Nationality: Russian/Ukrainian
Primary Language: Russian
Other language(s):  English
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: California
Performance Date: 4-1-18

What it is: Fairy Circles

“I heard a story about fairy circles that since from a scientific perspective, the mushrooms grow in a circle because there used to be tree roots there. Since the tree is no longer there, that makes it a tree grave. Since humans are not part of nature, but fairies and spirits are, they are allowed into the gravesite and we are not. If humans go into the circle, the fairies get mad at the humans for interrupting their funeral ceremony and steal the people.”

Why they know it:  This was something that was once told to Valery that she has held on to ever since.

When is it said: This is not something that is told at a specific time or for a specific reason other than to help explain where ‘fairies’ have come from. This concept is something a lot of people believe in, in many different areas, she herself believes in fairies. The myth above is told in several different settings: normal conversation, after a class, during a movie (about fairies), etc.

Where did it come from: She is not entirely sure where this came from. This example has been told to many people. She heard it from a friend, who had heard it from a friend, who had heard it from their grandmother, and so on. So this has been passed around for years and across so many people.

Why it’s said: It’s said for context. There isn’t a specific reasoning behind it. It can also be used as a warning to be cautious around fairy circles.

How they know it and what it means: Valery knows the meaning from her friend but also from others who have told her similar to or the same thing. This, however, is not something she can say she knows with one-hundred percent certainty as she has not seen the fairies that live, party, exist in fairy circles.

Thoughts: Growing up I used to see these ‘fairy circles’ all over our backyard. I was always told to be careful around mushrooms so I never went to close; however, I never knew the background, to what I always thought was just mother nature. Now knowing this I can say that I too believe in these fairies and the graveyards of tree that were once there. I have always been interested in stories, myths, legends of things that are somewhat magical because I always believe the magic is what made it so beautiful. While I am not a fan of mushrooms, I can appreciate this story and have looked at grassy lands differently… seeking for the fairies.