Autumn may be the time for a chlorophyllic slowdown but beneath the soil hums a vast network of mycelia, waiting to pop up and show itself a mycological arc.
About 40 to 60 mushroom species can grow in these fairy ring patterns and they can live and reappear in the same spots for hundreds of years.
And because they’ve been around so long, fairy rings play wonderfully imaginative roles in European folklore.
In Germany, the rings were said to mark the site of witches’ nocturnal dancing. In Holland they showed where the Devil had set down his milk churn. Personally I’d have expected the Devil to drink something a little stronger than milk!
In Tyrol, the fairy rings showed where a dragon had breathed fire and once having done so, nothing but toadstools would grow there for seven years.
One tale from Scotland tells of fairies sitting on the mushrooms and using them as dinner tables.
And from Wales, that the fairies used the mushrooms as parasols and umbrellas.
It’s supposed to be particularly bad luck for a mortal to step into a fairy circle so don’t expect to see our lawn tidied up in any particular manner before the snow falls.
Wouldn’t want to upset the little folk…
Oh my. Your mushrooms are lovely. Beautiful pictures. Lovely lense.
How have I lived all these years without knowing about this?
Mushrooms have always facinated me.
Mary
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I kept wanting to use the word “magical” in there but imagined too much of a “hyuk hyuk” response…
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I love fairy rings. They are so cool and all the myths about them are really interesting.
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