FAERIES AND FOOD


In England, a hob is a type of house faery who protects the kitchen. Leave a 
little offering of sweet milk and bread on your stove for the hobs to encourage 
their presence.

In Ireland, the Tuatha de Danann are active just before Samhain and will bless 
your home for a small portion of your harvest. Buy any crops left unharvested 
after sundown on October 31st is taken by the Phookas, baneful faeries who 
render the crop unfit to eat. Spelled Pwca in Wales, these baneful faeries will 
remain active until spring!

In Scandinavian countries, faeries are most active at Ostara, the Spring 
Equinox, when they come to collect a portion of the Sabbat feast. If they are 
denied this they will cause much havoc until Midsummer when the payment of food 
can be doubled, or again ignored, in which case you best pack up and move to 
another country because their reign of havoc will ensue until next Ostara.

To ensure Faery good will, especially if you seek them out, it is an excellent 
idea to leave the last fruit of any harvest out for the Faeries, and also a 
small portion of any of your Sabbat feasts.

It is traditional in many Pagan sects to leave left over food from the Esbat 
(full moon) feasts to the Faeries. Other Pagan traditions go even further and 
decree any food left out at night cannot be eaten by humans or animals and 
should be regarded as a gift to the Fae.

In Cornwall and Russia it is a folk custom to scold a child who has spilled 
milk, for this is seen as a gift to the Faeries and scolding would make it seem 
as if it were given grudgingly. This is probably the origin of the popular 
doggerel, "Don't cry over spilled milk".