These wondrous inhabitants of Elf land— these Fays, Fairies, Elves, Little Folk, Pixies, Hobgoblins, Kobolds, Dwarfs, Pygmies, Gnomes, and Trolls are all more or less associated with the plant kingdom. They make their habitations in the leafy branches of trees, or dwell in the greater seclusion of their hollow trunks; they dally and gambol among opening buds and nodding blossoms; they hide among blushing Roses and fragrant shrubs; they dance amid the Buttercups, Daisies, and Meadow Sweet of the grassy mead; and they use flowers for their character.
Elves are fond of inhabiting Oak trees, the holes in the trunks of which are deemed by the people to be utilized by the Fairies as means of entry and exit. Now consider holes in trees as doors by which the inhabiting spirit passes in and out. German elves are also fond of frequenting Elder trees.
During a thunderstorm, and in order to escape from the lightening, the timorous Elves burrow several feet beneath the roots of the trees they inhabit. As a rule these forest Elves are good nature: if they are not offended, not only will they abstain from harming men, but they will even do them a good turn, and teach them some of the mysteries of nature, of which they possess the secret.
A curious family of the Elfin tribe were the Morass Wood Folk,
Who dwelt in the forests. Their stature was small, and their form weird and uncouth, bearing a strange resemblance to certain trees, with which they flourished and decayed.
Fairies dearly love to ride to the trysting place on an aerial steed. A straw, a blade of Grass, a Fern, a Rush, or a Cabbage stalk, alike serve the purpose of the little people.
The four leaved Clover is the only plant that will enable its wearer to see the Fairies—it is a magic talisman whereby to gain admittance to the Fairy kingdom.
Those that see the people of faerie most often, have most of their wisdom and are often very poor. They are thought to have a strength beyond that of man, as though one has passed the threshold of trance, to those sweet waters.
