Scotland's Fairies: Isla & Elfenhame- Story4 (Guided Sleep Story)

This is a gentle sleep story for all ages. It is the fourth installment of Scotland's Fairies series written and performed by Rachael Corral and with Celtic background music by Chris Collins. In this story, we go inside the tree stump of Elfenhame and hear about the crystal tunnels, fairy food, and drink, and learn about the Scottish fairy clan tartans.

Transcript

Hello,

My name is Rachel.

My country is Scotland,

A country steeped in fairy faith,

A place of mythical valleys,

Fairy glens and fairy pools and logs,

And ancient Caledonian pine forests,

Where fairies,

Or we folk,

Can be found in the tree hollows and abandoned birds' nests,

In the rivers and burns which flow through the mountainous valleys.

There are river sprites with webbed feet,

Who ride on the back of the leaping Scottish salmon,

Tucked away inside unused teapots and empty shortbread tins.

We folk,

Called brownies,

A sort of house fairy,

Live amongst the Scottish people,

Inside their very homes,

Although most people never look close enough in the nooks and crannies to ever spot them.

Now I'm guessing you might like to join me on an adventure here in Scotland and hear more about these mystical we folk,

Guardians of our hills,

Forests and homes.

So get comfortable,

Maybe have a little wiggle of fingers and toes,

Take a deep breath in to fill your chest full of air,

And a deep breath out again to relax your body down into whichever be spot you might be sitting or lying in.

Gently close your eyes and come with me to Scotland.

Now this is the next instalment of Isla's journey with Queen Morven to the fairy palace of Elfenhame.

She has just arrived on the back of Doreha the owl,

At a tree stump in the clearing of the woods.

Isla felt a bit played,

Or shy as we might say in English,

As she started to climb down from Doreha's feathery back and was met by Morven and Nessa at her side.

There was quite a gathering around Isla now,

With more and more we folk coming for a wee peek at the human girl.

The first thing Isla noticed was how bony and colourful they all looked.

Some in dresses fashioned from leaves and petals,

Snowy white gowns of chestnut blooms,

Pansy petal collars,

Poppy petal capes,

Buttercup gowns,

And a furry stole made from bumblebee hair,

Bluebell bonnets and acorn caps on their heads.

Isla was astonished by the beautiful clothes that they had constructed from the natural world.

In addition to their clothing,

Sewn from leaves,

Petals,

Feathers and fur,

A great many we folk were wearing traditional Scottish tartan,

A type of patterned cloth consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours.

Isla wondered to herself where they sourced this tartan.

Did they gather sheep's wool and dye and weave it themselves?

She made a mental note to ask someone later.

Some we folk wore a full feligmur,

An old-fashioned type of kilt that goes over the shoulder,

Whereas other fairies just wore a tartan bonnet or brooch or tartan ribbon in their hair.

The we folk wore lots of different colours and patterns of tartan and Isla wondered if there were different fairy clans.

A Scottish clan,

From the Gaelic word meaning children or kindred,

Is a kinship amongst the Scottish people.

A clan name comes from the chief's surname,

Such as Campbell or Mackintosh,

And each clan has a specific land,

Tartan and usually a clan symbol.

Morven then spoke to the crowd around Isla.

Come everyone,

Into the Elfenhame,

Elfenhame,

Where we will celebrate the arrival of our special guest.

Morven led the way as Nessa took Isla's hand and the crowd parted.

As they walked through the ornately carved entranceway into the stump of Elfenhame,

Isla had no idea what to expect.

Inside were a series of winding tunnels,

Illuminated by lanterns and glowing crystals of rainbow colours embedded into the wee ducats or recesses of the walls.

Oh,

It's beautiful,

Isla exclaimed.

The tunnel walls felt as if they were beating with the ceili music which reverberated around them.

They came to the end of the tunnel,

Which first appeared to be a dead end.

Now for the fun bit,

Squeaked Nessa.

Isla watched as Morven sat down and then appeared to whoosh out of sight,

And then Isla understood what it was.

There was a slide.

You go next and I'll go behind,

Said Nessa.

She gave Isla's hand a squeeze and said,

You'll love it,

I promise.

Isla released her hand and sat down on her boogie at the top of the slide,

Which seemed to dip away into the darkness.

She took a little breath,

Gave herself a wee push and then momentum did the rest.

She felt exhilarated as she swooped through the tunnels of polished wood,

The rainbow crystals creating intricate patterns of coloured light everywhere.

Like in a prism.

Isla looked down at her body.

She could see that she herself had become a rainbow being.

Blue feet,

Green legs,

A red tummy and purple arms.

Finally,

There was a glowing light that indicated the end of the tunnel.

One last corner to go and then she sprung to her feet,

To the overwhelming sound of cheering and clapping and cayley music.

She smoothed the bumfles or wrinkles out of her nightie before Nessa popped out and joined her and together they surveyed their surroundings.

Isla was in complete awe.

She appeared to be in a great hall,

Likely to be the very centre of the stump.

The space above her head seemed to go on forever with winding wooden staircases looping up and up and fairies and wee folk peering down at her from the many balconies above.

There were strings of fairy lights and flower garlands everywhere.

Like the most elaborately decorated tree you have ever seen in your life.

Isla wondered if they ever got in a fancle putting them up like her and her family sometimes did with the Christmas tree lights or if having wings made the job really quite easy.

On the vast floor of the hall were circular wooden tables all around the perimeter with wooden pedestal stands in the centre of each piled high with many tiers of delicious looking food.

The tables were also decorated with jeweled tree branches glowing with hanging tea lights.

In the centre of the great hall was where the dancing was taking place.

Wee folk spun and clapped and took partners by the hand as they danced perfectly in time to the fiddle and accordion.

The band played from a wooden stage at one end that seemed to float above the dancers.

The musicians ruddy cheeked as they gave it laldy meaning they played energetically.

Were making the most beautiful music that Isla had ever heard.

Isla was used to a gaily band but she had never seen players like these.

The speed at which they moved their fingers up and down the accordion keys and fiddle strings was phenomenal and the dancers seemed to have boundless energy to keep up.

Morven turned to Isla and asked if she were hungry.

Isla realised that all the excitement had left her feeling quite shugly and she nodded her head.

Morven confidently brained through the crowd of dancers as Isla and Nessa followed.

Isla found herself dodging the pairs of dancers who were now holding hands and moving in a circular fashion forwards and backwards around the dance floor in a dance Isla knew to be the Gay Gordons.

They arrived at a table which Isla assumed to be the top table as one of the chairs was larger than the rest and ornately carved and adorned with flowers so that it appeared to be a type of throne.

They sat down and some of the other fairies came to join them.

It was a merry and informal affair with drinks being ladled from large wooden bowls which Isla recognised as walnut halves and food being taken at will from the pedestal at the centre of the table.

Isla,

Please help yourself smiled Morven but if truth be told Isla didn't quite know what to take.

Here said Nessa you'll love this and she ladled a liquidy gold substance into Isla's cup.

It's a favourite drink of the fairies,

A mixture of lavender nectar,

Elderflower cordial and honey.

Isla realised that she was actually quite druth meaning she had a heavy thirst and it was heavenly to take a sip of this fragrant and refreshing sweet drink.

She quickly drank the whole lot and Nessa giggled before filling up her glass again.

Isla now turned her attention to the food stand.

What should she choose?

Everything looked so pretty topped with flowers and shimmering glazed fruits and leaves.

She reached forward and selected some type of circular mousse topped with little crystals and flowers.

It was sitting on a leaf and she lifted the whole thing and put it on the platter in front of her.

Now a bit unsure what to do Nessa seemed to recognise this and gave her a nudge.

It's all edible Isla,

The leaf is a scent of geranium,

The flowers are pansies and the crystals are ginger.

Just pick it up with the leaf you can't go wrong.

Isla thanked Nessa,

Picked it up and took a bite.

Wow it was so good.

Isla had never tasted something so fresh and light before.

Her taste buds being treated to the sweet undertones as she bit into each piece.

That was so delicious.

She exclaimed to Morven and Nessa,

Here try this next,

Chuckled Nessa as she selected a golden coloured wedge of cake covered in glazed dandelion flowers.

It had a syrupy sponge like texture and tasted like flowers and honey and sunshine itself.

Isla almost squealed in delight.

Eating fairy food made Isla feel like she was experiencing what it must be like for butterflies and bees to go deep into the centre of a flower to drink from its sweet nectar.

As Isla looked around the table she got warm smiles and nods of approval from the fairies sitting there.

Although the music made it a little too difficult to strike up conversations from across the table.

When she felt satisfactorily full up,

A fairy from across the table got up and made her way around to talk to her.

She gave a little bow to Morven and then clasped Isla's hand.

My name is Willow.

I'm so excited to meet you.

The band is away to play Strip the Willow,

My favourite dance.

Would you be my partner?

Hello Willow,

Responded Isla.

Pleased to meet you.

I'd love to dance.

Strip the Willow is my favourite too.

Willow was a really petite little fairy with long brown hair and dressed in the most gorgeous fuchsia knee-length dress.

Isla suspected it was fashioned from Rose Bay willow herb.

Around her waist was a belt that was made from the flowers and ate dangling stamen which gave the effect of a very feminine and decorative spawn.

Around her shoulders she wore a shimmering delicate fur cape made from the long white silky hairs of the Rose Bay willow herb when it is in seed.

Isla walked with Willow to the dance floor where a long line of couples formed down the centre of the hall facing each other.

Isla and Willow were the top couple,

Meaning that they would dance first as the music kicked in.

They readied themselves and then for the first eight bars of the music they span around.

Isla and Willow were the top couple,

Meaning that they would dance first as the music kicked in.

They readied themselves and then for the first eight bars of the music they span around with arms linked for 16 beats.

Then they broke off each to a side of the line.

Isla spinning with one of the wee folk with her left arm and then back to the centre to spin with Willow with her right.

The golden rule of this dance is right arm to your partner,

Left arm to the line.

Isla felt light and springy in her bare feet,

Never worried about the fairy standing on her toes as they were such nimble and accomplished little dancers.

Sometimes as Isla spun down the line she felt her feet lift off the ground as a fairy flew up a little as it spun her.

She was having the time of her life as the wee folk clapped and cheered her on.

At the bottom of the line,

Isla and Willow spun again until the end of the phrase before joining the sidelines and spinning with other couples as it was their turn to make their way through.

The dance continued until everyone had worked their way through the line and Isla and Willow were back at the top again.

The music came to an end and Isla clapped with everyone else before Willow came and gave her a hug.

A fairy from one of the other pairs came over to join them,

Came over to join them.

Introducing himself as Ivo,

He wore the old-fashioned type of kilt which went over one shoulder before wrapping around his body.

His name,

Ivo,

Translates as yew tree and his tartan was in the reds and greens of the yew trees,

Leaves and berries.

All parts of the yew tree are in fact very poisonous,

So unlike Willow,

Ivo was not wearing any of the foliage or berries of the yew tree.

He asked Isla and Willow if they would like to head up with him to one of the balconies to watch the dancing.

This sounded like a splendid idea to Isla,

So they began to ascend one of the spiral wooden staircases that rose up through the trunk.

Other fairies on the staircase smiled and hugged and squeezed Isla's hand as she passed them.

She felt very grateful for the banisters around the staircases,

For they were quite narrow and they were guessing.

Isla guessed that this was nothing that would concern a fairy,

For they had wings after all.

They reached a balcony about halfway up the trunk,

Where Ivo suggested they take in the view.

It was a round balcony,

Quite large really,

With a semi-circled bench seat covered with the softest white down cushions.

Wow,

This is so soft,

Exclaimed Isla as she sat down.

It's common cotton grass,

Said Ivo as he patted the fluffy cotton wool-like tufts.

In the centre of the balcony was a little fountain of golden liquid with small acorn caps around its edge.

Isla recognised it as flowing with the delicious drink she'd had at the table and watched as Willow tipped an acorn cap into its stream and handed it to Isla.

Isla thanked her before taking a sip.

It was wonderfully refreshing,

Especially after that vigorous dancing and climbing all those stairs.

Isla thoroughly enjoyed sitting and sipping from the drink whilst watching over the balcony edge at the dancing below.

Ivo and Willow were wonderful company,

Telling her that yes,

They did in fact weave their own kilts from sheep's wool,

Dyeing it with natural tannins from things like walnuts and oak galls and marigolds and crushed acorns,

Rosehip and berries.

They also confirmed that they do indeed have clan tartans.

Based on the family of wee folk they originate,

Sprites will have tartans of whites and blues and greens and forest fairies tartans of browns,

Greens,

Reds and oranges.

Based on what would camouflage them best,

They asked Isla lots of questions about the human ways too.

Isla was surprised at how interesting they found her.

Eventually,

Ivo and Willow could see that Isla was beginning to tire.

She was just a wee lass of eight after all.

They gave each other a little nudge and they took her equine cap and they just let her coorie in quietly into the soft cotton grass.

It reminded her of the soft feathers of Doreha the owl.

She watched the fairy spin and leap and jig until her eyes could no longer stay open under the heavy weight of her eyelids and she fell into a contented deep sleep right there right there in the fluffy tufts of cotton on the Elfenhain balcony.

Now I hope you have enjoyed this story and your mind is full of lovely images of the colourful wee folk and their beautiful outfits.

The towering tree stump lit up with fairy lights and flowers,

The delicious food piled high on the tables and of course the lively music and dancing.

Now please imagine that you are coorieing in in the soft tufts of cotton on a balcony in the Elfenhain and watching all the things happening below.

Until next time,

Goodbye.

Reviews

What a fun adventure & new experiences for Isla. Thank you for this feel good story.

Thank you Rachael for sharing your love of Scotland, the faerie realm & story telling 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🧚🏽📚your lyrical narration of Isla’s adventures has lulled me to content sleep 🙏🏾🩵

Perfection! There are a few sound glitches ( I think, tho maybe it was my headphones, I will listen again and let you know❤️)
The story is pure delight!
Yes, I think right about From the beginning of the dance, there is a left/right channel change and then a couple times it gets real quiet 🤷‍♀️ did not diminish my pleasure, just thought you would want to know ❤️❤️

Thank you for bringing me back to the magical Scotland of my childhood with your lovely stories!