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271
The Folk-lore of Plants
·
T. F. Thiselton-Dyer
81
Another
tribe
of
water-fairies
are
the
nixes,
who
frequently
assume
the
appearance
of
beautiful
maidens.
On
fine
sunny
days
they
sit
on
the
banks
of
rivers
or
lakes,
or
on
the
branches
of
trees,
combing
and
arranging
their
golden
locks:
"Know
you
the
Nixes,
gay
and
fair?
Their
eyes
are
black,
and
green
their
hair,
They
lurk
in
sedgy
shores."
A
fairy
or
water-sprite
that
resides
in
the
neighbourhood
of
the
Orkneys
is
popularly
known
as
Tangie,
so-called
from
tang,,
the
seaweed
with
which
he
is
covered.
Occasionally
he
makes
his
appearance
as
a
little
horse,
and
at
other
times
as
a
man.[14]
Then
there
are
the
wood
and
forest
folk
of
Germany,
spirits
inhabiting
the
forests,
who
stood
in
friendly
relation
to
man,
but
are
now
so
disgusted
with
the
faithless
world,
that
they
have
retired
from
it.
Hence
their
precept--
"Peel
no
tree,
Relate
no
dream,
Pipe
no
bread,
or
Bake
no
cumin
in
bread,
So
will
God
help
thee
in
thy
need."
On
one
occasion
a
"forest-wife,"
who
had
just
tasted
a
new
baked-loaf,
given
as
an
offering,
was
heard
screaming
aloud:
"They've
baken
for
me
cumin
bread,
That
on
this
house
brings
great
distress."
The
prosperity
of
the
poor
peasant
was
soon
on
the
wane,
and
before
long
he
was
reduced
to
abject
poverty.[15]
These
legends,
in
addition
to
illustrating
the
fairy
mythology
of
bygone
years,
are
additionally
interesting
from
their
connection
with
the
plants
and
flowers,
most
of
which
are
familiar
to
us
from
our
childhood.
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