A survey of modern fairy experiences by Dr Simon Young

§282

Kansas, US 2000s
Female: Age 31-40 occasional supernatural experiences
on or near water, in woodland 3 pm-6 pm two to ten minutes* [respondent notes two events 2-5 minutes] with several other people, some of whom shared my experience
you were undertaking a repetitive task (e.g. picking blackberries), you had taken alcohol or a medicine or drug, you were extremely happy
no fairy mood reported
loss of sense of time, hair prickling or tingling before or during the experience, a sense that the experience was a display put on specially for you, unusually vivid memories of the experience, a sense that the experience marked a turning point in your life

‘Y and I were walking from *** Ridge down to the lake. When we got to the stairs, there seemed to be a silver powder substance all over the stairs. I put some on my nose and reached over and out some on Y’s. We laughed. When we got about half way there, we followed a butterfly. It allowed me to place my finger under it and it moved onto my finger. After awhile it flew away. We continued walking. We got to the dike that has a road on top of it that surrounds the lake on one side. Something foul was in the air – like literally it stunk bad. We noticed a wall of flies blocking our path. We looked around a bit but could not find a dead critter or anything. We talked about going back but decided we would walk through the flies. So we did. When we got to the other side all was fine. Then about twenty steps after, a swarm of butterflies came out of nowhere: thousands of monarchs and smaller ones of the same color. They landed on us, surrounded us and stayed with us as we walked for about four minutes. Then poof they were gone. I noticed some orange mushrooms by a large tree at the waterside. We had our fun at the lake for about an hour to an hour and a half. Then we went back. At the place where the butterflies had left us, they came back and landed all over us again and stayed with us as we walked. It was sometimes hard to see where we were going because there were so many. At this point two other women walked up, eyes wide. They said ‘what IS this?’ I smiled and for some unknown reason all I said was ‘you know you‘ve reached the faeryland, when you see the orange mushrooms.’ The two women said nothing else, just watched us. And Y and I kept walking. The butterflies stayed with us for about four to six minutes more and poof they had left.’ ‘I did not know, but apparently other have experienced Faeys there as well.’