Miss Katie Richardson had an experience in May, 1942, which was ‘so lovely and so wholly unexpected’, that it was often in her mind. It occurred in Lippin Wood in the village of West Meon, Hampshire, when she was 43 years old, and I quote her words: ‘I was taking a walk in this peaceful spot when suddenly, on reaching a shallow, saucer-like depression in the ground, flanked on one side by a tree, I saw a group of very disgruntled-looking little men engaged in tidying-up. They were collecting the tiny twigs and leaves (which I could scarcely see) and after sweeping them up with little brushes they placed the rubbish in a neat pile at one point of the hollow. If this surprised me it was nothing to what followed, which made me almost afraid to breathe, for from the proximity of the tree there appeared a number of fairies dancing about out of sheer happiness. They were from eighteen to twenty inches in height, and were dressed in varied shades of pink. One of them made a sign to the little men, who were standing apart from them, and a tiny round table and some chairs were brought and placed where the fairies directed. Next, the fairies produced a delightfully lacey table-cloth, and after shaking it out they spread it over the table. They then disappeared, and I wondered what was going to happen next, but in no time at all they appeared again, carrying between them a perfectly lovely-looking cake, a two-tier affair, with a most artistic decoration in icing. (As a professional cook, I’ve often longed to reproduce the design, but it’s beyond me and, I think, anyone else except the fairies.) When it was placed and, with a great deal of fuss, all was arranged to their liking, they disappeared once more, and this time when they reappeared it was as maids of honour and train-bearers to the Queen herself. She was taller than the others, and her dress was of a deeper shade of pink than theirs. The skirt of it was full, like a miniature crinoline, and covered her feet. She had a crown on her head, and carried what I can only describe as a wand. On reaching the table they all curtsied to her before taking their places. The cake seemed to me to be in the nature of a surprise for her, and she showed great pleasure at seeing it. When she cut it I saw that it was yet another shade of pink throughout.  Two pieces had been out, and I found myself wondering whether the little men would be given any, when I heard a very faint sound, at least, it was faint to my very acute hearing, but it was enough to send the fairies hurrying away and out of sight. In no time at all, the little men had whisked away the table and chairs and then they, too, had gone. Later on I saw the fairies again, but this time they were without their Queen. Before my experience in Lippin Wood, I’d had great doubts about the existence of fairies, but I’ve never doubted since. Marjorie Johnson, Seeing Fairies