La Péri

Clarke Fairy Lamp 1880s

First of all, Happy Birthday to my Grand daughter Maya.  When she comes to visit, she usually finds the "fairy garden" that Grandma put out back and that got me to thinking.

 

If you have been to some yard or estate sales, chances are that you ran into a Fairy Light.  In the 1830s a new type of candle was invented, short and squat with a base made of some plaster wrapping so the wax wouldn't spread and the chance of fire reduced.  The candle maker wanted an instant market so he also invented a pottery base of sorts with a glass or translucent top and sold the candle holders cheap while supplying the little candles as a premium...the razor/razor blade idea if you will.

The little nightlight candle lamps were dubbed "fairy lamps" and no household was without. The candle itself was called the "pyramid", probably because of its shape.  You can read more than you ever want to know about these at this link.  Actually the entire subject is pretty interesting.

I got to thinking about fairy lamps this morning listening to a very nice piece of music by the French composer Paul Dukas (he wrote the Sorcerer's Apprentice for instance).  The piece in mind was "La Péri" or "the fairy".

I found a pretty good synopsis at Wiki (written by a musicologist): 

At the end of his days of youth, the Magi having observed that his star had faded, Iskender travels throughout Iran in search of the Flower of Immortality. After three years of looking and wandering,

Peri in costume

he finally arrives at the Ends of the Earth, a place of utmost tranquility and calm. Iskender finds a temple to Ormuzd, and on its steps is a Peri. With a star flashing above her head and a lute in one hand, the Peri carries the Flower of Immortality, a lotus decorated with emeralds, in the other.

Later, as the Peri is sleeping, Iskender steals the Flower, careful to avoid making noise so that she does not wake up. Immediately the Flower sparkles brightly in his hands, and when the Peri wakes up, she strikes her hands against each other and lets out a great cry, because without the Flower she cannot enter into the presence of the light of Ormuzd. Upon this realization, Iskender delights at the power he now seemingly has over the Peri.

While in his hand, however, the Flower is transformed by Ormuzd to Iskender’s earthly and material desires. This is a sign to the Peri that possession of the Flower is not intended for Iskender, and so she performs a dance, gradually coming closer and closer until she is able wrest the Flower from him. As the Peri slowly disappears in the light and returns to Paradise, Iskender realizes with calmness that he has been stranded and left to die.

Fairy Lights,  La Peri, nightlights, returns to Paradise from the Ends of the Earth...hmmmmm. Tales for grand daughters.