Le Creux es Faies

"Le Creux es Faies."
This Cromlech is situated on the Houmet Nicolle at the point of L'Eree, (so called from the branch of the sea, Eire, which separates it from the islet of Notre Dame de Lihou). This island, which once had upon it a chapel and a priory dedicated to "Notre Dame de la Roche," was always considered so sacred a spot that even to-day the fishermen salute it in passing.

.. [The cromlech] is, as its name would lead one to suppose, a favourite haunt of the fairies, or perhaps, to speak more correctly, their usual dwelling place.

It is related that a man who happened to be lying on the grass near it, heard a voice within calling out: "La paille, la paille, le fouar est caud." (The shovel, the oven is hot). To which the answer was immediately returned: "Bon! J'airon de la gache bientot." (Good! We shall have some cake presently).

Another version from Mrs. Savidan is that some men were ploughing in a field belonging to Mr. Le Cheminant, just below the Cromlech, when the voice was heard saying "La paille," etc. One of them answered, "Bon! J'airon de la gache," and almost immediately afterwards a cake, quite hot, fell into one of the furrows. One of the men immediately ran forward and seized it, exclaiming that he would have a piece to take home to his wife, but on stooping to take it up he received such a buffet on the head as stretched him at full length on the ground. It is from here that the fairies issue on the night of the full moon to dance on Mont Saint till daybreak.

This is still believed, for in 1896, when my aunt, Mrs. Curtis, bought some land on Mont Saint, and built a house there, the country people told her that it was very unlucky to go there and disturb the fairy people in the spot where they dance.

My cousin, Miss Le Pelley, writes in 1896 from St. Pierre-du-Bois, saying "The people still believe the Creux des Fees and 'Le Trepied' to have been the fairies' houses, and as proof one woman told me that when they dug down they found all kinds of pots and pans and china things.

"In the early 10th [sic. a sure typo for 19th?] century, two men were ploughing in Mr. Le Cheminant's field when their plough stopped, and could not be moved. Looking around for a cause, they found a holed kettle lying in the previous furrow. A voice asked them to get it mended immediately and to return it. They had the kettle repaired at the forge at Les Sablons and returned it to the furrow. Ploughing was resumed, but after a few turns around the field, the plough again stopped. The men then saw a bundle containing a freshly baked cake and a bottle of cider where the kettle had been placed. The same voice thanked them for their help and hoped that they would find the food and drink acceptable."

Some men were working in Mr. Le Cheminant's field when they heard a voice cry, 'La paile, la paile! Le four est caoud!' (The peel, the peel! The oven is hot!). One man called out jokingly, 'Baon, j'eraons d'la gache tantaot!' (Right, we will shortly have some cake!). A cake, steaming from the oven, appeared nearby, and the man ran to pick it up, saying that he would take it to his wife. On stooping to retrieve it, however, he received a buffet across the head which felled him.