|
Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork
|
|
|
Tom White, of Post Bridge, was the favoured suitor of a girl from Huccaby, five miles away across the moor. After tea he'd walk over to see her, and late at night he'd walk back home. One summer night Tom had stayed considerably later than usual, and the stars were beginning to fade with that pre-dawn light. As he got nearer Bellever Tor he fancied he heard voices in the distance. He stopped to listen but came to the conclusion it was just the sighing of the wind. However as he got to the tor it was evident that a very merry party was somewhere close at hand. As he passed a huge granite block, he came upon a strange and bewildering sight.
On a small level piece of velvety turf, entirely surrounded by boulders, a throng of pixies were dancing in a ring, while others perched on rocks laughing and shouting. Before he could decide how to sneak off he was spotted, and the figures ran to form a ring around him, dancing and singing, spinning him round, round, round. He couldn't help but be caught up with the pixies but he was terrified what would happen. Luckily for him the sun was at that moment about to peep over the ridge, and as its first rays hit the ground Tom found himself abandoned and exhausted.
It's said that Tom couldn't face going to see his girlfriend after that. I've heard some excuses... "Honestly, it's not you, it's me and it's the pixies."
An even more long-winded version of this is to be found in Tales of the Dartmoor Pixies, by William Crossing [1890] at
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/tdp/tdp05.htm
|
Posted by Rhiannon
12th May 2005ce
Edited 12th May 2005ce
|
|
Log in |
Register
Top of page