Meeting the Other Crowd

Leaving my productive two-hour study session in the library I was walking briskly towards class to get a  good front seat--and got caught behind a large group walking towards the geography building--they didn't look like my class, they were all older, "mature students". So you can imagine my confusions when they continued on their way into the lecture hall. Was my class rescheduled? What was going on?

Then this man walked in...

 This was still my class...

I had forgotten that my folklore class had a guest speaker today!

Needless to say, once I understood what was going on I was very excited for class to start!

I could listen to this man tell stories all day! And indeed, I now have a signed copy of his book.

This folklorist/professional storyteller had a lot to say, and limited time to say it. I learned about differences between Disney's version of fairies and the Good People. There is no Tinkerbell here. They can look like ordinary people, they can be good or bad, and they don't have to look like people at all--they could be birds or gusts of wind, or look like those we know who have passed on... They dislike things that are Holy—medals, holy water, etc; Dirty;

Red—color of blood; Iron/steel/ a black-handled knife is the best to have with you; along with Salt (as anyone who has ever watched Supernatural knows) ; and Fire. If you find a Stream of running water—cross that!

Have any of you ever watched Torchwood?

If not,shame on you--go do that now!

(There is a particularly good episode with fairies--episode 5--"Small Worlds")

Whether you believe or not does not matter, what is important is that you respect them nonetheless. You may not have to sprinkle salt around your house or sleep with fireplace-tongs above your bed or wear red everyday--just don't bulldoze that Hawthorne tree that's been there for generations to make your road if you don't have to...
If ye would like me to try to post some of the stories, just let me know! Message me on Facebook. :)

Thanks to Dieuwke for taking the picture! <3
Today was a good day!