花仙子

住在英國科丁利小鎮十六歲的表姊妹愛爾西（Elsie Wright）和十歲的法蘭西施（Frances Griffiths）告訴她的父親（Arthur Wright），她們在鄰近的森林裡和小精靈們遊戲；隨之而後愛爾西的父親在暗房沖洗出好幾張精靈和兩位女孩遊戲的照片。

照片公佈後此事件轟動一時，不僅靈異學家、專業攝影師都前往研究此底片，鑑定這些底片並非做假的重複曝光照，更為人稱道的是福爾摩斯的作者柯南．道爾也對此批照片極感興趣；雖然他對這些精靈保留懷疑態度，但仍公開表示願意相信這些照片的真實性，並向女孩購買照片的版權為此事件撰寫一本書。（1920年，《名偵探福爾摩斯》的作者柯南．道爾（Sir Arthur ConanDoyle）也對這批精靈照片產生興趣，甚至付錢給兩位女孩，把這批照片用在他為雜誌StrandMagazine所寫的一篇文章。雖然柯南道爾在文章中表示他對這批照片保持懷疑保留的態度，但其實他很相信這批照片的真實性，後來還特地為這批照片寫了一本書。）

神秘的故事就這麼流傳了六十年，直到1981年已經成為老太太的愛爾西才出面說明，當初的精靈照片乃是小女孩的惡作劇。

她們利用描繪在紙板上的精靈圖案和父親外出留下的相機，拍下這些假照片；雖然她們承認照片是偽造的，但仍深深堅持真的有那麼一段和小精靈們嬉戲的時光。

這些精靈是真亦假，科學家和神學家都無法給予絕對的證明；或許就連事件當事人愛爾西和法蘭西施也活在矛盾與自我質疑的心態中；甚麼是真實的、哪些又叫虛假？在時間的分野上，幻想與回憶之間，真相是否還重要？

1997年，這段有關精靈的惡作劇還被拍攝成電影《Fairy Tale: A True Story》。

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cottingley_fairies


柯南．道爾寫給Elsie的信

June 30 - First letter from Arthur Conan Doyle to Elsie WrightBoth this and the next are written on stationary imprinted "THE ATHENÆUM, PALL MALL, S.W.1." That address has been stroked out, and "Windlesham Crowborough" has been written in. Thanks to a tip from Ian Miller, we learn that the Athenæumis a gentleman's club for the "intellectually elite," still in existence in Pall Mall today.

June 30
Dear Miss Elsie Wright
I have seen the wonderful pictures of the fairies which you and your cousin Frances have taken, and I have not been so interested for a long time. I will send you tomorrow one of my little books for I am sure you are not too old to enjoy adventures. I am going to Australia soon, but I only wish before I go that I could get to Bradford and have half an hours chat with you, for I should like to hear all about it. With best wishes
Yours sincerely
Arthur Conan Doyle
Mr Gardner told me about it.

柯南．道爾向Elise父親購買版權的信
June 30 Letter from Arthur Conan Doyle to Arthur Wright



Dear Mr. Wright I have seen the very interesting photos which your little girl took. They are certainly amazing. I was writing a little article for the Strand upon the evidence for the existence of fairies,so that I was very much interested. I should naturally like to use the photos, along with other material, in my article but would not of course do so without your knowledge and permission. It would be in the Xmas number. I suggest

* That no name be mentioned, so that neither you nor your daughter be annoyed in any way.
* That the use be reserved for the Strand only until Xmas. After that it reverts of course to you.
* That either £5 be paid to you by the Strand for the temporary use, or that if you don't care to take money, you be put on the free list of the magazine for five years.


The articles appear in America in connection with the Strand publication. I would, if you agree, try to get you another £5 from that side. If this is all agreeable to you I or my friend Mr Gardner would try to run up& have half an hours chat with the girls
Yours sincerely
A Conan Doyle


偽造的證據
1978, 有人發現部份花仙子其實由一本1914年的書Princess Mary's Gift Book（Claude A. Shepperson著）中改裝。

Antiques Roadshow


The Coming of the Fairies by Arthur Conan Doyle, 1922
搵到一本柯南道爾寫有關花仙子的書：