The pisky 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.

There is only one reference to the female pisky Joan The Wad who has become one of the most famous of the pisky folk and is regarded as Queen of the lucky Cornish Piskies and consort to Jack o' Lantern the only other of the pisky folk known by name.

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