‘Fairy rings’ pop up when rain comes down
The recent rains have brought more than a bit cooler weather. Here and there “fairy rings” are popping up in the region.
“I personally think they are cool and just and an interesting phenomenon,” said Sherry Beaty-Sullivan, Little River County Extension Agent. “There is quite a bit of folklore and myths surrounding fairy rings from all over the world. Some cultures regard them as a good sign, whereas others regard them as very bad omens.”
A fairy ring might be best described as “toadstools” in a circular pattern in the grass.
They are caused by basid-iomycotous fungi. They survive on decaying plant material. You will typically see fairy rings on lawns or golf courses where there is a high level of organic matter or where a tree has recently has been cut down and the roots are decaying underneath the ground. They typically disappear naturally once the environment changes.
Once they disappear, it may appear the grass in that area is either a darker green or brown. Don’t worry. This is a cosmetic effect and will typically grow out of the discoloration. The best solution to fairy rings is to remove the source by bagging grass clippings, leaves and other organic matter.
Beaty-Sullivan said her
“She (my grandmother) told us fairy rings were where all the fairy
people had their tea parties and the toadstools were
their tables.”
—Sherry Beaty-Sullivan
grandmother taught her about fairy rings.
“She told us fairy rings were where all the fairy people had their tea parties and the toadstools were their tables,” Beaty-Sullivan said. “She told of a great party with dancing, food and laughter. The fairy people were having such a great time that they didn’t keep track of the time, and as the sun rose, they grabbed what they could and disappeared, leaving their tables behind.”
Grandma’s family folklore would ignite the imaginations of young listeners.
“As kids, that was a terrific story and we would try to stay up the next night to see if we could catch them,” Beaty-Sullivan said. “I think she just made that up for us, because in my research I didn’t find a story that matched it.”
In much of Western Europe, fairy rings were to be avoided as dangerous places associated with malevolent beings. People were to never step inside a fairy ring for fear of being transported to a fairy realm, or going mad, or the even worse fate of dying young.
But there were ways to avoid these terrible fates should a person accidentally step inside one, such as running around the ring nine times, or run around the ring during a full moon.
“You might also wear your hat backwards to confuse the fairies and they will not harm you,” Beaty-Sullivan said.
Various places have their own superstitions concerning fairy rings, but for the most part the myths involve fairies or supernatural creatures either dancing around the ring, or having the ring serving as a portal between the fairy realm and this world.
It was also believed that the circles were formed by shooting stars, lightning strikes or the work of witches. These beliefs persisted into the 19th century, as did the warnings to not stray into the fairy circle, lest you be transported to certain doom.
There are so many stories and folklores regarding fairy rings you can research your own, Beaty-Sullivan said. “I still think they are a cool product of nature that still fascinates me after all these years. They help keep a memory of a great story my grandma told me alive too, which is a bonus for me. Just remember they don’t cause permanent damage, just a cosmetic discoloration that will go away with time … I say just look at them with awe and wonderment and appreciate that they are just plain cool.”
(For more information on fairy rings or other lawn questions, contact either the Little River County Extension office at 870-898-7224 or your local extension office.)