Disenchanted: Five Cautionary Tales of Faerie

A collection of five short stories concerning misguided mortals, sinister faeries and bad bargains.There are many cautionary tales about going into the woods alone. They teach us that wolves and witches lie in wait for us, and woodcutters and the Winter King, but few mention faeries. Our bedtime stories tell instead of benevolent godmothers and pretty pixies who sprinkle magic dust that can make you fly. We even call them fairy tales.But these are fairies we have conjoured from our imaginations, for animated films and fancy-dress parties, for the children. Why do we warn them of wolves and the Winter King, but neglect to tell them the truth about faeries? For the Fae are the most dangerous creatures of all. Very few of us would trust the Winter King, still less a wolf, but a faerie? They are silver-tongued and golden-eyed, beautiful and beguiling. Their words can ensorcel and ensnare, and even enslave. A faerie will promise you your heart's desire, and they will give it to you-but then you will have to pay the price.Perhaps you think there is little cause to worry. Faerie, after all, is far, far away. But that is only another detail the tales fail to mention. Faerie overlays the mortal world like water running over porous bedrock. And, like water, Faerie sometimes seeps through.