Charm for a Fairy Dart

Charm for the Fairy Dart

Fairy Darts are generally aimed at the fingers, causing the joints to
swell and grow red and inflamed. An eminent fairy-woman made the cure of
fairy darts her speciality, and she was sent for by all the country
round, and was generally successful. But she had no power unless asked
to make the cure, and she took no reward at the time; not till the
patient was cured, and the dart extracted.

The treatment included a great many incantations and much anointing with
a salve, of which only she had the secret. Then she proceeded to extract
the dart with great solemnity, working with a small instrument, on the
point of which she finally produced the dart. This proved to be a bit of
flax artfully laid under the skin by the malicious fairies, causing all
the pain, and of course on seeing the flax no one could doubt the power
of the operator, and the grateful patient paid his fee.

Source version can be found in Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms and
Superstitions of Ireland. By Lady Wilde. 1888.

Facebooktwitterlinkedinrssyoutube

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail

Leave a Comment