Final Thoughts:
Perilous Places and
Threatening Things
I started this book by asking whether or not these supernatural beasts that I ave described ought properly to be labelled “faery.” As I have explained, there are very many common themes and, indeed, stories, that apply to both the conventional faeries and to the faery beasts. There is astonishing diversity too: the variety of types of faery beast is—aptly—mind-boggling (a word that is, of course, derived from “bogle”). Nevertheless, despite the many shapes, sizes, and species they can assume, there is clearly a single nature that unifies them as a category and that unites them with the faeries. Their aversion to iron, to rowan, or to holy scripture, their knowledge of the future, and their complex relationship with death and the dead are just a few examples of that common identity.
Faery is a dangerous place: it can be risky for humans to spend time with faeries or in faeryland. Worse still, that unearthly peril can spill over into our own world. There are plenty of faery beasts whose sole interest is to inhabit the deserted or neglected parts of our environment, there to lie in wait for the unwise and the unwary. Of course, the faery folk have likewise intruded upon and occupied our world. In what respect are the beasts different, therefore?
I think the key distinguishing feature of the beasts is this: The faeries live in communities and have their own ways of life; they will interact with humankind, but they can, quite adequately, live entirely separate from us. In contrast, faery beasts are (by and large) solitary; their only interactions are with humans, and these are predominantly hostile. Only very rarely do faery beasts intervene in our lives to warn or to help us. Our deepest and most satisfying interactions have always been with the merfolk, and even these are far more limited and infrequent than contacts with the faery folk. Nevertheless, all these faery beasts can appear with a purpose. Merfolk and bogies like the buggane will warn of storms approaching; meremaids, the bean-nighe, fae horses and rabbits, and the Wild Hunt can all warn of impending disaster. As well as the bean-nighe and banshee, whose special function this is, the appearance of very many of the bogies, daemon dogs (especially those of the Wild Hunt), and fae animals foretells of imminent death. It benefits us to pay attention to the beasts’ intrusions into our world. One way or another, being alert can protect us, whether that is because we escape harm by one of the beasts or because it is acting as a portent.
Mostly, though, the faery beasts’ purpose is to menace and to threaten us. For this stark reason, they should never be underestimated or doubted. Even those creatures that are prepared to live and work in proximity to humans—the hobs and gruagachs—should never be taken for granted: they are quick to take offence and, when this happens, they can become vengeful boggarts who make our lives a misery.
Given the potential danger of most of these faery beasts, it is important to know how to deal with them. Throughout the book I have highlighted the simple, practical measures that may be taken to defend yourself. If though, for some reason, you feel that a particular beast won’t leave you alone and is making life a misery, there are still tried and tested remedies available. As I have highlighted, all of these beasts can be laid (or exorcised or banished): this has been proven to work for hobs, bogies (including boggarts and barguests), black dogs, fae animals like the trash, and wills of the wisp.
For all their menace, though, the faery beasts are both rich and strange. The study of their varied forms and habits is full of fascination, because it has much to tell us about ourselves. The beasts ensnare us by playing upon our worst traits—upon our greed, laziness, lust, impatience, and our overwhelming curiosity. They are able to threaten us because we allow them to do so: we are in a rush to get somewhere and travel late; we are in a rush to finish chores and will take any steps to save ourselves time and trouble; we want to get rich quickly. We allow the faery beasts into our world through our own ill-judged actions—and they exact the charge.