| | | PAGES |
| Preface | | [xi-xiii] |
| Introduction | | [xv-xxviii] |
| |
| [SECTION I] |
| THE LIVING FAIRY-FAITH |
| |
| [CHAPTER I] |
| Environment | | [1-16] |
| | Psychical Interpretation—The Mysticism of Erin and Armorica—In Ireland—InScotland—In the Isle of Man—In Wales—In Cornwall—In Brittany. |
| |
| [CHAPTER II] |
| The Taking of Evidence | [17-225] |
| | Method of Presentation—The Logical Verdict—Trustworthiness of Legends—The Fairy-Faithheld by the highly educated Celt as well as by the Celtic Peasant—The Evidence is complete and adequate—ItsAnalysis—The Fairy Tribes dealt with—Witnesses and their Testimony: from Ireland, with Introduction by Dr.Douglas Hyde; from Scotland, with Introduction by Dr. Alexander Carmichael; from the Isle of Man, with Introduction byMiss Sophia Morrison; from Wales, with Introduction by the Right Hon. Sir John Rhŷs; from Cornwall, with Introductionby Mr. Henry Jenner; and from Brittany, with Introduction by Professor Anatole Le Braz. |
| |
| [CHAPTER III] |
| An Anthropological Examination of the Evidence | [226-82] |
| | The Celtic Fairy-Faith as Part of a World-wide Animism—Shaping Influence of Social Psychology—Smallness of ElvishSpirits and Fairies, according to Ethnology, Animism, and Occult Sciences—The Changeling, Belief and its Explanation according to the Kidnap,Human-Sacrifice, Soul-Wandering, and Demon-Possession Theory—Ancient and Modern Magic and Witchcraft shown to be based on definitepsychological laws—Exorcisms—Taboos, of Name, Food, Iron, Place—Taboos among Ancient Celts—Food-Sacrifice—Legendof the Dead—Conclusion: the Background of the Modern Belief in Fairies is Animistic. |
| |
| [SECTION II] |
| THE RECORDED FAIRY-FAITH |
| |
| [CHAPTER IV] |
| The People of the Goddess Dana or the Sidhe | [283-307] |
| | The Goddess Dana and the Modern Cult of St. Brigit—The Tuatha De Danann or Sidhe conquered by the Sons of Mil—ButIrish Seers still see the Sidhe—Old Irish Manuscripts faithfully represent the Tuatha De Danann—The Sidhe as a SpiritRace—Sidhe Palaces—The ‘Taking’ of Mortals—Hill Visions of Sidhe Women—Sidhe Minstrelsand Musicians—Social Organization and Warfare among the Sidhe—The Sidhe War-Goddesses, the Badb—TheSidhe at the Battle of Clontarf, A. D. 1014—Conclusion. |
| |
| [CHAPTER V] |
| Brythonic Divinities and the Brythonic Fairy-Faith | [308-31] |
| | The God Arthur and the Hero Arthur—Sevenfold Evidence to show Arthur as an Incarnate Fairy King—Lancelot theFoster-son of a Fairy Woman—Galahad, the Offspring of Lancelot and the Fairy Woman Elayne—Arthur as a Fairy King in Kulhwch andOlwen—Gwynn ab Nudd—Arthur like Dagda, and like Osiris—Brythonic Fairy Romances: their Evolution and Antiquity—Arthurin Nennius, Geoffrey, Wace, and in Layamon—Cambrensis’ Otherworld Tale—Norman-French writers of the twelfth and thirteenthcenturies—Romans d’Aventure and Romans Bretons—Origins of the ‘Matter of Britain’—FairyRomance Episodes in Welsh Literature—Brythonic Origins. |
| |
| [CHAPTER VI] |
| The Celtic Otherworld | [332-57] |
| | General Ideas of the Otherworld; its Location; its Subjectivity; its Names; its Extent; Tethra one of its kings—TheSilver Branch and the Golden Bough; and Initiations—The Otherworld the Heaven-World of all Religions—Voyage of Bran—Cormac inthe Land of Promise—Magic Wands—Cuchulainn’s Sick-Bed—Ossian’s Return from Fairyland—Lanval’sgoing to Avalon—Voyage of Mael-Duin—Voyage of Teigue—Adventures of Art—Cuchulainn’s and Arthur’sOtherworld Quests—Literary Evolution of idea of Happy Otherworld. |
| |
| [CHAPTER VII] |
| The Celtic Doctrine of Re-Birth | [358-96] |
| | Re-birth and Otherworld—As a Christian Doctrine—General Historical Survey—According to the Barddas MSS.;according to Ancient and Modern Authorities—Re-incarnation of the Tuatha De Danann—King Mongan’s Re-birth—Etain’sBirth—Dermot’s Pre-existence—Tuan’s Re-birth—Re-birth among Brythons—Arthur as a Re-incarnate Hero—Non-CelticParallels—Re-birth among Modern Celts: in Ireland; in Scotland; in the Isle of Man; in Wales; in Cornwall; inBrittany—Origin and Evolution of Celtic Re-birth Doctrine. |
| |
| [SECTION III] |
| THE CULT OF GODS, SPIRITS, FAIRIES, AND THE DEAD |
| |
| [CHAPTER VIII] |
| The Testimony of Archaeology | [397-426] |
| | Inadequacy of Pygmy Theory—According to the Theories concerning Divine Images and Fetishes, Gods, Daemons, andAncestral Spirits haunt Megaliths—Megaliths are religious and funereal, as shown chiefly by Cenn Cruaich, Stonehenge, Guernseymenhirs, Monuments in Brittany, by the Circular Fairy-Dance as an Ancient Initiatory Sun-Dance, by Breton Earthworks, Archaeological Excavationsgenerally, and by present-day Worship at Indian Dolmens—New Grange and Celtic Mysteries: Evidence of manuscripts; Evidence of Tradition—TheAengus Cult—New Grange compared with Great Pyramid: both have Astronomical Arrangement and same Internal Plan—Why they open to theSunrise—Initiations in both—Great Pyramid as Model for Celtic Tumuli—Gavrinis and New Grange as Spirit Temples. |
| |
| [CHAPTER IX] |
| The Testimony of Paganism | [427-41] |
| | Edicts against Pagan Cults—Cult of Sacred Waters and its Absorption by Christianity—Celtic Water Divinities—DruidicInfluence on Fairy-Faith—Cult of Sacred Trees—Cult of Fairies, Spirits, and the Dead—Feasts of the Dead—Conclusion. |
| |
| [CHAPTER X] |
| The Testimony of Christianity | [442-55] |
| | Lough Derg a Sacred Lake originally—Purgatorial Rites as Christianized Survivals of Ancient Celtic Rites—Purgatoryas Fairyland—Purgatorial Rites parallel to Pagan Initiation Ceremonies—The Death and Resurrection Rite—Breton Pardonscompared—Relation to Aengus Cult and Celtic Cave-Temples—Origin of Purgatorial Doctrine pre-Christian—Celtic and Roman Feastsof dead shaped Christian ones—Fundamental Unity of Mythologies, Religions, and the Fairy-Faith. |
| |
| [SECTION IV] |
| MODERN SCIENCE AND THE FAIRY-FAITH; AND CONCLUSIONS |
| |
| [CHAPTER XI] |
| Science and Fairies | [456-91] |
| | Method of Examination: Exoteric and Esoteric aspects—The X-quantity—Scientific attitudes toward the AnimisticHypothesis: Materialistic Theory; Pathological Theory; Delusion and Imposture Theory; Problems of Consciousness: Dreams; Supernormal Lapse ofTime—Psychical Research and Fairies: Myers’s researches—Present Position of Psychical Research—Psychical Research andAnthropology in Relation to the Fairy-Faith, according to a special contribution from Mr. Andrew Lang—Final Testing of theX-quantity—Conclusion: the Celtic Belief in Fairies and in Fairyland is scientific. |
| |
| [CHAPTER XII] |
| The Celtic Doctrine of Re-Birth and Otherworld Scientifically Examined | [492-515] |
| | The Extension of the Terms Fairy and Fairyland—The Real Man as an Invisible Force acting through a Body-Conductor—APsychical Organ essential for Memory—Pre-existence a Scientific Necessity—The Vitalistic View of Evolution—Old Theory of Hereditydisproved—Embryology supports Re-birth Doctrine—Psycho-physical Evolution—Memory of previous Existences inSubconsciousness—Examples—Dream Psychology furnishes clearest Illustrations—No Post-existence without Pre-existence—Resurrectionas Re-birth—The Circle of Life—The Mystical Corollary—Conclusion: the Celtic Doctrine of Re-birth and Otherworld is essentially scientific. |
| |
| Index | | [516-24] |