Fians, Fairies and Picts by David MacRitchie
page 69 of 72 (95%)
page 69 of 72 (95%)
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became utilised as tombs. In the case of the Denghoog, this fact is
demonstrated by the fireplace, the scattered potsherds, the amber beads, &c." [Footnote 93: _Heligoland_, Edin. and Lond., 1888, pp. 84-85.] Of the little woodcut which forms the Tailpiece of this volume, it is hardly necessary to say that it represents some popular ideas regarding "the little people." The woodcut of which this is a facsimile is one of those contained in the eighteenth-century chap-book, "_Round about our Coal Fire_; or, Christmas Entertainments," and it heads the chapter "_Of Fairies, their Use and Dignity_." "They generally came out of a Mole-hill," it is said; "they had fine Musick always among themselves, and Danced in a Moonshiny Night around, or in a Ring as one may see at this Day upon every Common in _England_, where Mushroones [_sic_] grow," The size of the mushroom, so elegantly depicted in the foreground, is quite on a scale suitable to the stature ultimately accorded to the little people in many districts; so also is the mole-hill. But the tree, and the Satanic head in the foliage, are curiously out of proportion. * * * * * An examination of these various diagrams will show that the more primitive of those structures were obviously built by a small-sized race; some of the passages being quite impassable to large men of the present day. This peculiarity was noticed by Scott when visiting the "brochs" of Shetland, a kindred class of structures (none of which are here shown). "These Duns or Picts' Castles are so small," he says, writing in his Diary in August 1814, "it is impossible to conceive what |
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