Fairy Gifts
Fairy lore shows that while fae may use their powers to aid someone, their rules of gift giving differ from ours. In some cases, fairies give aid to a human who is shunned by his peers for some reason, but the recipient of the gift must also earn favor with the fae in some way. Fairies have a keen appreciation for music, and often reward those who play a musical instrument, sing, or dance in a way that pleases them. A Scottish fairy tale tells of a humpbacked man who accidentally stumbled on a fairy ring. His singing found favor with the fairies who removed his hump. The rest of the tale, however, shows the dangers of seeking fairy gifts. Another man from the same village, upon hearing of his formerly humpbacked neighbor’s good fortune, went to the place where the fairies were rumored to hold their revels. This second man displeased the fairies both through his inferior voice and his rude behavior. They punished the man by giving him the hump they took from the first man.
Even those who receive a boon from the fairies once may be punished for returning for a second share of good fortune. A German tale tells of two men, a tailor and a goldsmith traveling together by foot. One night, they happened upon a fairy dance, and are invited to join. When the men left the party, one of the fairies suggested they take lumps of coal from the fire with them. The next day, the two men discovered the coals from the fairy gathering which they tucked into their bags, have turned into pieces of gold. The goldsmith leaves his companion behind the next night to return to the fairy dance. Again, as day breaks, the fairies enjoin him to take coals with him on his departure. To his disappointment, the goldsmith finds that not only do the coals from the second night remain nothing but charred lumps, the enchanted coals from the first night of dancing also lose their magic so he has no gold.
In some cases, a fairy gift helps entice its recipient into leaving human society behind in order to join the fairies. This is the case in the Irish story “Connla and the Fairie Maid.” In this story, Connla, the son of a king, meets a fairy woman while he is out walking with his father, a king and warrior. Connla meets a fairy woman and speaks with her, although none of the other humans present can see her. The fairy promises Connla eternal youth and the chance to wear a crown in the fairy realm if he follows her. His father’s druid weaves a spell to protect Connla and the fairy leaves but she tosses an apple to the prince before she disappears. For the next month, Connla pines for the fairy woman, refusing food save an occasional bite of the magic fruit. The fairy woman appears to him again, and his father, who hears but does not see the woman, again summons his druid. The fairy reprimands the king for not letting Connla make his own choice. Connla and the fairy woman depart on a crystal ship, sailing into the setting sun.
