The Storyteller: Pixies ‘up to old tricks’ prove to be convenient cover for crime – Photo 1 of 3

I have to admit to being fascinated by the wee people who secretly dwell on Dartmoor. I not too long ago obtained an inventory of Letterbox clues, impressed by a guide all in regards to the actions of mentioned Pixies, compiled by William Crossing, which are scattered over the moor on the areas the place the tales allegedly occurred. A profitable mixture in my guide!

You might recall the article I wrote after Easter, when my Letterbox hunt was interrupted by my discovery of a sheep caught within the rocks on Sheepstor. I claimed to have been Pixy-led there with the intention to do my bit to assist put it aside. Properly, that was simply across the nook from the Pixie Cave, the topic of the stamp that I used to be in the hunt for on the time, which eluded me then, so a return go to is required. Previous to that, I’d taken my strolling group on an exploration of Bellever Forest, and out onto the open moor, taking in Laughter Tor and Bellever Tor, one other infamous hang-out of the Pixies, and the place poor Tom White received into all types of trouble, after being compelled to bop the evening away throughout one among their Pixie Events, which options on one other stamp. Having now received a number of of them in my assortment, the opposite day, on one among my solo walks, it was time to go after one other, referring to a reasonably odd story, intriguingly referred to as Modilla and Podilla. This story takes place in an remoted cottage, referred to as Merrifield, within the shadow of Brent Hill, and the related Letterbox lies on the hillside overlooking each.

I began the stroll from the automotive park at Shipley Bridge, the place most individuals head in direction of the Avon Dam, nonetheless, my route took me alongside the lane in direction of the bridge that crosses the Bala Brook, as it may be fairly troublesome to barter out on the open moor. Going this manner, it’s a regular climb up the rocky path, generally known as Diamond Lane, that will get you to the moor gate on the prime. From right here, I headed west in direction of Corringdon Ball, with its granite spheres atop tall stone gateposts. It was on this space, taking a bearing off mentioned gate, that I began looking for a number of Letterboxes, one among which was the Pixie stamp I used to be eager to seek out, and, fortunately sufficient, it didn’t take very lengthy to find. 

So now I’ve received it efficiently in my guide, I really feel it solely truthful to share with you the unusual story of Modilla and Podilla…
The cottage generally known as Merrifield, lies on the foot of Brent Fore Hill, within the shadow of Brent Hill, fully remoted, in a plantation of bushes. In days passed by, when easy nation people took their superstitions significantly, everybody believed that Pixies lived amongst them, regardless that nobody had ever seen one. They had been the stuff of legend, and everybody had a story to inform, the taller the higher…till, one Winter’s evening, the ladies of Merrifield had a most uncommon encounter, an expertise they might be capable of dine out on for the remainder of their lives. Winters had been harsher in these days, so, with the intention to give themselves one thing to sit up for, each alternative to have a good time an important day was taken, and this specific evening was going to be no exception.

It was one among their son’s birthdays, so while father saved the lads working late within the fields, mom set to work, with the assistance of her daughters, making ready a luxurious meal for all of them. The meat had been roasting on a spit, over the hearth within the fireplace, for some time now, filling the kitchen with mouth-watering smells, when, swiftly, the skin door appeared to open by itself…a door that had been firmly secured from the within. As all the ladies appeared up from the kitchen desk, having been distracted from their job of making ready the greens, they stared in astonishment, as a really tiny man, sporting inexperienced trousers and an identical jacket, sporting a pink pointed hat, poked his head by means of the door, his nostril clearly attracted by the scent of the scrumptious meat. Following his nostril in direction of the fireside, seemingly fully oblivious to the room full of ladies, staring incredulously at him, he stood on tiptoe, under the spit, taking in as a lot of the aroma as his little nostril might deal with.

Lastly satiated, he started inspecting the nooks and crannies throughout the fireplace area across the hearth, and, having accomplished a circuit, he as soon as once more stood beneath the spit. This time he plucked a single hair from beneath his hat and poked it into the flames. This curious motion, he repeated a second time, a 3rd, after which a fourth. Nothing appeared to occur, and the ladies couldn’t assist however marvel what was the aim of this hair burning? Simply then, there got here a cautious, tiny voice, calling from exterior, “ Modilla! Modilla!”, it cried. It seemed like a Pixie, however no different confirmed itself, as a substitute, the one within the hearth, spun spherical, supposedly at listening to its identify, and replied, “Podilla! Podilla!”. Then one other, extra pressing cry of “Modilla!”, got here from exterior. The ladies might solely assume this was some type of warning name to their little customer, telling him he had been seen, for, with one other cry of “Podilla!”, he fled in direction of the nonetheless open door, as quick as his little legs might carry him.

Earlier than the ladies might react, he was out of the door, which slammed shut behind him. Lastly operating to the door themselves, they discovered it was, as soon as once more, securely locked from the within. Opening it, they too rushed out, searching for indicators of their tiny guests, however there have been none. The moon was full that evening, so something misplaced would have been clearly illuminated, however all the pieces was correctly. Initially doubting what they’d seen, the ladies excitedly started evaluating notes, and shortly got here to the conclusion that it was removed from a hallucination. They then longed for the return of the menfolk, so they may share with them the story of their customer, and his unusual antics with burning his hairs.

These had been easier instances certainly, when nation people had been fairly completely satisfied to accuse Pixies of turning the milk bitter, or stopping their hens from laying, and the grass rings that appeared in newly mown fields, had been the results of fairies and Pixies dancing the evening away collectively. Even when constructing new houses, the house owners had been fairly completely satisfied to permit imperfections within the brickwork, for these holes would let the wee people have entry too.

Nevertheless, there have been some much less gullible, let’s assume, members of the group, who had been solely too completely satisfied for Pixies to take the blame for his or her extra nefarious actions. A narrative originated within the space of Aish Ridge, close to to Brent Hill, that Pixies had been galloping horses in the course of the evening, and when the farmer who owned them, got here to are likely to them within the morning, he discovered them sweating and uneasy. He was solely too completely satisfied to put the blame on the doorstep of the native Pixies. Additionally completely satisfied for this model of occasions to be circulated, was the native smuggling fraternity, who had been, in actuality, those “borrowing” the horses, and galloping them to the closest shoreline, upon listening to contraband was being introduced ashore, after which galloping them again once more, laden down with their share of the booty. They might return them to their subject, in an exhausted state, and be amongst the primary to say that the Pixies had been as much as their previous tips once more! Poor Pixies!…

Having discovered just a few different stamps, in addition to my Pixie field, on the identical hillside, I continued my stroll up and over Brent Fore Hill, crossing Pink Brook, onto Previous Hill, after which following the tin mining gullies to the previous monitor of the Zeal Tor Tramway. This then took me all the way in which again to the automotive park, accompanied by a surprising full moon…the identical full moon that hung within the sky, the evening the Pixies visited the women at Merrifield…