Deep into Fairyland @ 45
These brownies gave Hodson the impression of rustic tillers of the
soil, red-complexioned, with gray beards and gray brows, eyes small
and beady. A group wearing aprons like blacksmiths pretended to use
spades and picks to delve into the earth with great earnestness, but
Hodson could not tell from their expression of mock seriousness
whether they regarded these endeavors as work or play.
A few months later, in the lake district on the western shore of
Thirlmere, in a thick wood of oak, hazel, and beech, Hodson found a
large colony of brownies, varying little in appearance, swarming over
the steep side of one of the crags. In among the roots and rocks he
could distinguish a number of tiny houses, just beneath the surface of
the soil, quite perfect in shape, mostly wood and thatch, with windows
and doors.As the brownies went in by the door, Hodson watched them
put off their brownie form to descend into the earth in a relatively
formless state.
With etheric sight Hodson tried to enter one of these picturesque
houses, but once he was past the door the illusion of a house disap-
peared, leaving only darkness streaked here and there by fine lines of
"magnetism."
The houses did not seem to belong to any individual or group.
Any member of the colony could use them to pass in and out through
the door in a make-believe pantomime of domestic life, though
Hodson could see no female brownies, only males, all exceedingly self-
centered, seemingly lacking in communication with one another.
Back in Preston, Hodson became aware of the presence in the
house of a nature spirit of the brownie family, five or six inches tall,
dark brown, eyes round and black. He first observed it in the kitchen
on a shelf over the stove and later in the hall and the living room; it was
noticeable by the occasional flashes of etheric light that accompanied
its rapid movements. Hodson says the brownie acted as if it had
adopted the family and that, unlike others of its species, it was bright,
youthful, and clean shaven.
The gnome woilld enter the house from the garden and run about
without any clothes, occasionally turning its body dark green. Ap-
proaching Hodson, it appeared to enjoy standing in his aura as if
receiving an "etheric showerbath." When it finally climbed onto