Fairies and Shillings (Monmouthshire)

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shillings

There was a young woman called Anne William Frances [in Bassaleg parish Monmouthshire], who, on going by night into a little grove of wood, near the house, heard pleasant music, and saw a company of Fairies dancing there : she took a pail of water there thinking it would gratify them. The next time she went there she had a shilling gave her, and so had for several nights after, until she had twenty one Shillings: her mother happening to find the money, questioned her where she had them, fearing she had stolen them; the girl would by no means tell until her mother went very severe upon her, threatening to beat her if she did not inform her how she came by it; she was then obliged to relate to her the circumstance, and they gave her no more money afterwards. I have heard of other places where people have had money from the Fairies, sometimes silver sixpences, but most commonly copper coin. As they cannot make money, it certainly must be money lost, or concealed by persons. Jones

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