The Adhene

The #TeamTrials

Who Are The Adhene?

The Adhene are faeries from the Isle of Man who reside in the earth, air, and water. They are often called "Cloan ny moyrn" which means "Children of the pride or ambition". According to legend, the Adhene were Angels who fell from Heaven at the same time as Lucifer, but were too good to deserve being cast into Hell. The Adhene rained from Heaven into our world for three days and three nights, forced to live here until Judgement. As this history suggests they are mostly benevolent (although very mischievous) creatures, with a few notable exceptions. The malevolent Adhene live away from all the others in caves and various other dark and dank places.

Descriptions

Adhene are described as being much larger than most faeries, about the size of a human child! They are very beautiful, and often seen dancing or playing. Most are female, and the benevolent ones are typically shy around humans and rarely show themselves.

Stories

It is said that the magic of the Adhene can not influence a person who is on a mission to help others (an errand of mercy). If you find yourself walking in the night on the Isle of Man and you don't happen to be on an errand of mercy, the old legends recommend that you chant this prayer "Saue Jee mee voish Cloan ny moyrn." (God save me from the Children of the pride.

The Adhene herded cattle and were often seen fishing on the coasts. The Manx people could tell there would be good fishing that season if they heard the faeries making storage barrels.

Most stories about changelings (if you dont know what changelings are heres the wikipedia) are very sad and end in child abuse or murder, but this story of an Adhene changeling from the 1800s is a rare exception.

"I was prevailed upon myself to go and see a child, who they told me was one of these changelings; and, indeed, must own was not a little surprised, as well as shocked at the sight: nothing under heaven could have a more beautiful face; but though between five and six years old, and seemingly healthy, he was so far from being able to walk or stand, that he could not so much as move any one t; his limbs were vastly long for his age, but smaller than an infant’s of six months; his complexion was perfectly delicate, and he had the finest hair in the world; he never spoke nor cried, eat scarce any thing, and was very seldom seen to smile; but if any one called him a fairy-elf, he would frown and fix his eyes so earnestly on those who said it, as if he would look them through. His mother, or at least his supposed mother, being very poor, frequently went out a charring, and left him a whole day together; the neighbours, out of curiosity, have often looked in at the window to see how he behaved when alone ; which, whenever they did, they were sure to find him laughing, and in the utmost delight. This made them judge that he was not without company more pleasing to him than any mortals could be; and what made this conjecture seem the more reasonable, was, that if he were left ever so dirty, the woman, at her return, saw him with a clean face, and his hair combed with the utmost exactness and nicety."

Conclusion and Sources

Theres not a lot of information about Adhene in general, and none that I could find about pre-Christian belief in them. Nonetheless, I wish there was more discussion of them! Here are the links I used to research and get my images.

http://www.strangehistory.net/2011/08/03/a-changeling-on-man/

https://fantasy-bestiary.fandom.com/wiki/Adhene

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhene

https://images.app.goo.gl/2niDts56M6GZP2RUA

background from giphy