Jax Writers Spot is going monthly

Due to now being in employment, articles will now be posted up on Jax Writers Spot on the first Wednesday of every month, the next one being in the first week of November.

Tales of Cornish Fairies

It could be said that there are not many people today who believe in fairies, however as recently as the 19th century, there was a strong belief in the little people especially in Celtic Britain. Many of the stories of old were passed on by word of mouth, often by travelling story tellers, and because they weren’t written down many of these tales have been lost. Maybe losing this part of our history is why many people now choose to dismiss beliefs of old as mere superstition, however there is no reason why our beliefs are any more credulous than our ancestors.

A bit more about fairies
There are many contradictions in tales about fairies. It has been said fairies are seen only in the twinkling of an eye between one blink and the next, and time can pass so slowly that in a single second many things can happen. Other tales have suggested that people have spent what they thought to be only a few hours in the company of small folk, and then leave their company and find years have passed. Many fairies are said to be the masters of magic and could appear and disappear at will. Another common story was that people could see fairies by rubbing a magic ointment on their eyes which was made by the fairies themselves.

It has been suggested that fairies are the spirits of people who inhabited the earth and weren’t good enough to get into heaven but also not bad enough to enter hell. While others believe they are ‘elementals’; creatures made only of earth, air fire or water. One common belief is that fairies are beautiful winged miniature creatures; however they can also be can be of human size and hideously ugly. It is also suggested that many fairies are not as friendly as we would believe, they can be incredibly mischievous, and are known for their thieving. Stealing human babies ‘Cradle snatching’ was also a fairy vice, and in place of a stolen baby they would often leave a changeling, sometimes a fairy child, or a withered old man or sometimes just a piece of wood that would appear to be alive just for a moment.

Other fairies however could be very friendly. One reported fairy activity was to leave presents which may appear as rubbish but would turn into gold and jewels. However there were also reports of them leaving gifts of gold and jewels, which would then turn into rubbish. Another common tale was of fairy’s seeking help from humans, by leaving their broken shovels or stools for people to fix. They would pay them back for their help by leaving gifts or bestowing good luck on them.

Many different kinds of fairies have also been described and this is indeed the case in Cornwall:

The Spriggans of Cornwall are said to guard treasure buried beneath stones. It is said they can change shape at will. They are said to be extremely mischievous, and if a children was taken, a house was robbed or cattle went missing it was thought to be the work of the Spriggans.

The Piskies are also rather playful and naughty. It was said one of their favourite pastimes was to entice people into bogs by appearing as a light or a lantern that people would follow. They would also cause farmers trouble by chasing their cattle and riding their colts. They enjoyed their mischief making and a popular saying in Cornwall was ‘to laugh like a piskie.’

The Browneys are said to be kindly and good. They took up home in families houses, where they were devoted to helping out with odd jobs, and household chores, and generally caring for their human hosts. They were experts at hiding and could make themselves invisible. It was said they were often naked or just wore a few rags, and they would move on if they were given a gift of clothes.

The Buccas or Knockers were the sprites of the mines and were said to be the souls of people who had once worked the tin mines of Cornwall. It was said they were cursed and unable to rest due to the wicked practices as tinners.

The Small people as they were known are said to closely resemble the elves of Scandinavia. They are a playful bunch however if they knew human eyes could see then they were quite timid. They were said to be very friendly and aid people to whom they took a fancy.

Robert Hunt was born in Devonport (Plymouth) in 1807. As a young man he moved away to London to work as a physician, however after suffering a breakdown he came back to the West Country to recover. As a child he had visited parts of Cornwall with his Mother, and had kept a notebook of tales people had told him about encounters with fairy folk. Unfortunately since his childhood he had lost the notebook, so while he was convalescing he set about visiting magical settings in Cornwall and Dartmoor, and talking to locals and recording these tales again so that they wouldn’t be lost forever. Thirty years after his first collection of stories, he published the book ‘Popular Romances of the West of England’ in 1865.

These stories are from some of the tales he recorded in this book:

Tales of St Levan Fairies
Many years have passed since the green outside Trezidder gate was a favourite place for fairy folk to hold their fairs. It was said you could see evidence of their celebrations such as; trodden down rings in the grass made by the fairies dancing.

A man named Mr Trezillian was returning on horseback form Penzance late one evening and noticed little folk dancing round and round, and could not resist joining them. However as soon as he got off his horse, the fairies were all upon him and he felt as if they were sticking needles into him. It was believed that small folk could not harm humans if they wore a garment of clothing inside out, and it was common practice for people travelling at night to wear their coats inside out, for this very reason. Thinking quickly Mr Trezillian turned his glove inside out and as soon as it hit the ground the small folk had disappeared. However they still led him a merry dance and he wandered around all night unable to find his horse, until the morning when he found him only a few yards from where he had left him.

In Penberth Cove there lived an old woman who was bed-ridden. Her relatives would drop in every so often and help out with a few chores and leave food, however as soon as they left small folk who were very fond of the old woman, would come to amuse her. They would dance around the rafters, ride on mice, and swing on the cobwebs. She described the small men as dressed in green with a red or blue cap decorated with a feather, and she described the women as bright and very saucy with the men folk. They wore hooped petticoats, feathers, and fans. As one party of small folk got tired and left, another party would come to frolic and party, and so she was kept company through the day and the night.

Cherry of Zennor
On the Cliff side of Trerreen in Zennor there once lived a family in a little two roomed hut. Old Honey and his wife had many children, and while they were happy and healthy, they were very poor. They had a little garden and collected limpet shells and periwinkles so they were able to eat fish and potatoes most days. One of their daughters was called Cherry who was full of frolic and mischief. However in her teenage years she became discontented with her lot, as she had wished for a new dress so she could look as smart as other girls when she went to the local fair. At sixteen she decided to travel to the ‘low countries’ (the valley parishes) to seek work. Old Honey who had wanted her to seek service nearer to home to please her mother, eventually gave her his blessing and Cherry tied a few belongings in a bundle and set off on the road leading to Ludgvan and Gulval. As she lost sight of Trerren she felt disheartened, and when she came to the cross roads at Lady Downs she sat down and cried, and decided she would go home and make the best of it.

However as she dried her tears and looked up she saw a gentleman. She was surprised to see him, as she had not seen him moments before and surely would have seen him approaching. The gentleman bade her good morning and inquired about where she was going. Cherry replied she had left home to seek service, but had decided to head back home instead. Upon which the gentleman replied he could not believe his luck as he had left home that very morning to seek a girl to keep house for him. He explained he was a widower and there would be little work to do other than look after his son and milk the cow. He could see that Cherry was handsome and cleanly and asked if she would take the position to which she agreed.

He told her he lived a short way off in the ‘low countries’ and they set off along the road. The gentlemen talked so kindly that Cherry didn’t notice how much time and distance had passed, until she found herself walking along a beautiful lane with the sunshine glimmering through the trees where she could see and smell the perfume from sweet briars and honeysuckle. They crossed a stream of water as clear as crystal and the lane began descend downwards and get darker and narrower. She was a little nervous about where she was going but felt she could trust this kindly gentleman. After walking a little while longer they came across a gate and the gentleman said ‘Cherry my dear, this is the place we will live in’.

The gate opened to the most beautiful garden Cherry had ever seen. There were flowers of every colour, fruits of every kind hanging from trees, and birds singing the sweetest songs she had ever heard. As they entered the little boy greeted them, pleased to see his father. From his size he looked about two or three, but had the look of age about him. His eyes were brilliant and piercing. Moments later an old dry-boned woman appeared, seized the child and took him away to the house grumbling and moaning, and gave Cherry a look that was most disconcerting. The gentleman explained this was Aunt Prudence; his late wife’s grandmother. She would only remain until Cherry was acquainted with the work, as she was old and ill tempered.

Aunt Prudence took charge of Cherry, and directed her to her chamber where the boy would also sleep. She was instructed to keep her eyes closed even if she was not sleeping so she wouldn’t see things she may not like. She had to be up at sunrise and take the boy to a spring in the garden where she would rub ointment on his eyes which was to be found in a crystal box in a nearby rock. She was warned however that she must never touch her own eyes with the ointment. She was then to call the cow, and take a bucketful of milk ready for the boy’s breakfast.

On the first morning Cherry did as she was instructed and went to the spring which flowed from a granite rock which was covered in moss and ivy. She milked the cow and returned to the kitchen to be told of her daily duties. After a hearty breakfast she was informed she was to keep to the kitchen where she would make butter, scald the milk and wash and clean. Aunt Prudence kept her watchful eye on her all the time and warned her not to be curious, not to explore the house and try and open any locked doors. On the second day her master required her to help in the garden picking fruit and weeding and she was pleased to get away from Aunt Prudence for a while. She got on so well with her master who treated her very kindly, and would kiss her to show how pleased he was with her.

A few days passed and Aunt Prudence took Cherry to parts of the house she had not visited. They entered a room with a glass like floor and all around were people big and small turned to stone. Cherry had heard tales in Zennor of conjurers who turned people to stone, and was a little scared as she thought they may, at any moment, wake up and eat her. She was set the task of polishing a box which looked like a coffin while Aunt Prudence called out at her to rub harder. She rubbed with such vigour she almost upset the box, and this made such a noise Cherry collapsed. On hearing the noise the master appeared. He was very angry with Aunt Prudence for taking Cherry into this room and sent her away from the house. He then took Cherry to the kitchen and gave her a drink to recover her senses. Upon waking she could not remember much apart from knowing there was something fearful in the other part of the house. After Aunt Prudence had left she was so happy and contented in her work that a year passed as if it was only a day.

Occasionally her Master would take leave for a season and when he was at home she was sure she heard him talking to the stone people. Although Cherry had everything she could desire, she felt she wanted to know more of the place and the people. She knew that the ointment she rubbed on the son’s eye made them bright and felt he saw things she didn’t so she decided she would try some. So the next morning after milking the cow she sent the boy to pick some flowers and rubbed some ointment on her eyes. However this made her eyes feel as if they were burning, so she rushed to the pool to splash some water on them, and was amazed at what she saw.

At the bottom of the water were hundreds of little people playing, and there was her master as small as them joining in with their play. Everything seemed different; she saw little people everywhere hiding in the flowers, and running through blades of grass. The master would not show himself in the day but would return at night as the handsome gentleman she had known before. Sometimes he would go into the room with the stone people, and now Cherry was able to hear the most beautiful music. Day after day passed until her curiosity got the better of her and she went to have a peek through the keyhole. She saw her master dancing and singing with lots of ladies, and felt especially jealous when she saw him kiss a lady dressed in such finery and robes.

The next day her master stayed at home and asked Cherry to help him gather fruit, however this time when he went to kiss her, she slapped him in the face, and told him to go and kiss the small people instead. So her master discovered she had used the ointment, and said that she must leave. He could not have a spy working for him. He gathered her clothes into a bundle and bade her to follow him. They walked for miles uphill through narrow lanes, and when they came to level ground the sun was rising. He kissed her and said although she had been punished for her curiosity, if she behaved herself he would come and see her at Lady Downs, and then he disappeared. She found herself sat on a granite stone in the middle of a desolate moor instead of the enchanted garden she had become accustomed to. Her parents had thought she was dead and were very pleased to see her return. She told the tale of her time away, and while she never varied her story, people doubted her and believed she was not right in the head for a long time afterwards. Cherry never gave up on seeing her Master again, and up until her death could be found wandering to Lady Downs on Moonlit nights.

The ABC of Superfoods 'C'

This article is the third in a series, looking at the ABC of foods which have been deemed super-foods. Eating a healthy balanced diet involves eating a variety of different foods including; fruit and vegetables, wholemeal and wholegrain foods, and protein such as fish, meat, eggs and lentils, and some milk and dairy foods.

Cashew nuts
Contains: copper, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, folic acid, thyptophan, and phosphorous.

Although cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts, however around three quarters of their fat content is unsaturated fatty acids, and much of this fatty acid content is oleic acid (also found in olive oil) which has been shown to be very beneficial for heart health.

Cashew nuts have a high copper content. Copper is an essential component of the enzyme; ‘superoxide dismutase’ which plays an important role in the production of energy, making cashews a good food to eat for extra vitality. Copper also plays a role in the body’s uptake of iron, the elimination of free radicals, as well as being needed in the development of bone and connective tissue. Copper is also needed by an enzyme involved in the flexibility of blood vessels, bones, and joints.

Cashew nuts are also high in magnesium which works together with its calcium content to keep bones healthy. Although needed for bones, calcium can collect in the soft tissues and cause arthritic pain. Magnesium promotes the utilisation of calcium preventing calcium malabsorption, which can cause problems such as; osteoporosis, arthritis, and pre menstrual symptoms.

Cabbage
Contains; iron, chlorophyll, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, beta-carotene, folic acid, iodine, vitamins C, E & K

Cabbage is abundant and inexpensive, and has been the subject of much medical research. The healing powers of cabbage have been known about for hundreds of years. Cabbage contains anti cancer compounds, and is also reported to stimulate the immune system, killing bacteria and viruses. Cabbage contains mucilaginous substances similar to the mucous membrane of the gut and stomach. Eaten raw, it detoxifies the stomach and upper colon, and improves digestion.

Cabbage is a good food for people suffering from anaemia as it contains high levels of iron as well as chlorophyll. Chlorophyll absorbs energy from the sun to facilitate photosynthesis in plants, it is known as the green blood of plants which is chemically almost identical to the haemoglobin in human blood. It is claimed chlorophyll in humans has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and wound healing properties. It is suggested chlorophyll is a powerful detoxifier and can help with the uptake and delivery of oxygen around our bodies.

Most of the studies into the therapeutic effects of cabbage have been observed when people eat raw cabbage. With cooking many of these nutrients are lost.

Carrots
Contains: calcium, Magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, and beta-carotene

If you look at a sliced Carrot it looks a bit like the human eye. It’s almost as if nature is telling us something, and science has shown that carrots can enhance blood flow to the eyes. Carrots have a high carotenoid content. Carotenoids are natural pigments which are responsible for the bright colours of various fruits and vegetables. Beta carotene in particular has powerful antioxidant properties and can help neutralise free radicals and prevent premature aging. Beta carotene is transformed into Vitamin A which helps prevent night blindness, cataracts and other eye problems.

Carrots are also an excellent detoxifier, and can promote a healthy liver and digestive tract. In traditional medicine a puree of cooked carrots is said to be a perfect cure for infant diarrhoea, and a two day fast taking nothing but raw carrot juice and water is recommended for jaundice and liver problems.

Celery
Contains: beta carotene, folic acid, vitamin B3, potassium and sodium

Celery was used for its medicinal properties as far back as the 9th century BC, and it wasn’t until the middle ages that it was even considered it could be used as a food. According to Hippocrates celery helps calm the nerves, and was used in traditional medicine to lower blood pressure. Compounds within celery are reported to lower the concentrations of stress hormones, and celery contains calming nutrients such as niacinimide which can help improve sleep. Celery also contains ‘coumarins’, which have reported anti cancer properties.

Nature may be trying to tell us something again, as celery could be said to look a bit like bones, and they are indeed a good food to eat for bone strength. Bones contain a high proportion of sodium, as does celery. If you don't get enough sodium in your diet, the body will use up supplies from the bones, thus making them weak. Celery is also a good food for arthritis as it is reported to prevent calcium deposits around the joints.

Celery has a strong effect on the kidneys, helping to eliminate wastes via urine. The vitamins and minerals in celery are much more concentrated in the seeds (which can be brought in health food shops), and have been widely used as a diuretic. Celery is rich in potassium and sodium both of which help stimulate urine production, regulate fluid balance and therefore generally helps the body get rid of excess fluid. The seeds can be boiled and drank as a tea for any problems resulting from poor elimination such as gout and rheumatism.

Chicken
Contains: tryptophan, selenium, niacin (vitamin B3), sodium, magnesium, potassium, vitamins: A, B6, & K

Chicken is a good source of protein which is a major source of amino acids; required by the body to be able to rebuild. The essential amino acids can only be derived from animal and plant sources of protein. Being lower in fat (skinless) chicken is a healthy alternative to red meat, however intensively farmed chicken may not be as nutritious as free range and/or organic chicken. The soil association suggests that farming methods can make a significant difference to levels of nutrients in chicken, and this has now prompted the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Department of Health to fund more research in this area.

Chicken is suggested to be a good food to prevent age related conditions, such as bone loss. Studies such as the Framingham Osteoporosis Study, which studied bone loss in men and women aged 70 to 90 over a four year period; found that people with a higher protein intake lose less of their bone density than people with a low protein intake. Chicken is also a good source of niacin. Research has also been done suggesting that Niacin can provide protection against age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.

The old adage about chicken soup being a good remedy against colds is a saying we have all grown up with. One of the reasons this can be said to be true is that it helps to break up the mucus during a cold and it is also reported to be a mild antibiotic. Chicken also has a high selenium content which research has shown can help promote a healthy immune system. A study undertaken at the University of Nebraska concluded that chicken soup with vegetables may have an anti-inflammatory effect and can ease symptoms of respiratory tract infections such as congestion, sore throats and coughs.

“Let food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”
Hippocrates

Note: Information in this article is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor, who should be the first port of call with any of the mentioned health conditions. I am not medically qualified, but have been interested in nutrition since my eldest daughter developed food intolerances almost 20 years ago. I have researched this piece from reputable internet sites and by reading through books such as;

The Food Doctor, Healing foods for mind and body by Vicki Edgson & Ian Marber
Superfoods by Michael Van Straten & Barbara Griggs
Prescription for Nutritional healing 2nd edition by James F Balch M.D & Phyllis A. Balch C.N.C
Food your miracle medicine by Jean Harper
The food pharmacy by Jean Harper
500 of the most important health tips you’ll ever need by Hazel Courteney

Happiness

For one week only I am posting up something a bit different; a story I wrote a while ago. Any comments will be gratefully received.

Jane sat down on the park bench and cried. The miracle of life surrounding her meant nothing at that time. She was on the verge of giving up; she’d been relying on false hope, and now came the realisation it wasn’t going to happen. Days of wandering the park and the streets around her house had not been successful; it was time to give up on her quest.

It wasn’t very often Jane got so upset. She looked up at the trees through a blur of tears. She felt their loss, bare and exposed to the wild winter. There was hope for them, their leaves would return. Brownie wouldn’t return, not now, too much time had passed. Right, she thought, this is silly, she wiped the tears away and stood up. It’s not the end of the world; life goes on. Come on you stupid woman pull yourself together. I’ve still got Magic.

She felt the crunch of the frost as she walked, and the chill of the wind freeze her tears. She imagined Brownie hurt, lost, lying somewhere, cold and miserable. As she started to cross the road, a car driving much too fast sped past her, with loud, so called, music blaring out of the window. Bloody boy racers she thought, angry with their lack of responsibility driving that fast. She imagined Brownie, run over and lying dead somewhere.

Back at home, Jane went to wash her face and freshen up a bit. The strong emotions had exhausted her, so she settled down on her favourite chair. Magic jumped up on her knee; she was white with black markings, younger than Brownie. She was a playful and curious young cat. She loved exploring; she had a belief she could get anywhere she wanted to go. She would perch on the narrowest back of a chair and jump up to the top of the bookshelf. If you left a box out, or a cupboard door open, she’d be in there like a flash. She was also very loving and sociable, always acknowledging, and coming over to say hello, when anyone appeared.

Jane loved her cats, as she looked down at Magic, she began to feel better. While she stroked her, Magic closed her eyes and purred blissfully. Magic’s feelings of contentment, rubbed off on Jane, and she smiled. Her cats made her feel happy and loved. Jane talked to her cats, she could share her feelings with cats, more than she could with her husband. They wouldn’t put her down, tell her she was stupid; they would just be there for her.

She’d been married to Alan for 28 years. He was an accountant, and earned enough money, so Jane didn’t have to go out to work. Alan didn’t like deviating from his routine, and liked everything done in a particular way. He liked his tea made in a teapot, with just the right amount of milk, and exactly ¾ of a teaspoon of sugar. Jane had spent most of her life being the perfect wife. Every day she woke up before Alan, prepared his breakfast and packed lunch, woke him up with a cup of tea, and spent the rest of the day cleaning.

He would always tell her if something was wrong, and point out what needed doing around the house. He liked a tidy, organised house, after all he did work very hard to provide everything for the both of them. Jane had nothing to complain about, she had a fairly easy life; Alan looked after her. Being on her own all day she valued her cats, they were her companions, they didn’t ask for anything, she feed them and looked after them because she wanted to, not because they demanded it.

Brownie was nine, a rather chubby chocolate box brown cat. He was very affectionate with Jane, but was not a people cat like Magic. If anyone visited, he would wake up, stretch, and grudgingly climb the stairs in search of some peace and quiet. Lately, before his disappearance, he’d taken to sleeping on the toilet seat, or in the basin in the bathroom. Jane never had any children, and she felt the cats were her baby’s. She’d had Brownie since he was a kitten and she loved him dearly.

Looking up at the clock, Jane realised it was four, and she hadn’t done anything about dinner. Alan would be back soon, and he liked his dinner ready when he got in. Magic followed her to the kitchen and meowed at the back door to go out. Jane let her out, and got on with gathering her ingredients. Cottage pie tonight, she thought, comfort food. She had brought some fresh brussel sprouts, from the farm shop yesterday. They would go well with it.

Jane thought about the evening ahead. It was always the same, they would eat, Alan would sit down with his paper, while Jane cleared up in the kitchen. Then about eight they would settle down and watch countdown, which Jane taped every day. They didn’t seem to have much to talk about nowadays. Alan would talk about colleagues at the office. Jane would talk about the adventures Magic got herself into, or the new odd place Brownie had taken to sleeping. He wasn’t really too interested in the cats, and she wasn’t really interested in his work.

While she was chopping up some onions, she heard another meow, this time at the window. Washing her hands, she laughed, silly old Magic she thought she’s so scatty, she only just went out. As she opened the window, which had steamed up, she saw it wasn’t Magic. It took her a moment to register. She pulled Brownie in hugging him close to her. Brownie purred and looked up at her, his eyes seemed to say I missed you too. After a big cuddle, Brownie jumped down and made his way to the front room and settled down to sleep on the sofa. It was almost as if he hadn’t been away. The last three weeks didn’t matter now, Brownie was home. Jane was happy.

Message for my readers: I have been away for a while due to going away on a couple of holidays and writing job applications and attending job interviews. If I do end up finding work I may have to start posting articles monthly instead of fortnightly. I will of course keep you all informed.