In the quiet, wind-brushed moors of Northumberland, where heather blooms purple and mist curls low over the hills, stood a small stone cottage. A widow lived there with her only son, a cheerful boy with bright eyes and a heart full of curiosity. They kept to themselves, tending a modest patch of land, drawing water from the well, and lighting their hearth each evening as the sun melted into the horizon.
One night, as the mother sat spinning by the fire and the boy played nearby, a tiny figure suddenly dropped down the chimney, landing lightly on the hearthrug. Startled, the boy stepped back, for never before had he seen such a creature. She was no taller than his knee, dressed in shimmering green with hair like golden threads and eyes that sparkled like dewdrops.
“Good evening,” said the little stranger, brushing soot from her dress. “I’m My Own Self.”
The boy blinked in surprise, then grinned. “And I’m Just My Own Self Too,” he replied with a laugh.
At that, the fairy’s face brightened. She clapped her tiny hands. “Then we’re kin, you and I! Let’s play together.”
The two children, one human, one of the Hidden Folk, chased each other around the room, rolling wooden pegs, tossing acorns, and laughing so hard that even the old widow smiled at their merriment. Their laughter echoed up the chimney into the cold night air.
But as the play grew wilder, the fairy darted too close to the hearth. A glowing ember rolled from the fire and landed upon her bare foot. She shrieked in pain, hopping about and crying out, “Mother! Mother!”
Almost at once, a voice drifted down the chimney, deep, distant, and yet unmistakably stern.
“What’s the matter, child? Who hurt you?”
Still whimpering, the little fairy sobbed, “It was Just My Own Self!”
There was a pause, then the voice replied sharply, “If you did it yourself, then bear it yourself, and don’t cry about it!”
A long, shadowy arm reached down through the chimney, as thin as smoke and as strong as oak. It caught the tiny fairy by the waist and pulled her swiftly upward, vanishing into the dark flue.
The boy stumbled back in fright, clutching his mother’s apron. The fire crackled softly, and only a faint trace of golden dust remained where the fairy had stood. His mother made the sign of the cross and stirred the coals to keep the hearth burning bright.
From that night on, the boy never played too close to the fire and never called himself “Just My Own Self” again. He remembered the tiny fairy’s cry and her mother’s stern words, lessons carried by generations of Northumberland folk who knew the old ways and the whispers of the Good People.
Even years later, when he grew into a man and had children of his own, he warned them gently: “Be careful what you name yourself, and take care of what you do. For every deed has its echo, even among the fair folk of the moors.”
Journey into the charm of British wit and Irish wonder through centuries of folk tradition
Moral Lesson
This tale teaches lessons on personal responsibility, honesty, and self-awareness. It reminds us that one must take ownership of one’s actions and their consequences, whether in the mortal world or the realm of fairies.
Knowledge Check
1. Who are the main characters in “My Own Self”?
A widow, her young son, and a fairy child named My Own Self are the key figures in this English folktale.
2. What lesson does “My Own Self” teach?
The story teaches lessons on responsibility and accepting the consequences of one’s actions.
3. What happens when the fairy burns her foot?
She cries for her mother, who scolds her for hurting herself and then pulls her back up the chimney.
4. What is the meaning behind the fairy’s name, “My Own Self”?
It symbolizes self-accountability—her words reveal she caused her own harm.
5. Where does this folktale come from?
It originates from Northumberland, England, part of the rich English fairy tradition.
6. What cultural message does the story reflect?
It reflects English rural beliefs in the Good Folk and emphasizes moral growth through humility and reflection.
Source: Adapted from More English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs (1894), collected from Northumberland, England.
Cultural Origin: English folklore (Northumberland region).
