How to Catch a Fairy? Or See one?

Apparently this:

An excellent way to gett a Fayrie, but for my self I call margarett Barrance but this will obtain any one that is anot allready bound.

First gett a broad square christall or Venus glasse in length and breadth 3 inches, then lay that glasse or christall in the bloud of a white henne 3 wednesdayes or 3 fridayes; then take it out and wash it with holy aqua and fumigate it: then take 3 hazle stickes or wands of an yeare groth, pill then fayre and white, and make soe longe as you write the spiritts name, or fayries name, which you call 3 times, on every sticke being made flatt one side, then bury them under some hill whereas you suppose fayries haunt, the wednesdy before you call her, and the friday followinge take them uppe and call hir at 8 or 3 or 10 of the clocke which be good plannetts and howres for that turne: but when you call, be in cleane Life and turne thy face towards the east, and when you have her bind her to that stone or Glasse.

or, if you only wish to see them:

An Ungt. to annoynt under the Eyelids and upon the Eylidds evninge and morninge, but especially when you call, or fine your sight not perfect. (That is, an ointment to give sight of the fairies) pt. (precipitate?) sallet oyle and put it into a Vialle glasse but first wash it with rose water, and marygold flower water, the flowers be gathered towards the east, wash it til the oyle come white, then put it into the glasse, ut supra. and thou put thereto the budds of holyhocke, the flowers of mary gold; the flowers or toppes of wild time the buds of younge hazle, and the time must be gatherred neare the side of a hill where fayries use to go oft, and the grasse of a fayrie throne, there, all thees put into the oyle, into the glasse, and sett it to dissolve 3 dayes in the sonne, and thou keep it for they use; ut supra.

from An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures; Katharine Briggs, 1976, Pantheon Books.

See here and other places for more info about this book.

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One Response to How to Catch a Fairy? Or See one?

  1. Mom says:

    That way is way fancy. I had them at my door last night.
    Had to be careful about the other things out there.

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