"Good fortune will nod, if you carry upon you Joan the Wad"

 

Joan the Wad is a figure from Cornish folklore, known as the Queen of the Pixies. (Jack O’Lantern is their king.)  In Devon and Cornwall, to the south of England, pixies are little mischievous sprites. The word is often pronounced “piskies.”

My Joan the Wad

They are depicted, rather uncharitably I thought, in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets as a kind of flying Gremlin.

In folklore, they are fairy folk, little people with a supernatural aspect, associated with both streams and fire. They can appear as a kind of will o’ the wisp. Both Jack O’Lantern and Joan the Wad carry a torch. (A “wad” is a dialect term for a bundle of straw, used as a torch.) Joan the Wad was said to use her torch to lead travelers astray on the moors, but on other occasions could be helpful to people who were lost. Joan is often depicted nude, symbolizing her connection with nature.

During the 19^th and 20^th centuries, little figures of Joan the Wad were produced for humans to wear as lucky charms or carry in their pockets. They’re still made, I understand, as souvenirs for visitors to Cornwall. They are made of brass and depict Joan nude, seated, with her arm over her head. My mother carried one in her purse all her adult life. Unfortunately, I don’t know where her Joan ended up after she passed away, but a few years ago I was fortunate to find one exactly like it, and I keep it in a pocket.

"Good fortune will nod, if you carry upon you Joan the Wad"