A survey of modern fairy experiences by Dr Simon Young

§780

Michigan, US 1970s
Female: Age 0-10 occasional supernatural experiences
on or near water, in woodland, in open land (fields etc), ‘on low deck of cottage’ 12 am-3 am two to ten minutes on my own
you had just woken up or were just about to go to sleep
friendly, joyful
loss of sense of time, profound silence before the experience, 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

‘During the summer and winter months from 1975-1979, I lived near the base of the ***, part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. A few times each season, I would wake to see a large band of people emerge from the woods. I was a child at the time. The same elements were present with each recurring visit. I would wake up in the middle of the night to a very bright light shining through my window at the foot of the bed. There would also be a strong, damp woody smell. I’ve been trying to recreate it since, and it’s close to a combination of pine, peat, tamarack, and cedar. I was hit with the scent one other time while in the Adirondacks. The bright light and smell meant they were coming soon. I was always excited – nervous/anxious but never scared. I would crawl to the foot of the bed and lean on the sill, watching the edge of the woods. Soon, a long line of people (all ages) would come out of the woods. They were very happy; some were singing and laughing; others were dancing; the rest were simply smiling and walking. They would head straight toward my window, waving at me and motioning to come out and join them. I never questioned if they saw me. They all saw me. Once each person reached my window, they would turn and walk up the three small steps below and march across the deck that lined the front of the cottage. At the end of the deck, they would walk down the other steps, turn, and head to the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. The people in this ‘parade’ were made of brightly colored, geometric shapes. They were like three-dimensional screen prints or woodcuts, but they looked very human, not cartoonish. This area is considered to be sacred land with a strong Native history. It is also in line with the *** and several sunken ships; some call it the freshwater Bermuda Triangle. Near the property, a family member once found the remains of an underground house used to shelter a handful of shipwreck survivors who made it to land during the winter.’ ‘It sounded like faraway music, like a parade but not marching band music. I could also hear mushy, mumbled, hushed speaking. Laughter.’ ‘The people in this ‘parade’ were made of brightly colored, geometric shapes. They were like three-dimensional screen prints or woodcuts, but they looked very human, not cartoonish.’ ‘I have never been able to categorize this experience. After finally sharing it with a discussion group, the overwhelming response was that this must be an experience with trooping fairies. From what I’ve read, there are qualities that do match the experience.’