29 replies to this topic

[bathory313]

Little people, leprechauns, wee folk, faeries..........Do you believe? So many people have spoken of seeing faeries or leprechauns........or trolls, gnomes, etc. I don't know what to make of it. Is it a fanciful tale, or is there a little more truth to it? Sylvia Browne has said that she saw a faerie.............eeeeeee Sylvia I love you but that's a bit hard for me to swallow. And yet, if it wasn't true, why would she say it? It can only invite further ridicule. I believe much of what she says, but.............I think the "Cottingly Faieries" story really brought down the boom on such talk. What do you think?

[mellilotflower]

I think fairies, little people, whatever you want to call them represent sometihng essentail in human nature, especially since christianity took hold. They show that the world is not all good, not all tameable. They are things to be revered, held in awe and yet never to be trusted. They are completely unhuman like nothing else can be, and yet entirely of humanity.

I never say whether or not I believe in fairies, instead I say I believe what you believe. I love the stories, the tales the folklore and the mythology surrounding fairies, and I feel that there are too many universal themes throughout the world for them to be merely folk memories of old gods.

It's a lot harder nowadays to believe in Fairies, perhaps because we seem to have tamed the world entirely (I don't think it's coincidence that stories of the fairies forever leaving out realm are now set during the indutrial revolution). And I've never seen a fairy, and I don't know anyone who has, but they're a lot more tangable, a lot more real than many other things more widely accepted as possible.

[juliet_keller]

Ah, nope I don't believe in fairies...I think that's how they explained lighting bugs in the old days...add on a myth and you have a good bedtime story for your little ones back then. Same way with the gnomes, if you didn't want your children to go to far out away from your home in the woods why not make up a scary tale about gnomes or ogres?

[mellilotflower]

Belief in fairies went a ways beyond an attempt to explain lightening bugs. It can be used to explain strokes, in the form of elf darts it was used to explain infant death and sometimes sudden deaths in the familly.
The fairy faith, or the belief in fairies covers or traditionally covered and involved belief in not only the little people (who didn't necasarily have wings and weren't all pretty) but also in things like brownies and nixes, kelpies, wil-o-the-whisps, black shuck, phooka's. There's a large variety of creatures that are part of the world of fairy that for a long time, in some parts of the world were accepted as easily as sheep.
It's a niaive view that puts these stories down as solely tales to frighten children away from the wild places - because after all we all stop believing in Santa Clause and discover the real reasons to be good when we grow up. The Fairy Faith in Celtic countries gives a lot of info and in depth analysis of exactly where this belief comes from aqnd what it meant to the people.
I understand why people think that these stories are just to scare children, one example of Grimms fairy tales, which is often the closest people get to a fairy story, is enough to spark the idea. But fairies go a lot deeper than the brothers grimm.

p.s. sorry for the two entries- had to dash off to work earlier.

[juliet_keller]

sorry melli...this subject not my cup of tea, thanks for the lesson. I just assumed on this subject because of grimms. But that does make Sleeping Beauty make more sense now...with the death and sleeping fairy part! But I still don't believe any have ever existed, I know I shouldn't say that because after all I do believe anything is possible, you know, with ghosts and all, but fairies and such I have never gotten into, but they are an interesting subject! Thanks again for sharing your knowledge on them I do respect that and it was interesting reading what you wrote!! Julie

[earth_spirit]

I'm almost hesitant to allow this topic again now that I'm a moderator, but if everyone promises to behave, I'll allow it Just kidding, of course . . .

Here's the link to a previous post that caused quite a bit of controversy in its day
http://www.ghostvill...owtopic=925&hl=

You'll see why when you read it . . .

Edited by earth_spirit, 03 August 2005 - 12:17 PM.

[Libramoon]

As most of you know, I love all things faerie! But do they exist? I have taken several pictures of what looks like faeries. There is one that really defies explaination. It was taken this past Sunday at a cemetery. I'm still working on getting it sized right, but I'll post it soon in the Pictures thread. After I found this pic, I went back to the same gravestone to see if I could find out what it was, but of course, nothing was there.

[earth_spirit]

Great, Libramoon! We'll be anxious to see it!!!

[bathory313]

Can't wait to see the pic!

[lulaboo]

earth_spirit, on Aug 3 2005, 11:12 AM, said:

I'm almost hesitant to allow this topic again now that I'm a moderator, but if everyone promises to behave, I'll allow it   Just kidding, of course . . .

Here's the link to a previous post that caused quite a bit of controversy in its day
http://www.ghostvill...owtopic=925&hl=

You'll see why when you read it . . .

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LOL Earthspirit I haven't seen that thread yet but I'm going to have a look into it.

Heres another thread you may be interested in as well Bathory 313, from our myths and urban legends board that resulted in a somewhat heated debate but quite a few interesting experiences involving the folk are given by some of our villagers in there as well as alot of very intriguing information.

http://www.ghostvill...?showtopic=6449

My own thoughts on the subject are in there as well but in a nutshell I'm inclined to believe they exist.

[earth_spirit]

By all means, lulaboo, check out the topic and post your feelings about it. I thought it was a fairly credible photo and had some scientific facts to back it up. But the skeptics thought otherwise. Maybe it's time to bring the topic back to the top of the list. Post a comment and let's see what happens . . .

If we're going to fuss and fight about something, at least make it along the lines of the paranormal!

So what do you think this is?

[bathory313]

earth_spirit, on Aug 4 2005, 05:07 PM, said:

By all means, lulaboo, check out the topic and post your feelings about it.  I thought it was a fairly credible photo and had some scientific facts to back it up.  But the skeptics thought otherwise.  Maybe it's time to bring the topic back to the top of the list.  Post a comment and let's see what happens . . . 

If we're going to fuss and fight about something, at least make it along the lines of the paranormal! 

So what do you think this is?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ahhhhhhhhhh, sorry, it looks like a big, fat bug to me. I realize there was no lighting to the original pic, but............just my opinion!

[lulaboo]

I have to say this one really has me a bit perplexed. I ran it through my h.p. photoshop and heres two takes I came up with.

First the original unedited shot and its quite obvious no flash had been used as nothing else is as clearly lit up as our little flying friend.


And Second, light exaggerated to enhance the surrounding area, I couldn't do any better enhancements other wise the picture kept pixelling out so I can't really tell if those larger containers near the brick wall were garbage containers or not which would be a red flag to me indicating an insect.


Now the original close up


In this, I completely exaggerated the dark and it seems you can make out very distinctive details which corroborates the shape seen in the original closeup.


And second I completely exaggerated the light and a whole new "creature" can be seen


Now considering it's vantage point, I can to a degree, accept the possibility that a distant external light source could have illuminated our little friend here but my problem with that is why isn't the surrounding area 'better lit'?
Another thing which struck my notice, when I used my color histogram, is that portions of the frontal area (mainly the head) as well as the wings are leaning twoards the red part of the light color spectrum. And when that occurs it usually indicates the object is moving away from the source of reflected light.
I honestly can't think of any insect which can fly backwards so if this isn't something that couldn't be specifically classified as out of the ordinary...the only other possibility I can even imagine because they are capable of backwards flight as well as hovering is a humming bird because I really can't mistake the 'beakish' protrusion off the lower part of the head.

*scratches head* This really could go one way or the other simply because it seems to defy any one solid arguement I could fathom one way or another. And when thet happens there's usually something to it

[bathory313]

Food for thought, Lulaboo!

[Simmy]

What a cool topic..that pic is awesome..