Episode 15: The Fae Realm: Faery Trees and Forests

The folklore of trees in a nutshell, how I reimagined it for my writing, and trees translated into Afrikaans.

Written and narrated by Ronel Janse van Vuuren.

Copyright 2021 Ronel Janse van Vuuren — All rights reserved.

Learn more about trees here.

Get the transcript here.

Music: Secrets by David Fesliyan (FesliyanStudios.com) and Dramatic Heartbeat by FesliyanStudios.com

Transcript

You’re listening to the Faeries and Folklore podcast by Ronel.

I’m dark fantasy author Ronel Janse van Vuuren. With nearly a decade of digging around in dusty folklore books, researching creatures of imagination that ignited my curiosity, I’m here to share the folklore in a nutshell and how I reimagined it for my writing in an origin of the fae.

This is the Faeries and Folklore podcast.

Hi, I’m your host Ronel Janse van Vuuren. You can just call me Ronel. In today’s episode, we’re continuing our exploration of the fae realm.

This episode is brought to you by my book Once… Tales, Myths and Legends of Faerie available in eBook, paperback and audiobook. Go to ronelthemythmaker.com/my-books for more.

We’re continuing our exploration of the fae realm.

Today’s Subject: Faery Trees and Forests

Folklore in a Nutshell by Ronel

Forests can enchant and enthral if we’re not careful. Folklore, folktales and fairy tales have tried to warn us against the magic of forests since the beginning of time.

And though we are scared when we enter a forest alone, being with someone else makes it a fairy tale… We hope for Disney but we’ll probably get a Grimm fairy tale instead. *sigh*

“The woman led the children deeper and deeper into the forest to places they’d never been in their lives before.” – Hansel and Gretel, Brothers Grimm Folk Tales.

We all know how that ended.

But scary cannibalistic witches aren’t the only things to be feared in the forest. Creatures abound and even the trees can be alive.

Trees feature in every mythology in the world. They symbolise different planes of existence: their branches in the spirit realm, their trunks in the mortal realm, and their roots in the Underworld. They are powerful symbols of the mysteries of life. The trees most associated with the fae: Apple, Ash, Rowan, Oak, Thorn, Elder and Hazel.

A lone hawthorn tree is the meeting place of the fae. Traditionally, no-one cuts it down for fear of retribution from the fae – roads have been diverted for this reason.

Dryads, and other tree nymphs, live in trees and protect the forest.

Trees have been worshipped and feared throughout history. Some collections of trees have been seen as sacred – especially to the fae. People have been careful not to cut down certain trees for this reason.

And now for my interpretation of the fae in an origin of the fae:

The Wild Wood

The Wild Wood was formed after the Rift that tore Faerie to pieces.

It is a place neither in the Mortal Realm nor Faerie, yet is filled with magic and wonder. Wild Fae live there – they have changed over time in ways that other Fae hadn’t.

It is the easiest way to travel between Realms – but it is extremely dangerous. Wild Magic runs through the Wild Wood. But if you can find a copse of trees that connect to the Wild Wood, you can safely travel to where you need to go – especially if travelling out in the open is too dangerous.

Caledonian Forest

Home of the Dragon of the Caledonian Forest who hoards books and is an advisor to many druids and halflings who seek his help – in exchange for books, of course.

The forest is old, dangerous and very much alive. For the most part it is filled with oaks, birch, rowan, aspen, juniper, other hardy trees and ferns, mosses and lichens.

Caution: only go there with a Cù Sìth as your guide.

The Wild Wood. Die Wilde Woud.

Caledonian Forest. Caledoniese Woud.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this episode of the faeries and folklore podcast and that you’ve learned something new about faerie.

Remember that you can get a transcript of this episode in the description. If you’re new to the podcast, why not go and grab your free copy of Unseen, the second book in the Faery Tales series, on my website ronelthemythmaker.com? Loads of folklore, magic and danger await! Take care!

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