Fairy Rings Midsummer Eve Robert Hughes, Edward Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com Fairy Rings Many legends surround these mysterious rings that appear in lawns, parks, and woodlands. There are three different types of rings, which explains the differences in the stories. One type has a ring of lush green grass surrounding less fortunate grass. The second has the lush grass ring - and then inside of it, a ring of dead grass. And the last can be any of them any time - any time the climate and season is right for the mushrooms to sprout in the outermost ring! Sometimes, the only evidence of a fairy ring is the occasional appearance of the mushrooms in a circle. Of course, the ring of dead grass is because the fairies have danced there all night long - stomping the grass down. In Devonshire they believe the fairies capture young colts and ride them around and around the ring like a race track. In the morning the poor horses look "hag ridden". The lush ring - well, what could be more of a blessing than dancing fairy feet! And the mushrooms, of course, the fairies planted those around their ring for seats and decoration! If you are out on a moonlit night and see the fairies dancing, beware for they may lure you into their ring and sweep you off to Fairie for a night of wild celebration. In the morning you shall wake in the fairie ring and discover twenty years or more have passed in the outer world. In the South Country and Scotland a lass should bathe her face in the morning dew in May to improve her looks. But if she should bathe her face with dew from within a fairy circle, or stand within one while she bathes her face, she will instead magically gain the visage of an old crone, warts and all. Some believe stepping into a fairy ring to bring misfortune, and in other places it is said to bring good luck. I guess it pays to know the local fey folk and whether they wish you good or ill ;). Fairy rings are really formed by the actions of fungus. Some 60 different types of fungus cause fairy rings - which is why all fairy rings are not quite the same. They are very persistent. There is a fairy ring in France that is almost half a mile in diameter. It is believed to be 600-700 years old! That must be some full moon dance. I bet every fey for miles around attends! D-Pixie Posted: Monday 28th March 2005, 6:49 PM

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