268 WHO WERE THE FAIRIES? 



fact it is not difficult at all to explain in some at 

 least of the more important fairy characteristics 

 of the legends in terms of this theory. 



Let us consider a couple of examples. Most 

 people have heard of what are called " elf-darts," 

 i.e., pre-historic stone arrow heads : they are to 

 be seen in almost every museum. Kirk says of 

 them : " Their Weapons are most what solid 

 earthly Bodies, nothing of Iron, but much of 

 Stone, like to yellow soft Flint Spa, shaped like a 

 barbed Arrow-head, but flung like a Dairt, with 

 great Force. These Armes (cut by Airt and Tools 

 it seems beyond humane) have something of the 

 Nature of Thunderbolt subtilty, and mortally 

 wounding the vital Parts without breaking the 

 Skin ; of which Wounds I have observed in Beasts, 

 and felt them with my Hands." And that we may 

 take some comfort against such dexterous and 

 invisible opponents, he adds : " They are not as 

 infallible Benjamites, hitting at a Hair's-breadth ; 

 nor are they wholly unvanquishable, at least in 

 appearance." In stating this, Kirk is simply stating 

 one of the best-known bits of folk-lore that we 

 have. There is, to take but one of many other 

 examples, another amusing account of the same 

 idea in a letter written in 1700 by Dr. Hicks to 

 Pepys, in which, after a somewhat similar descrip- 

 tion to that given by Kirk, he concludes : " I have 

 another strange story, but very well attested, of 

 an Elf arrow that was shot at a venerable Irish 

 Bishop " (no doubt, from the date, a Bishop of 

 the Establishment) " by an Evil Spirit, in a terrible 

 noise louder than thunder, which shaked the 



