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Overview

In Rafy’s twenty-fourth tale, fairies inhabit a forest unseen by human beings. They know the history of U Bieit, a young man whose neighbours reject him and whose mother has sent him away. After he accidentally brings home a merchant’s forgotten gold, she sends him into the forest again hoping for further treasure. The fairies pity his abandonment and determine to take him somewhere he will be cared for.

Seven of them assume human likeness and equip themselves with strong wings compared to those of great eagles. They give the hungry youth Hyndet bread, described as baked by fairies in heaven. Because the story says a person can enter fairyland only willingly, they invite him to accompany them beyond the Blue Realm for more food. He agrees, holds their wings and is instructed to remain silent during the flight.

Near fairyland, he asks whether the cakes will be large. Speaking breaks his hold, and he falls to his death. The fairies are compassionate rescuers whose attempt fails, rather than predators secretly seeking a victim; no punishment imposed by them or later recovery is narrated. Their human appearance and wings belong to the form chosen for this encounter, while their ordinary invisible form is undescribed.

Rafy closes with a lesson about assigning responsibilities to people able to bear them. The title and narration use demeaning historical language about the youth’s intellectual disability; this entry does not adopt those judgments or treat them as a diagnosis. No individual fairy names, gender, indigenous collective name or separate species classification are supplied.

Normally invisibleHuman-form manifestationEagle-like wingsHyndet breadVoluntary ascentUnsuccessful rescue
01

Origins & earliest records

Khasi tale selected and presented in English by Mrs. Rafy

02

Records & interpretation

Complete named chapters, title page and foreword read.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    Folk-Tales of the Khasis

    Mrs. Rafy (title-page credit; foreword signed K. U. R.) · 1920

    XXIV, The Idiot and the Hyndet Bread, pp. 111–115; Macmillan, London

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

Primary records and illustrations

Direct primary record

Mrs. Rafy, Folk-Tales of the Khasis (1920)

English collection. XXIV, pp. 111–115

Complete chapter and ending read from retained rafy-ch24.txt. Seven invisible forest fairies assume human likeness and eagle-like wings; voluntary ascent fails when the youth speaks and loses his grip. No individual fairy names or indigenous species name supplied. Narrator’s disability stereotypes explicitly contextualized.

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References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Historical English folklore collectionRafy, Folk-Tales of the Khasis, XXIV, pp. 111–115Research access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

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