“Where is ‘Faerieland’? Its position is elusive. It is sometimes just over the horizon and sometimes beneath our feet. Yet there have been periods when faerieland was thought to be an actual geographical area, although even this has tended to shift. For instance, the Welsh first thought it was to the North of their mountainous land, and then in the mysterious,rocky and misty west peninsular of Pembrokeshire. Later it moved to an island lying in the Irish Channel of the Pembrokeshire coast.
It was seen sometimes by sailors, and even landed on, but would then disconcertingly disappear. Nevertheless, its faerie inhabitants were said to be frequent visitors to the markets of Laughame and Milford Haven.
The Irish called the phantom isle Hy Breasail and, for them, it lay to the west. To Britons it was the Isle of Man that was the faerie isle – a rich source of faerie lore. Avalon is probably the most famous of faerie islands. The legendary King Arthur, described by the 15th century poet Lydgate as a ‘King y-crowned in Fairye’, was brought here mortally wounded to be tended by four faerie queens. Arthur is believed still to lie with his knights, in the heart of a faerie hill, in a deep sleep from which he will awake in our hour of need again to rule over this land.
Faerie can reveal itself, bright and glittering without warning, anywhere and just as suddenly disappear. Its frontiers of twilight, mists and fancy are all around us and, like a tide running out, can momentarily reveal Faerie before flowing back to conceal it again.”
-Brian Froud
A rare glimpse into a hidden world by a truly gifted artist and explorer. It’s not only a masterwork of artistry, and an amazing rendition of traditional folklore, but it was one of the first books to truly explore the psychology of the fae and to capture their essence in this incredible bestiary. If you need to know the difference between a pooka and a boggle, this is your go to guide for the Faewild wanderer.