Chapter Fair-star to Fairy Rings of F by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

and dipped in the dew of hemlock; they ride on steeds whose hoofs would not "dash the dew from the cup of a harebell." (Cromek.)

"Fairies small, two foot tall,
With caps red on their head."
Dodsley's Old Plays; Fuimus Troes, i, 5.

Fairy Darts Flint arrow-heads, supposed at one time to have been thrown by fairies in their pranks.

Fairy Hillocks Little knolls of grass, like mole-hills, said in the "good old times" to be the homes of fairies.

Fairy Ladies or Mage, such as Urganda, the guardian of Amadigi; the fair Oriana; Silvana, the guardian of Alidoro; Lucina, the protectress of Alidoro and his lady-love, the maiden-warrior, Mirinda; Eufrosina, the sister of Lucina; Argea, the protectress of Floridante, and Filide'a, sister of Ardea; all in Tasso's Amadigi.

Fairy Land The land where fairies are supposed to dwell; dreamland; a place of great delight and happiness.

"The fairest of fairy lands - the land of home."
Jean Ingelow: The Letter, part i. stanza 31.

Fairy Loaves or Fairy Stones. Fossil sea-urchins (echini), said to be made by the fairies.

Fairy Money Found money. Said to be placed by some good fairy at the spot where it was picked up. "Fairy money" is apt to be transformed into leaves.

Fairy Rings Circles of rank or withered grass, often seen in lawns, meadows, and grass-plots. Said to be produced by the fairies dancing on the spot. In sober truth, these rings are simply an agaric or fungus below the surface, which has seeded in a circular range, as many plants do. Where the ring is brown and almost bare, the "spawn" is of a greyish-white colour. The grass dies because the spawn envelops the roots so as to prevent their absorbing moisture; but where the grass is rank the "spawn" is dead, and serves as manure to the young grass.

"You demi-puppets, that
By moonshine do the green-sour ringlets make,
Whereof the ewe not bites."
Shakespeare: Tempest, v. 1.