Protection from Fairies
Folk wisdom offers a variety of suggestions for averting fairy abduction. Travelers out walking at night in known fairy turf who begin to experience confusion are advised to turn their clothing inside out to reverse the fairy spell which could lead them astray. Fairies avoid iron and salt, so carrying some of those substances can repel them. Other sources suggest tucking a piece of dry bread into your pocket. It is unclear whether the bread itself deters fairies or if it is meant as a snack to stave off hunger to avoid entrapment in fairy lands through consuming their food. Some stories claim fairies react with fear to the Bible much like vampires, but other tales tell of malign fairies frightening and attacking priests who carried all the tools of their trade. Some folklore suggests preventing fairies from entering your home by sprinkling stale urine over the doorways, but this measure seems extreme as it will also keep humans from visiting you.
Certain types of trees provide protection against fairies, not because the fairies fear them, but because they respect them as sacred. Fairies hold rowan and ash trees in especially high esteem. Legend says fairies will not harm a person standing beneath the branches of an ash tree. A piece of rowan wood will prevent attacks by malevolent fairies and help you connect with benign members of this clan. Avoid using wood from elder trees, as the fairies claim this for themselves. There are stories of fairies pinching children put to sleep in cradles made from elder wood. St. John’s wort, known as an herbal remedy against depression, also hinders bad fairies from interfering in your life.
Exercise caution with your words in order not to offend the fairies. For centuries, Irish country people deliberately referred to fairies as “the good folk” in order to maintain good relations with their unseen neighbors.
