The Piskeys . . .

Always doing good, Always lucky.

Joan The Wad

Queen of the lucky Cornish piskies

The piskie folk, according to Couch's History of Polperro, are about a span long, clad in green and wearing straw hats or little green caps on their heads. Two only are known by name, "Joan The Wad" and "Jack 'O' Lantern". The piskies are the cheery wonder workers of Cornwall. Their power is incalculable and wherever they abide, good luck attends. Sir Arthur Quiller Couch in one if his books described how the maidens go to the well to intercede with the piskie folk for the name of their true love.

Jack 'O' Lantern

King of the piskeys

The piskies are the little people who from time immemorial have inhabited the wild parts of Cornwall and Devon. Their king is Jack 'O' Lantern and his Consort Joan is the Wad of Cornwall. Jack 'O' Lantern's  influence extends all over the world and he stands for the spirit of Eternal Youth, ever doing things, building things and making life better and happier. It is not so very long ago that both Jack 'O' Lantern and Joan the Wad were accepted as very real persons whose help and goodwill were eagerly sought after. These same traits appear to remain today as owners of either Jack or Joan or both have testified by their hundreds.

Dr Jonathan Couch in his "History of Polperro" (1871) wrote:

"Jack o' the lantern! Joan the wad,
Who tickled the maid and made her mad;
Light me home, the weather's bad."

The Rev. S. Barring in his book on folk lore traces the piskeys back to days before the Romans and always with contact with metal. Another devotes a whole chapter to Jack 'O' Lantern and several others to piskies in general.

And finally there is the Devonshire verse which runs as follows:

"Jack 'O' Lantern was born in a wood,
Jack 'O' Lantern was born to be good,
He may not be seen, he may not be heard,
But his life's as pure as the shyest bird.
So therefore if you would most benefit get,
Bide faith in good Jack and forget fear and fret."

Nicky Nan

Knight of the knockers

The knockers are a race of piskeys that inhabit the mines of Cornwall, their knight is Nicky Nan. The Knockers and Buccas are renowned for guiding the miners to wealth by tapping the sides of the mine. Any miner who followed their tapping would surely find the richest part of the mine. The piskeys reward was a piece of the miners pasty.