Away with the fairies…..
Several weeks ago I was chatting with a friend who was supervising her class out on the playground. A delightful girl came running up to ask my friend a question, then quickly ran away again, and my friend said “oh….this morning she is away with the fairies”.
Well, that was a new expression for me, and finally this morning I looked it up to see if it was common use. And yes, it is, and has been since the late 20th century. Apparently its roots come from the Scots/Irish Gaelic tradition of belief in fairies that would take people away. Now it refers one who is in a dream world, daydreaming, not facing reality.
Last summer I came across a small stump in the back garden. Growing from this stump was lichen and moss. It looked just like a fairies garden chair. Being away with the fairies in that quiet, undisturbed back corner of the garden seems like a perfect way to get lost in daydreams.
Reflections 