The photograph above is a real, really real, true photograph. There is no fakery or Photoshop trickery with this image. It’s a straight photograph, taken in the Rossendale Valley, Lancashire, by Professor John Hyatt of Manchester Metropolitan University. Take a look at it again. Actually look at it before you carry on reading.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of the world’s favourite ultra-rational detective, Sherlock Holmes, believed that there was no scientific reason why fairies could not exist. In his 1922 book, The Coming of the Fairies, he said:
We see objects within the limits which make up our colour spectrum, with infinite vibrations, unused by us, on either side of them. If we could conceive a race of beings which were constructed in material which threw out shorter or longer vibrations, they would be invisible unless we could tune ourselves up or tone them down… there is nothing scientifically impossible, so far as I can see, in some people seeing that which is invisible to others.
Doyle was writing about the famous photographs of fairies made by two Cottingley cousins, – schoolgirls Elsie and Frances, in 1917, and like many others at the time, he hoped they were true photographs. Sadly, they weren’t.
The girls finally admitted later in life that they had indeed faked the photographs using painted cardboard cut-outs. However, even though the photographs weren’t real, the girls (at this point, women) still insisted on the reality of fairies.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle then went on the speculate,
‘If the objects are indeed there, and if the inventive power of the human brain is turned upon the problem, it is likely that some sort of psychic spectacles, inconceivable to us at the moment, will be invented, and that we shall all be able to adapt ourselves to the new conditions. ‘.
featuring Frances Griffiths (died 1986)
Now, almost a hundred years later, Professor John Hyatt of Manchester Metropolitan University has taken a series of true photographs of fairies.
When asked now about the existence of fairies, Professor Hyatt said:
“People can decide for themselves what they are but the message is to approach them with an open mind.
“Let the world decide for itself. It is my job, as an artist, to open people’s eyes to the wonders through which they walk every day.”
So the question now is, after everything you’ve just read and seen . . .
Do YOU believe in the existence of Fairies?
Have a fabulous rest of your day, all. May your day be filled with magical things.
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The Art of Cobwebs 
You know there are some who don’t believe in the devil or his domane. Some of us know with out a shadow of thought they are real and doing their dirty work as we speak. Fairies??? stranger things happen. I do love your Land of Fae.
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I believe that no matter how thinly you slice something – anything – be it slice of bread or a belief – it really doesn’t matter how thinly you slice it, there are two sides to EVERYTHING. Hot/Cold. Black/White. Top/Bottom. Under/Over. North/South. Sun/Moon. Night/Day. Left/Right. Big/Little. Dark/Light. Good/Bad. etc etc etc… and belief is exactly the same. If you believe in the one then you have to believe in the other.
There are two sides to everything.
Glad you like the Land of the Fae category on the blog here. It’s a section that I have a fondness for too. It takes me back to my childhood. Back to days of blowing Dandelion Clocks, – or Fairies as children in my country believe them to be, and making wishes. My mother used to tell me to “blow and set the Fairies free!” – and I’d take such a delight in watching all those little Fairies flying. Such joy lives on inside me. Both in my heart and in my head. ❤
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment! 🙂
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Just because you can’t see or scientifically explain something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, most stories have a basis in reality. I try to keep an open mind,
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{nods vigorously in agreement}. I won’t ever say ‘never’ to something which I know nothing of, for although I may be said to be educated (I even have a piece of paper which says I am!) However evidence found thus far would call that bit of paper a fibber!
), in truth, I know that I know nothing.
As Hamlet said to Horatio: “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” (He was really rather clever, that Shakespeare chap, wasn’t he! I wonder if he had a bit of paper.) 😀
Thanks for the comment Elaine! ~ Cobs x
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Totally agree. Anyway we now know what those little things are, but whose to say that they are not fairies? It’s just a different word anyway. I believe in fairies.
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Here’s the thing …
In every walk of life there are people who are sometimes objectionably opinionated … (who said big heads with mouths that match? Come on. Stand up that person or you’ll all be kept back after school) . . . and it’s those [cynical] folks who seem to be the folk who scoff; laugh; jibe; lambaste; chide; berate; and basically wag their jaws about things they don’t either understand or don’t want to say that there’s a possibility that the very thing they’re scoffing about is actually possible – simply because it’s not proven to be impossible.
Like you, Elaine, I keep an open mind – for I have yet to have the evidence given to me that BELIEF [in anything] itself exists. I mean … what is it? What actually is ‘belief’? Surely it’s just a thing in the mind. Because I can’t see it. I can’t touch it. I can’t taste, smell, hear, or even touch it with that well known barge pole. And yet, people talk about it all the time. People believe that NOM NOM washing powder cleans their clothes better. People believe that certain breeds of dogs are better than others. People believe that dolls are freaky.
I’ve heard people say: I don’t believe that NASA ever sent rockets to the moon. I don’t believe the World Tower tragedy was caused by ‘X’ ‘Y’ or ‘Z’ but by ‘ABCD’. What about:- Big Foot? Aliens? Ghosts? Spirits? Angels? God? or Buddha, Jehovah, The Tao, Krisna, Brahman, Vishnu, HaShem, Allah, Zeus ? – to name just a few.
For every person listed above who doesn’t believe in _______ – there is a person who DOES believe in ‘it’. So maybe the split of believers and none believers is 50/50, and if that’s correct(ish) – then who’s right?
Scientists?, because they CAN’T confirm something exists, and because they can’t, then it obviously doesn’t exist??
The non-believers because they don’t believe (for whatever reason)?
The people who do believe because … … because …. because of what? Because they aren’t daft enough to close off their minds to what they know nothing of?
Wouldn’t it be better, wiser, more perceptive, in fact – more educated, for those folks to be exactly like you and I Elaine, and have an open mind to those things which have not been proven to exist, or, as in the case of Fairies, not been proven to not exist.
Coooo, you and I should have got together over a coffee for this one! LOL 😀 Sending love ~ Cobs. x
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We’d totally set the world to rights!
E
X
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Very cool!
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Thank you! (I’ve been and had a look at your blog – it’s fabulous!)
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