Reading Diary B: Welsh Fairy Tales (Emerson)

Welsh Fairy-Tales and Other Stories

READING B:

1.     More Short Tales of Fairies

2.     The Pellings
3.     The Long-Lived Ancestors
4.     Short Tales of Wonder
5.     Billy Duffy and the Devil
6.     The Story of John O'Groats
7.     The Fishermen of Shetland

I found the first part of this unit to be similar to the last unit. The theme about fairy money continued.

In “The Pellings,” the legend of fairies’ aversion to iron is introduced. Penelope is a captured fairy who eventually agrees to marry her mortal kidnapper on one condition-that he never struck her with iron. Unfortunately, an accident with a horse resulted in the man throwing a bridle that struck Penelope. Penelope left the man and returned to the fairy with a word of advice in caring for their children. 

This would be an interesting story to tell from Penelope's perspective after the fact, like a memoir. I think it would be interesting to add the iron detail into my storybook. Perhaps this is why Titania or her fairies can’t retrieve the treasures themselves.

In “Short Tales of Wonder” there is a story about giants and the standing stones, called “The Giantess' Apron-Full.”  I think it would be interesting to talk about this in my storybook. The giant(s) in my story are in Northern Ireland by the Giant’s Causeway. Hopefully I can find some stone circles along the path from County Cork to County Antrim and I can incorporate this in.

Beltany stone circle is a very impressive ring of stone in County Antrim.  I may use that one.

(Beltany Stone Circle, Source: Stonepages.com)

Billy Duffy was by far the most entertaining story in this unit. The clever old drunkard really had me going. I think he would be an interesting character to meet on the way to the sea cave.  If I have enough words, I’ll be sure to include him! I normally don’t like it when immoral characters triumph but Billy was pretty likeable. I’m also inspired to add some will-o-the-wisps into the wailing woods.

I enjoyed John O’Groats and the Fisherman of Shetland as well. My favorite parts were when the spendthrift found the second note (his father definitely knew him well) and when the bear was entertaining the beautiful sisters of Shetland.

Story source: Welsh Fairy-Tales and Other Stories by Peter H. Emerson (1894).