, but I became alarmed when my Dad spoke to them. They didn’t answer. Then he said ‘Oh, they don’t have knees, they seem to float in the reeds’. They didn’t speak, smile, or acknowledge us in any way. My Dad, was a tough chap, but when I felt his hand really gripping mine, I knew he must have been uneasy. We walked on, and then looked back, no sign of them at all. Dad told our Aunt and Gran, they said there were no children by that description, living in the area. The odd thing is my sister doesn’t remember, and my Dad wouldn’t talk about it ever. While I never forgot it! Just what or who were they? The coalmines were very close by as well.”

“Girl about six or seven, pale greenish skin, pure white short hair, longish clothes. Boy, or male about four or five, same skin and hair, similar clothes.”

“Not sure [why I thought they were fairies]. I think it was my Father’s reaction. It was something strange.”

“[Fairies are] elemental beings.”

“I have always felt strongly at one with nature. Don’t mind talking about it now I am older, as I feel more enlightened.”

(#96) ENGLAND (NORTH EAST)

Female; 1980s; 21-30; on a country road; with one other person who shared my experience; 12am-3am; one to two minutes; inquisitive; occasional supernatural experiences; you were tired and hadn’t slept for a long time; hair prickling or tingling before or during the experience, unusually vivid memories of the experience.

“I was in a friend’s car, driving back to Nottingham from Darlington, where we had been to see a band. We didn’t have a map and got lost. We became so confused that at one point we found ourselves at the coast! It was around three in the morning and my friend pulled into a lay-by on a lonely road to nap. He told me to wake him in 15 minutes. While he slept, I sat quietly, watching the clock but I had a strong feeling that we were being watched from behind the car. I thought I would turn around, see nothing and be reassured. I turned and saw a figure, about three feet high, walking towards the car, peering in. He looked a [little] like a leprechaun – he had a lined face and beard but he wore a black hooded cloak over a dark coloured jacket and trousers. I remember he wore a wide black belt and he was dragging a sack over his shoulder, which dragged along the ground. I saw him clearly. I can’t remember if there was a street light in the lay-by or if the car lights were still on or if there was moonlight. I was so shocked, I turned back and woke my friend. I didn’t say anything about what I’d seen, because I thought I had imagined it, but when he woke, as he turned to put on his seat belt, he looked shocked and said, ‘What’s that?’ Then he started the car and shot off down the road. I was so frightened that I just stared down at my hands in my lap. Maybe 100 yards down the road, my friend braked suddenly and cried out. I asked him what he had seen and he described the same hooded figure, and he had braked because he thought he saw another one in the road. He told me he had seen these creatures before near his home in Notts and they were always by the road and dragging sacks.”

(#142) IRELAND (CO. CAVAN)

Male; 1980s; 11-20; on a country road; on my own; 9pm-12 pm; 10 minutes to an hour; mischievous; occasional supernatural experiences; ‘just a normal walk home from a friend’s house that I had done countless times’; hair prickling or tingling before or during the experience.

“I was walking home one night when a rustle began in a hedgerow to my right. Being from the country, I put it down to a badger or fox out hunting. That thought soon fled when the rustling followed my every step. I increased my pace, so did my unseen friend’s. I got really worried when, on encountering a gateway in the hedgerow, the rustling transferred to the other side of the road. By now I was petrified, but pig-headed enough to not show it. My companion followed me for another half-mile. Then came the part I will never forget: the hedgerow rose above the road to about my shoulder height. It became sparse, thin, more barbed wire than foliage. I turned my head sideways, and there, blotting out the stars, was a shape about three feet tall. It was bulky at the waist, wide at the shoulders. If it was looking at me, I could not tell, but it stood for a moment, as I did, before I ran the last

mile home. If it followed me, I cannot tell, for the blood was thrumming in my ears. When I reached my house, I collapsed in the door. My older brother was up, and he saw my state. He still says to this day that my hair was standing on end.”

“Only a silhouette. Three feet tall. Stocky. Could not make out attire.”

(#148) IRELAND (CO. DUBLIN)

Male; 1990s; 21-30; in open land (fields etc); with one other person who shared my experience; 9 pm-12 am; one to two minutes; mischievous, angry, aloof; never or almost never has supernatural experiences; no special state reported; hair prickling or tingling before or during the experience, a sense that the experience was a display put on specially for you.

“While travelling at night, on a road that ran up some mountains, we saw a shapeless white form that appeared to be a white shopping bag blowing around in the wind moving quickly up the mountainside. It was moving against the wind, however. Uphill. We had pulled off the road, at a lay-by, to look at the view of the city lights down below, when we noticed the shape jumping from tree to tree towards us. It was about two or three square feet in area, and a matt bluish white colour. Like a large pillow case or a shopping bag. No markings or features, not shiny at all, looked more like a strange cloth than a plastic. Both myself (American) and my fiancée (Irish) had a feeling that whatever it was, its intentions were not good. We had a general sense that something unpleasant would happen if it caught up to us, so we jumped back in the car and hightailed it out of there.”

“Like an amorphous shape, vaguely rectangular.”

“Size changed through the experience.”

(#190) WALES (RHONDDA)

Female; 2000s; 41-50; in a garden; on my own; 12pm3pm; two to ten minutes; friendly; regular supernatural experiences; no special state reported; profound silence before the experience, a sense that the experience was a display put on specially for you.

“Early one afternoon in May, I was sitting out in my garden. The rhododendrons were in flower and it was a hot bright sunny day. I was very comfortable and content to listen to the birds and just relax. Unexpectedly I became aware of the golden outline of a figure down at the bottom of my garden. I say outline because it was not solid, but looked as though just its outline had been drawn with golden ink. The figure shimmered and had tall wings, but mostly it was transparent, like a rough sketch. It was about three feet tall and rose up in the air a little way before descending; it did this several times. Then I saw a second winged figure, very much smaller. This was also golden, but I remember seeing a flash of blue and green. My first thought was that it was a dragonfly, but on closer observation I saw that it flew quite differently and its shape was not that of an insect but a small human-like figure. Next I became aware of someone on the seat beside me, although I could not see them, but they were trying to get my attention – I could even see something pressing on my left upper arm, moving my clothing. I had that strong impression that day that I was meant to see the fairies, and they were pleased about it. It was a lovely experience, totally benign; I was amazed to see how the fairies really did look the way they appear in traditional tales. I have seen fairies many, many times since that day. And May/ June is a particularly good time for seeing them in my garden. I have photos of strange mists in that area of the garden from other years too.”

(#344) US (NORTH CAROLINA)

Female; 2010s; 31-40; on or near water; with one other person who did not share my experience; 3pm-6pm; two to 10 minutes; ‘threatening’; occasional supernatural experiences; no special state reported; hair prickling or tingling before or during the experience, a sudden chill before the experience.

“I was on a rock in the river reading while my husband fished on up river. I was across from a park, people walking with kids and dogs. There were two young boys walking on the trail with their dad. They began moving down towards the water, when it [my italics] started coming up the river moving through the water towards them. It was paleskinned, water-logged looking with black hair and sharp serrated teeth showing in a smile. It paid me no attention, but was focused on the boys. They were pointing at it with sticks and could absolutely see it. The dad finally ushered them away from the edge of the river seemingly unaware of it being feet from his kids. It watched them move up the trail away with a creepy look on its face and then moved on up river out of sight. Did not look friendly to me.”

“I have seen them since childhood, different ones, and was told that’s what they are. My granny from Ireland says I have the sight like her.”

“I was always taught to never talk to them or let them know I see them.”

(#339) US (NEWYORK STATE)

Female; 1960s; 0-10; in a city, inside a private house; on my own; 9pm-12am; 10 minutes to an hour; friendly, erotic; occasional supernatural experiences; you had just woken up or were about to go to sleep [‘sleeping’]; loss of sense of time, profound silence before the experience, a sense that the experience was a display put on specially for you, unusually vivid memories of the experience, a sense that the experience marked a turning point in your life.

“Not sure when it began as a child but I know it ended on my 10th birthday because I recall the disappointment. They came to me in my sleep, very often and the purpose was always the same. To take me to fly above the rooftops and treetops throughout

“The figure shimmered and had wings, but mostly itwas transparent, like a rough sketch”