In looking for information about working with fairies, often there are about four rules that pop up again and again. I'm going to go over them and discuss how they may or may not have been part of my time working with the fairies. I will be the first to tell you that it isn't necessarily wise to do what I do, but at the same time, I will be the first to admit that sometimes the rules are not nearly as… stringent as they make you believe.
Rule 1: Never give your real name.
I understand the why behind this. Names have power and you don't want to give anyone power over you, especially not a stranger who's middle name might as well be mischief. That being said, I can't think of a single time I was asked for my name while working with the fairies. Maybe it is because to my knowledge I never talked or worked with anyone from a court where things would be more formal. I honestly think that it is very dependent on who you are working with. Some fairies really aren't the type to take advantage of you like that. I would say a lot of your house/home beings probably wouldn't. After all, they take care of your home. They know what is going on and who you are. This is more likely to apply to what I call your "Wild" fairies. The beings that tend to stay further away from people and are more naturally inclined to mischief.
Rule 2: Never thank a faery.
This one I believe comes from the idea that you would insult them by thanking them as it would seem like they were no longer doing something nice for you. They were being paid for it. I haven't ever thanked a fairy for what they have done. Mostly this is because I was a teen who didn't thank people for anything. It was less than I knew better and more that I was stupid and didn't have any manners. That being said, I don't see a problem with leaving them little offerings, but I would probably not do it in conjunction with them doing something.
Rule 3: No iron.
This one is one I followed pretty seriously as it is the one I was taught through stories and such. That being said, I do have a few thoughts on this. The stories always say iron is harmful to the fairies, but if you look closer it is almost always iron that has been worked by human hands. This could either be through wrought work (heated and worked) or cast (melt and pour). I have never come across an instance where they have been hurt by natural iron in the ground. This leads me to believe that it isn't the iron itself that hurts them. It is human interference with something natural that causes pain. It is us taking something that is apart of the very land they are born of, and changing it into something unrecognizable. By that thought, it would make sense that the iron that we have access to would hurt them. It is no longer something natural.
Now, I grew up with a kitchen that had plenty of cast iron pans. There were still plenty of fairies that came in and out of the house. Most would cringe and not understand how. I'd like to present this to everyone: Fairies aren't stupid. They aren't gonna touch something that would hurt them. I never did something stupid like try and trick them into touching it. I trusted that they wouldn't be stupid enough to hurt themselves on purpose in my home. Did they generally avoid the kitchen because of it? Yes. Did they have full reign over the rest of the house? Yes. Did they run amok in the garden? My cat sure as hell acted like they did. You need to understand that these are incredibly smart beings. Just because there is iron around, it doesn't mean that they are going to stay away from you. Just be smart about it. If it will make you feel better, stick the iron into a cabinet that can be closed.
Rule 4: Don't make deals with fairies (or be very careful about deals).
Yeah. I didn't follow this one at all. I made deals like I was Loki on a holiday. That I am aware of, I never had it come back to bite me, and I assume it is because of two things I did in regards to these deals. First, when asking for the fairies to do something for me, I offered a cutting of my hair. Please save your yelling for later. I am aware this wasn't smart. I was a teenager and it was literally the only risky behavior I engaged in. This wasn't a thank you or payment for services exactly. At the time, it was more like providing proof of commitment to the deal. It also acted like proof of trust that they would not back out or take advantage of the deal. I mentioned earlier that fairies are incredibly smart. They understand intentions better than you would think. Second, deals are two-way streets. When I asked them to do something for me, they asked for me to do something in return. Sometimes it would be as simple as putting out a piece of cake mother had made the day before, or as difficult as making something they wanted. It was never something beyond what I was capable of, but it always required some kind of effort on my part. As long as I followed through on my end of the deal, then they followed through on theirs. I never didn't follow through so I'm not sure what would have happened if I didn't. This again probably comes back to the fairies that I worked with. I don't think I ever worked with any that were overly mischievous. Sure they moved things around or took crystals from me, but they weren't worse than that. You need to judge who you are working with and just be careful. Remember, deals are a big thing and if you promise to do something, you better do it.