Stories this week that focus on the "little people". We feared them long ago, but now relegate them to the pages of children's books and the corners of our gardens.
Do you believe in fairies? If you'd been around in 1917, you may well have done. A lot of people did, particularly those in Cottingley, a village in West Yorkshire, between Shipley and Bingley. It is known for the Cottingley Fairies, which appeared in a series of convincing photographs taken there during that year.
Allegedly born during the reign of Richard I, of a fairy father and mortal mother, Robin Goodfellow (sometimes called Puck) is a sprite of the English countryside. He takes the form of a handsome medieval man, and is mischievous but often helpful – especially with domestic chores being keen on promoting cleanliness, and with a strong work ethic!
The Redcap is a type of malevolent, murderous goblin found in Border folklore. He is said to inhabit ruined castles along the Anglo-Scottish border, especially those that were the scenes of tyranny or wicked deeds.
Arthur Rackham was an English book illustrator, best known for pen and ink fantasy illustration combined with watercolour - producing wonderful and imaginative images of gnarled trees, hob goblins and rosy-cheeked maidens.
Garden gnomes - love them or loathe them. How did they become such a (often derided) feature of British gardens?
Tom Thumb is a character in English folklore, and The History of Tom Thumb (published in 1621) was the first fairy tale printed in English. The tale has it that Tom is no bigger than his father’s thumb, and his adventures include being swallowed by a cow, and becoming a favourite of King Arthur.
