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Terry Pratchett.


A Hat Full Of Sky




A Story of Discworld

Scan & proofing 18-06-04



Introduction

FROM FAIRIES AND HOW TO AVOID THEM By Miss Perpicacia Tick:

The Nac Mac Feegle
(also called Pictsies. the Wee Free Men, the Little Men and Person or
Persons Unknown. Believed to Be Armed)
The Nac Mac Feegle are the most dangerous of the fairy races,
particularly when drunk. They love drinking, fighting and stealing, and will
in fact steal anything that is not nailed down. If it is nailed down, they
will steal the nails as well.
Nevertheless, those who have managed to get to know them, and survive,
say that they are also amazingly loyal, strong, dogged, brave and, in their
own way, quite moral. (For example, they wont steal from people who dont
have anything.)
The average Feegle man (Feegle women are rare - see later) is about six
inches high, red-haired, his skin turned blue with tattoos and the dye
called woad and, since youre this close, hes probably about to hit you.
Hell wear a kilt made of any old material, because amongst the Feegles
the clan allegiance is shown by the tattoos. He may wear a rabbit-skull
helmet, and Feegles often decorate their beards and hair with feathers,
beads and anything else that takes their fancy. He will almost certainly
carry a sword, although it is mainly for show, the Feegles preferred method
of fighting being with the boot and the head.

History and Religion
The origin of the Nac Mac Feegle is lost in the famous Mists of Time.
They say that they were thrown out of Fairyland by the Queen of the Fairies
because they objected to her spiteful and tyrannical rule. Others say they
were just thrown out for being drunk.
Little is known about their religion, if any, save for one fact: they
think they are dead. They like our world, with its sunshine and mountains
and blue skies and things to fight. An amazing world like this couldnt be
open to just anybody, they say. It must be some kind of a heaven or
Valhalla, where brave warriors go when they are dead. So, they reason, they
have already been alive somewhere else, and then died and were allowed to