Posted on 11/21/2005 7:18:42 AM PST by Sunsong
VILLAGERS who protested that a new housing estate would “harm the fairies” living in their midst have forced a property company to scrap its building plans and start again.
Marcus Salter, head of Genesis Properties, estimates that the small colony of fairies believed to live beneath a rock in St Fillans, Perthshire, has cost him £15,000. His first notice of the residential sensibilities of the netherworld came as his diggers moved on to a site on the outskirts of the village, which crowns the easterly shore of Loch Earn.
He said: “A neighbour came over shouting, ‘Don’t move that rock. You’ll kill the fairies’.” The rock protruded from the centre of a gently shelving field, edged by the steep slopes of Dundurn mountain, where in the sixth century the Celtic missionary St Fillan set up camp and attempted to convert the Picts from the pagan darkness of superstition.
“Then we got a series of phone calls, saying we were disturbing the fairies. I thought they were joking. It didn’t go down very well,” Mr Salter said.
In fact, even as his firm attempted to work around the rock, they received complaints that the fairies would be “upset”. Mr Salter still believed he was dealing with a vocal minority, but the gears of Perthshire’s planning process were about to be clogged by something that looked suspiciously like fairy dust.
“I went to a meeting of the community council and the concerns cropped up there,” he said. The council was considering lodging a complaint with the planning authority, likely to be the kiss of death for a housing development in a national park. Jeannie Fox, council chairman, said: “I do believe in fairies but I can’t be sure that they live under that rock. I had been told that the rock had historic importance, that kings were crowned upon it.” Her main objection to moving the rock was based on the fact that it had stood on the hillside for so long: a sort of MacFeng Shui that many in the village subscribe to.
“There are a lot of superstitions going about up here and people do believe that things like standing stones and large rocks should never be moved,” she said.
Half a mile into Loch Earn is Neish Island. From there the Neish clan set forth to plunder the surrounding country, retreating each time to their island. Early in the 17th century, the MacNabs retaliated from the next valley, carrying a boat over the mountains, storming the island and slaughtering most of the Neishes.
This summer Betty Neish McInnes, the last of that line in St Fillans, went to her grave — but not before she had imparted the ancient Pict significance of the rock to many of her neighbours.
“A lot of people think the rock had some Pictish meaning,” Mrs Fox said. “It would be extremely unlucky to move it.”
Mr Salter did not just want to move the rock. He wanted to dig it up, cart it to the roadside and brand it with the name of his new neighbourhood.
The Planning Inspectorate has no specific guidelines on fairies but a spokesman said: “Planning guidance states that local customs and beliefs must be taken into account when a developer applies for planning permission.” Mr Salter said: “We had to redesign the entire thing from scratch.”
The new estate will now centre on a small park, in the middle of which stands a curious rock. Work begins next month, if the fairies allow.
April fools?
Don't move that rock -- Richard Simmons lives there!
How come people believe in demons, but not fairies?
No, the Brits have long been believers :-)...
Those gays are every where, aren't they?
Good question.
This is just not right, almost as bad as the spotted owl and snail darters.
ya dinna want ta mess with the Bane Sidhe (pronounced "banshee")
They're not "mild wee little folk." When pissed off, like when their homes are threatened, they'll rip your lungs out, Marcus.
Now, if you could borrow the Faerie Flag of the Macleods you might not die, but if a non Macleod were to touch the flag they'd instantly disappear in a nasty explosion.
Say, do you think there's any way we could quick move that rock and drop it somewhere near Osama?
The fairies are no big deal, but you really don't want to piss of the Artesians. They are harder to find, but anyone who puts shovel to earth must be aware of them and their needs, or there will be hell to pay.
Because demons are mentioned in the Bible.
San Francisco is full of fairies...
We have the same problem in Sacramento the area between 17th and 29th Streets from J Street down to Capitol Mall. They even have their own little bars and restaurants.
I could see this were it a construction project in San Francisco.
There's lots of fairies in the forest there.......
"So this does prove the existance of....FAIRY GODPARENTS!"
So are talking animals, and sea creatures that swallow people. Do you believe in them also?
It must be a well-kept secret.
For some reason, I thought this was going to be about Than Franthithco.
I like the idea of the Tuatha De Danaan (fairies) living nearby.
Fairies, huh? Wait till they catch on to this here in the US. Its even better than snail darters since you can make up the rules as you go along.
LOL
I would certainly like to be able to believe in them.
I only recall one instance of each, yet you pluralize both. What else other than Balaam's donkey and the "whale" is there?
You do make a good point though, some things can be easy to smile at.
And here I though this was about San Francisco
Sorry, drops the plurals. Do you believe in a talking ass, and a sea creature that can swallow people?
Fairies got in the way of me developing, too.
I'm a victim, a victim - I say! Who do I sue?
"How come people believe in demons, but not fairies?"
Some people believe in both, some in neither. People believe in all sorts of strange things. Some people believe they are Jesus. Who knows why. Absurdity is just another part of the human condition.
Does he have to build a YMCA for 'em?
I had never heard of such, so I googled:
"The Tuatha De Danaan came to Ireland out of the heavens on a magic cloud from the four cities of Falias, Gorias, Finias and Murias. In these great places they had learned the great sciences and studies great crafts with sages. Each city had a sage as its King, and from these cities the Tuatha De Danaan brought four magical gifts to Ireland. From Falias came the stone called the Lia Fáil (for it was the Stone of Destiny), on which the High-Kings of Ireland stood when they were crowned. The Lia Fáil would roar its approval when...
Well, at least they don't believe in something silly, like the spotted owl.
Sure....why not?
susie
Definately. I see them here all the time....
susie
"and a sea creature that can swallow people?"
I believe in sea creatures that can swallow people. They are called Great White sharks.
Apparently unsuccessfully, might I add....
If it says so in the Bible, then yes I believe it to be true.
The wording sometimes throws me off though. There are many strange things in the Bible you can question.
The Nephilim for example. They were there, then they weren't there, then they were there again. What's your opinion on that one?
When asked whether Congressman Frank has a neice or nephew, his office would not comment...
Ya just cannot make up stuff this good !
Reminds me of "radon," another invisible thing that causes developers problems.
SD
Wow, this would make a great Twilight Zone episode...
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