Enchanted Faerie Knolls

On fine evenings lit by a silvery full moon, the faerie court travels abroad, halting to camp on a favored grassy knoll. At times, beneath a hawthorn tree. They frolic to the sweet strains of faerie harps, performing skillful dance steps, whirling ever faster in a circle with wild abandon until the grass beneath their feet is worn and an enchanted faerie ring remains forever after. Mushrooms tend to grow where graceful feet once pranced.

Mortals need be wary of the allure of these seductive places. Traps exist for the incautious. When the veil between the human realm and that of the fae thins, unsuspecting mortals may be wrenched below into a faerie dwelling. Although royally entertained, guests of the fae have little hope of returning above ground with their sanity intact.

Instead, a mortal might be spirited away to Tir-nan-óg—Land of Heart's Desire—to luxuriate in all that is new and sparkly and sensuous, never to return to the mortal realm.

Although the lure of the faerie knoll is hidden to most, those with pure hearts may hear melodious music so mesmerizing they become deaf, and observe light displays so spectacular they become blind to all else.

On rare occasions, a mortal is hurled through time and space.

Such a knoll exists in the uncontracted manuscripts of my Garden Gate series—nestled within the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, outside a cottage, just beyond the garden gate.

Another such knoll, also featured in the Garden Gate tales, can be found in Scotland. The Sithean Sluaigh (faerie knoll) is located in the northern part of the parish of Strathlachlan on the Cowal peninsula.

Do you believe in faerie magic?

You can read excerpts from the Garden Gate series at DawnMarieHamilton.com.