Pixie

Also known as Pigsies, Pisky

• #2660
•  Medieval (culture)
•  Undead (attribute)
•  Troublesome (behaviour)
•  Fairies and Nymphs (common type)

The Anglos Saxon term for the Celtic Pisky.

These are redheaded Fairies from Devon and Cornwall, England. They have upturned noses like pigs, pointed ears and wear green clothes. They are said to be the souls of the dead who were not baptized as children and so they could not enter Heaven but had done no wrong to enter Hell. Long ago they fought a war with another race of Fairies. They were victorious in this war and thus they won their own territory in Buckland St. Mary in Somerset which they now fiercely protect. The Pixies would lead travellers astray by bringing bad luck. They also steal horses which they ride around in circles to create gallitraps. Anyone who sets foot in a gallitrap will become under the power of the Piskies. If that person is a criminal then they will be hung.

Pixies used to frequently come into contact with humans but by the 19^th century this contact had diminished. Sammuel Drew in his book Cornwall (1824) wrote:

“The age of pixies, like that of chivalry, is gone. There is, perhaps, at present hardly a house they are reputed to visit. Even the fields and lanes which they formerly frequented seem to be nearly forsaken. Their music is rarely heard.”

Today there is an old tradition called Pixie day in June where the people of East Devon commemorate the legends of the Pixies when they were banished from the town to the nearby caves which was called &lsqio;Pixie's Parlour’. When the Bishops came to East Devon to preach the word of Christ the Lord, The Pixies became worried as they knew they could not live there anymore. So they got together and decided to cast a spell over the Bishops which caused them to mindlessly walk off the road to an edge of a Cliff. Along the death road one of the Bishop's stubbed his toe and cried out “God bless my soul.” With this said the spell was broken and the Bishops then came to their sense and continued back on the old road to Ottery in East Devon. When the Bishops arrived they installed the bells to ring out the glory of God. However the spell was not completely broken as each year the Pixies come out of Pixie Parlour and steal the bell ringers and imprison them in the cliff's caves. The bell ringers are then rescued by the Vicar of Ottery St. Mary. This is re-enacted each year on Pixie day.

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