§80

‘This has haunted me for always. I swear it was not a dream. I was in the back garden. My mother was hanging clothes on the washing line, and a sort of wicker-basket affair with a balloon on top came down by my side, but not landing on the garden path. I was rather frightened but stood there with one eye on my mother, who had not seen it. Inside were some small people, but one older man dressed in grey trousers, I remember, a grey top hat and black jacket. He had silver hair and it was curly and long, and the gist of it was that I was to ‘go away with them’. I refused of course, but gosh, he was so persistent. But the whole contraption flew off. I ran to my mother and told her what had happened, and she took it for what most people would take it for, childish excess. It has bothered me all my life, because this was no dream, it took place, and everything was solid. English was spoken, and I consider it a really strange episode indeed.’ ‘I can’t say this was a fairy experience at all, but the size of this being seems to make me feel it might be classed in this particular category. It was no angel. I felt it wanted to do mischief. This was not a friendly experience at all.’ ‘I believe anything is possible in this world. Our daily vision is a tunnel-vision one. But I’m afraid I cannot give you an answer, in truth, as to what fairies are.’ ‘I really know this happened, and I remember telling my mother immediately. She was about twenty feet away from me, and did not see anything, but she did take notice of my state of fear.’ ‘I would swear that this truly happened and was not a dream or any sort of imagination. I cannot recollect reading anything before or after with any illustration of such a strangeness in it either. A wonderful mystery! I wonder what would have happened then, had I said ‘Yes’…’