Note 3 — IX.—ELVES, FAIRIES, AND BROWNIES.

We hear little amongst the Chinese of fairy sprites whose highest aim is mere amusement, their action being usually, as with a certain class of brownies in our own fairy pantheon, malignant. It is, by the way, interesting to note that while the words alp and alf (Swedish and English elf) equally signify a mountain, or demon of the mountains,3 the Chinese most frequently assign a mountainous locality to the homes of their fairy folk. The celebrated mountain Kwʻên Lun (崑崙) (usually identified with the Hindoo Kush) is said to be peopled with fairies who cultivate upon its terraces the “fields of sesamum and gardens of coriander seeds” which are eaten as ordinary food by those who possess the gift of Longevity. Here too is the “Lake of Gems” on whose borders dwells the fairy mother Si wang mu (西王母) and beside whose waters flourishes the kʻiung shu or tree of life, described as 10,000 cubits in height, 1800 feet in circumference and supposed to bear fruit only once in 3,000 years. This fruit is bestowed by the fairies on their favourites, who thus become immortal. Other receipts for the “Elixir of Life” are peach-tree gum mixed with the powdered ash of the mulberry, and tan 丹 the elixir of gold, or tan sha 丹砂 the common name for cinnabar.