A fairy (also fay, fey, fae, faerie; collectively, wee folk, good folk, people of peace, and other euphemisms)^[1] is the name given to a type of mythological being or legendary creature, a form of nature spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural. The word mythology (from the Greek grc μυθολογία mythología, meaning "a story-telling a legendary lore" A legendary creature is a mythological or folkloric creature (often known as "fabulous creatures" in historical literature Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals The English word " spirit " comes from the Latin " spiritus " (breath The term supernatural or supranatural ( Latin: super, supra "above" + natura "nature" pertains to entities events The preternatural or praeternatural is that which appears outside or beyond (Latin præter) the natural.

The concept of fairies is based on the fae of medieval Western European (Old French) folklore and romance. Old French was the Romance Dialect continuum spoken in territories which span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium Fairies are often identified with a variety of beings of other mythologies. The term Fairy came into use in Western Europe to refer to certain kinds of folkloric beings Even in folklore that uses the term "fairy," there are many definitions of what constitutes a fairy. Sometimes the term is used to describe any magical creature, including goblins or gnomes: at other times, the term only describes a specific type of more ethereal creature. Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and A goblin is an evil crabby or Mischievous Creature of Folklore, often described as a grotesquely disfigured or Gnome -like phantom A gnome is a Mythical creature characterized by its extremely small size and subterranean lifestyle ^[2]

Contents 1 Characteristics 2 Origin of fairies 2.1 Folk beliefs 2.1.1 Dead 2.1.2 Elementals 2.1.3 Demoted Angels 2.1.4 Demons 2.1.5 Humans 2.1.6 Babies' laughs 2.1.7 Pagan deities 2.2 Sources of beliefs 2.2.1 A hidden people 2.2.2 Christianised pagan deities 2.2.3 Spirits of the dead 3 Fairies in literature and legend 3.1 Practical beliefs and protection 3.1.1 Changelings 3.1.2 Classifications 3.2 Legends 3.3 Literature 4 Fairies in art 5 Fairies in popular culture 6 Bibliography 7 References 8 External links

Characteristics

Fairies are generally described as human in appearance and having magical powers. Their origins are less clear in the folklore, being variously dead, or some form of angel, or a species completely independent of humans or angels. An angel is a Spiritual Supernatural being found in many Religions Although the nature of angels and the tasks given to them vary from tradition to tradition ^[3] Folklorists have suggested that their actual origin lies in a conquered race living in hiding,^[4] or in religious beliefs that lost currency with the advent of Christianity. ^[5] These explanations are not always mutually incompatible, and they may be traceable to multiple sources.

Much of the folklore about fairies revolves about protection from their malice, by such means as cold iron (fairies don't like iron and will not go near it) or charms of rowan and herbs, or avoiding offense by shunning locations known to be theirs. The rowans or mountain-ashes are Plants in the family Rosaceae, in the Genus Sorbus, subgenus Sorbus A(n herb (ˈhɝb or /ˈɝb/ see pronunciation differences) is a plant that is valued for qualities such as medicinal properties flavor scent or the like ^[6] In particular, folklore describes how to prevent the fairies from stealing babies and substituting changelings, and abducting older people as well. A Changeling is a being in West European Folklore and Folk religion, typically described as the offspring of a Fairy, Troll ^[7] Many folktales are told of fairies, and they appear as characters in stories from medieval tales of chivalry, to Victorian fairy tales, and up to the present day in modern literature. Victorian literature is the literature produced during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901 and corresponds to the Victorian era.

Fairies are generally portrayed as human in appearance and as having supernatural abilities such as the ability to fly, cast spells and to influence or foresee the future. Flight is the process by which an object achieves sustained movement either through the Air (or movement beyond Earth's atmosphere, in the case of Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and ^[8] Although in modern culture they are often depicted as young, sometimes winged, females of small stature, they originally were depicted much differently: tall, radiant, angelic beings or short, wizened trolls being some of the commonly mentioned. Female (♀ is the Sex of an Organism, or a part of an organism which produces ova (egg cells A troll is a fearsome member of a race of creatures from Norse mythology. Diminutive fairies of one kind or another have been recorded for centuries, but occur alongside the human-sized beings; these have been depicted as ranging in size from very tiny up to the size of a human child. ^[9] Even with these small fairies, however, their small size may be magically assumed rather than constant. ^[10]

Wings, while common in Victorian and later artwork of fairies, are very rare in the folklore; even very small fairies flew with magic, sometimes flying on ragwort stems or the backs of birds. Senecio is a Genus of the daisy family ( Asteraceae)that includes ragworts and groundsels. ^[11] Nowadays, fairies are often depicted with wings of various shapes:

• Like the wings of ordinary generalized winged insects, e. Pterygota is a subclass of Insects that includes the winged insects g. as the image at this link.
• Like butterfly wings (butterfly fairies), e. A butterfly is an Insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all Lepidoptera butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a g. as the image at this link. The 2008 video Barbie Mariposa is set among a population of butterfly fairies. Barbie Mariposa (alternate title Barbie Mariposa and her Butterfly Fairy Friends) is a 2008 Direct to video computer
• Various fantastic shapes.

Various animals have also been described as fairies. Sometimes this is the result of shapeshifting on part of the fairy, as in the case of the selkie (seal people); others, like the kelpie and various black dogs, appear to stay more constant in form. Shapeshifting is a common theme in Mythology and Folklore, as well as in Science fiction and Fantasy. Selkies (also known as silkies or selchies) are creatures found in Faroese, Icelandic Irish, and Scottish Mythology The kelpie is a Supernatural water horse from Celtic Folklore that is believed to haunt the rivers and Lochs of Scotland and Ireland A black dog is a spectral being found primarily in the folklores of the British Isles. ^[12]

Origin of fairies

Folk beliefs

Dead

One popular belief was that they were the dead, or some subclass of the dead. ^[13] The Irish banshee (Irish Gaelic bean sí or Scottish Gaelic bean shìth, which both mean "fairy woman") is sometimes described as a ghost. The banshee (ˈbænʃiː from the Irish bean sí ("woman of the síde " or "woman of the Fairy mounds " is a Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. Scottish Gaelic ( Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ^[14] The northern English Cauld Lad of Hylton, though described as a murdered boy, is also described as a household sprite like a brownie,^[15] much of the time a Barghest or Elf. The Ruins of Hylton Castle (in Sunderland, Northern England) are reputed to be Haunted by the Ghost of a Murdered stable Barghest, Bargtjest, Bo-guest or Bargest is the name often given in the north of England, especially in Yorkshire, to a legendary An elf is a creature of Norse mythology. The elves were originally imagined as a race of minor nature and fertility gods, who are often pictured as youthful-seeming ^[16] One tale recounted a man caught by the fairies, who found that whenever he looked steadily at one, the fairy was a dead neighbor of his. ^[17] This was among the most common views expressed by those who believed in fairies, although many of the informants would express the view with some doubts. ^[18]

Some hold that the Catholic concept of Purgatory was an invention to appease converts who believed "The Land of Fae" was the home of the souls of the dead, said realm being co-existent with, but separate from, the world of the living and which could only be seen by those gifted with an ability known as the "second sight". Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". See also Intermediate state Limbo|Heaven|Sheol|Hades in Christianity|Hell in Christianity Purgatory, in the original sense is the condition or process of purification Second sight is a form of Extra-sensory perception whereby a person perceives information in the form of vision, about future events before they happen

Elementals

Another view held that the fairies were an intelligent species, distinct from humans and angels. ^[19] In alchemy in particular they were regarded as elementals, such as gnomes and sylphs, as described by Paracelsus. Alchemy a part of the Occult Tradition is both a philosophy and a practice with an ultimately unknown aim involving the improvement of the alchemist as well as the making of An elemental is a mythological being first appearing in the alchemical works of Paracelsus. A gnome is a Mythical creature characterized by its extremely small size and subterranean lifestyle Sylph (also called sylphid) is a mythological creature in the Western tradition Paracelsus (11 November or 17 December 1493 in Einsiedeln Switzerland – 24 September 1541 in Salzburg, Austria) was an alchemist, ^[20] This is uncommon in folklore, but accounts describing the fairies as "spirits of the air" have been found popularly. ^[21]

Demoted Angels

A third belief held that they were a class of "demoted" angels. ^[22] One popular story held that when the angels revolted, God ordered the gates shut; those still in heaven remained angels, those in hell became devils, and those caught in between became fairies. ^[23] Others held that they had been thrown out of heaven, not being good enough, but they were not evil enough for hell. ^[24] This may explain the tradition that they had to pay a "teind" or tithe to Hell. A tithe (from Old English teogoþa "tenth" is a one-tenth part of something paid as a (usually voluntary contribution or as a Tax or levy As fallen angels, though not quite devils, they could be seen as subject of the Devil. ^[25]

Demons

A fourth belief was the fairies were devils entirely. ^[26] This belief became much more popular with the growth of Puritanism. ^[27] The hobgoblin, once a friendly household spirit, became a wicked goblin. Hobgoblin is a term typically applied in folktales to describe a friendly or amusing Goblin. ^[28] Dealing with fairies was in some cases considered a form of witchcraft and punished as such in this era. ^[29] Disassociating himself from such evils may be why Oberon, in A Midsummer Night's Dream, carefully observed that neither he nor his court feared the church bells. A Midsummer Night's Dream is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, suggested by " The Knight's Tale " from ^[30]

The belief in their angelic nature was less common than that they were the dead, but still found popularity, especially in Theosophist circles. This article is about the philosophy introduced by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky ^[31][32] Informants who described their nature sometimes held aspects of both the third and the fourth view, or observed that the matter was disputed. ^[31]

Humans

A less-common belief was that the fairies were actually humans; one folktale recounts how a woman had hidden some of her children from God, and then looked for them in vain, because they had become the hidden people, the fairies. This is parallel to a more developed tale, of the origin of the Scandinavian huldra. Huldra is also the name of a witch in Sheri S Tepper 's The True Game series of novels ^[31]

Babies' laughs

A story of the origin of fairies appears in the 1906 Sir J. M. Barrie novella Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, comprised of chapters sliced out of the novel The Little White Bird after the success of his re-imagining of the character into the play Peter Pan and then incorporated into the novel Peter and Wendy. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens is a novel by James M Barrie, published in 1906 it is one of four major literary works by Barrie featuring the widely known The Little White Bird is a novel by J M Barrie, published in 1902 ranging in tone from fantasy and whimsy to social comedy with dark aggressive undertones Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J Peter Pan or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up and Peter and Wendy are the stage play and novel (respectively which tell the well-known story of Barrie wrote, "…when the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies. "^[33]

Pagan deities

Many of the Irish tales of the Tuatha Dé Danann refer to these beings as fairies, though in more ancient times they were regarded as Goddesses and Gods. The Mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved shorn of its religious meanings The Tuatha Dé Danann ("peoples of the Goddess Danu " Modern Irish pronunciation /t̪ˠuːəhə dʲeː d̪ˠan̪ˠən̪ˠ/ Old Irish /tuːaθa ðʲeː A goddess is a Female Deity. Many Cultures have goddesses Often deities are part of a polytheistic system that includes several deities God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. The Tuatha Dé were spoken of as having come from Islands in the north of the world, or, in other sources, from the sky. After being defeated in a series of battles with other Otherworldly beings, and then by the ancestors of the current Irish people, they were said to have withdrawn to the sídhe (fairy mounds), where they lived on in popular imagination as "fairies. The Irish people ( Irish: Muintir na hÉireann, na hÉireannaigh, na Gaeil) are a Western European Ethnic group who originate "

Sources of beliefs

A hidden people

One common theme found among the Celtic nations describes a race of diminutive people who had been driven into hiding by invading humans. Celtic nations are areas of modern northwest Europe which identify themselves with the Celtic cultures specifically speakers of Celtic languages. They came to be seen as another race, or possibly spirits, and were believed to live in an Otherworld that was variously described as existing underground, in hidden hills (many of which were ancient burial mounds), or across the Western Sea. The Otherworld ( orbis alia) in Celtic mythology is the realm of the dead, the home of the deities, or the stronghold of other spirits and beings ^[4]

In old Celtic faery lore the sidhe (fairy folk) are immortals living in the ancient barrows and cairns. The Tuatha de Danaan are associated with several Otherworld realms including Mag Mell (the Pleasant Plain), Emain Ablach (the Fortress of Apples or the Land of Promise or the Isle of Women), and one of the most well known Tir na nÓg (the Land of Youth). The Tuatha Dé Danann ("peoples of the Goddess Danu " Modern Irish pronunciation /t̪ˠuːəhə dʲeː d̪ˠan̪ˠən̪ˠ/ Old Irish /tuːaθa ðʲeː In Irish mythology, Mag Mell ("plain of joy" was a mythical realm achievable through death and/or glory (see also Tír na nÓg and Ablach) Avalon (probably from the Celtic word abal: apple see Etymology below is a legendary island featured in the Arthurian legend, famous for its beautiful Tír na nÓg ( Old Irish Tír na n-Oc) (tʲiɾʲ n̪ˠa n̪ˠog called in English the Land of Eternal Youth or the Land of the Ever-Young [1]

The concept of the Otherworld is also associated with the Isle of Apples, known as Avalon in the Arthurian mythos (often equated with Ablach Emain). Avalon (probably from the Celtic word abal: apple see Etymology below is a legendary island featured in the Arthurian legend, famous for its beautiful Here we find the Silver Bough that allowed a living mortal to enter and withdraw from the Otherworld. According to legend, the Faery Queen sometimes offered the branch to worthy mortals, granting them safe passage and food during their stay.

Some 19th century archaeologists thought they had found underground rooms in the Orkney isalnds resembling the Elfland in Childe Rowland. " Childe Rowland " is a Fairy tale, the most popular version being by Joseph Jacobs in his English Folk and Fairy Tales, published in 1892 ^[34] In popular folklore, flint arrowheads from the Stone Age were attributed to the fairies as "elf-shot". ^[35] The fairies fear of iron was attributed to the invaders having iron weapons, whereas the inhabitants had only flint and were therefore easily defeated in physical battle. Their green clothing and underground homes were credited to their need to hide and camouflage themselves from hostile humans, and their use of magic a necessary skill for combating those with superior weaponry. ^[4] In Victorian beliefs of evolution, cannibalism among "ogres" was attributed to memories of more savage races, still practicing it alongside "superior" races that had abandoned it. ^[36] Selkies, described in fairy tales as shapeshifting seal people, were attributed to memories of skin-clad "primitive" people traveling in kayaks. Selkies (also known as silkies or selchies) are creatures found in Faroese, Icelandic Irish, and Scottish Mythology ^[4] African pygmies were put forth as an example of a race that had previously existed over larger stretches of territory, but come to be scarce and semi-mythical with the passage of time and prominence of other tribes and races. ^[37]

Christianised pagan deities

Another theory is that the fairies were originally worshiped as gods, but with the coming of Christianity, they lived on, in a dwindled state of power, in folk belief. In this particular time, fairies were reputed by the church as being 'evil' beings. Many beings who are described as deities in older tales are described as "fairies" in more recent writings. ^[5] Victorian explanations of mythology, which accounted for all gods as metaphors for natural events that had come to be taken literally, explained them as metaphors for the night sky and stars. ^[38] According to this theory, fairies are personified aspects of nature and deified abstract concepts such as ‘love’ and ‘victory’ in the pantheon of the particular form of animistic nature worship reconstructed as the religion of Ancient Western Europe. Love is any of a number of Emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong Affection. Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals ^[39]

Spirits of the dead

A third theory was that the fairies were a folkloric belief concerning the dead. This noted many common points of belief, such as the same legends being told of ghosts and fairies, the sídhe in actuality being burial mounds, it being dangerous to eat food in both Fairyland and Hades, and both the dead and fairies living underground. ^[40]

Fairies in literature and legend

The question as to the essential nature of fairies has been the topic of myths, stories, and scholarly papers for a very long time. Nils Johan Olsson Blommér (1816 &ndash 1853 was a Swedish painter ^[41]

Practical beliefs and protection

When considered as beings that a person might actually encounter, fairies were noted for their mischief and malice. Some pranks ascribed to them, such as tangling the hair of sleepers into "Elf-locks", stealing small items or leading a traveler astray, are generally harmless. When young children specially girls wake from an evening's slumber with tangles and snarls in their hair mothers with a tradition of Fairy folklore might whisper to their daughters But far more dangerous behaviours were also attributed to fairies. Any form of sudden death might stem from a fairy kidnapping, with the apparent corpse being a wooden stand-in with the appearance of the kidnapped person. ^[42] Consumption (tuberculosis) was sometimes blamed on the fairies forcing young men and women to dance at revels every night, causing them to waste away from lack of rest. Tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB for tubercle bacillus or T u' b' erculosis Bacillus --> is a common ^[43] Fairies riding domestic animals, such as cows or pigs or ducks, could cause paralysis or mysterious illnesses. Fairy riding ( Scottish Gaelic: marcachd shìth / a' mharcachd-shìth / na marcachd-shìth) was a kind of Paralysis found in Livestock

As a consequence, practical considerations of fairies have normally been advice on averting them. In terms of protective charms, cold iron is the most familiar, but other things are regarded as detrimental to the fairies: wearing clothing inside out, running water, bells (especially church bells), St. John's wort, and four-leaf clovers, among others. Cold iron is a poetic and archaic term for Iron, referring to the fact that it feels cold to the touch St John's wort (pronounced) used alone refers to the species Hypericum perforatum, also known as Tipton's Weed or Klamath weed, but with qualifiers is For information on the song go to Four Leaf Clover (song The four-leaf clover is an uncommon variation of the common three-leaved Clover. Some lore is contradictory, such as Rowan trees in some tales been sacred to the fairies, and in other tales being protection against them. In Newfoundland folklore, the most popular type of fairy protection is bread, varying from stale bread to hard tack or a slice of fresh home-made bread. Newfoundland and Labrador (ˈnuːfɨn(dlənd ən(d ˈlæbrəˌdɔr (Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador is a province of Canada, the tenth and latest to join the Confederation Hardtack (or hard tack) is a simple type of cracker or Biscuit, made from Flour, water and Salt. The belief that bread has some sort of special power is an ancient one. Bread is associated with the home and the hearth, as well as with industry and the taming of nature, and as such, seems to be disliked by some types of fairies. On the other hand, in much of the Celtic folklore, baked goods are a traditional offering to the folk, as are cream and butter. Celtic mythology is the Mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the Religion of the Iron Age Celts Like other Iron Age ^[32]

“The prototype of food, and therefore a symbol of life, bread was one of the commonest protections against fairies. Before going out into a fairy-haunted place, it was customary to put a piece of dry bread in one’s pocket. ”^[44]

Bells also have an ambiguous role; while they protect against fairies, the fairies riding on horseback — such as the fairy queen — often have bells on their harness. This may be a distinguishing trait between the Seelie Court from the Unseelie Court, such that fairies use them to protect themselves from more wicked members of their race. In Mythology and Folklore, fairies are classified in a variety of ways ^[45] Another ambiguous piece of folklore revolves about poultry: a cock's crow drove away fairies, but other tales recount fairies keeping poultry. ^[46]

In County Wexford, Ireland, in 1882, it was reported that “if an infant is carried out after dark a piece of bread is wrapped in its bib or dress, and this protects it from any witchcraft or evil. County Wexford (Contae Loch Garman is a maritime county in the southeast of Ireland, in the province of Leinster. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world ”^[47]

While many fairies will confuse travelers on the path, the will o' the wisp can be avoided by not following it. The will-o'-the-wisp, sometimes will-o'-wisp or ignis fatuus (modern Latin, from ignis ("fire" + fatuus Certain locations, known to be haunts of fairies, are to be avoided; C. S. Lewis reported hearing of a cottage more feared for its reported fairies than its reported ghost. Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963 ^[48] In particular, digging in fairy hills was unwise. Paths that the fairies travel are also wise to avoid. In the folklore of the Celtic cultures a fairy path, ‘passage’ ‘avenue’ or ‘pass’ is a route taken by these supernatural beings usually in a straight line and between sites Home-owners have knocked corners from houses because the corner blocked the fairy path,^[49] and cottages have been built with the front and back doors in line, so that the owners could, in need, leave them both open and let the fairies troop through all night. ^[50] Locations such as fairy forts were left undisturbed; even cutting brush on fairy forts was reputed to be the death of those who performed the act. Fairy forts (also known as raths from the Irish referring to an earthen mound are the remains of lios ( Ringforts, Hillforts or other ^[51] Fairy trees, such as thorn trees, were dangerous to chop down; one such tree was left alone in Scotland, though it prevented a road being widened for seventy years. Crataegus monogyna, known as Common Hawthorn, is a species of hawthorn native to Europe, northwest Africa and western Asia ^[52] Good house-keeping could keep brownies from spiteful actions, because if they didn't think the house is clean enough, they pinched people in their sleep. Such water hags as Peg Powler and Jenny Greenteeth, prone to drowning people, could be avoided by avoiding the bodies of water they inhabit. The Peg Powler is a Hag from English folklore with a green skin long hair and sharp teeth who is said to inhabit the River Tees. Jenny Greenteeth is a figure in English folklore. A river Hag, similar to Peg Powler, she would pull children or the elderly into the water and drown ^[35]

Other actions were believed to offend fairies. Brownies were known to be driven off by being given clothing, though some folktales recounted that they were offended by inferior quality of the garments given, and others merely stated it, some even recounting that the brownie was delighted with the gift and left with it. ^[53] Other brownies left households or farms because they heard a complaint, or a compliment. ^[54] People who saw the fairies were advised not to look closely, because they resented infringements on their privacy. ^[55] The need to not offend them could lead to problems: one farmer found that fairies threshed his corn, but the threshing continued after all his corn was gone, and he concluded that they were stealing from his neighbors, leaving him the choice between offending them, dangerous in itself, and profiting by the theft. ^[56]

Millers were thought by the Scots to be "no canny" due to their ability to control the forces of nature, such as fire in the kiln, water in the burn, and for being able to set machinery a-whirring. Superstitious communities sometimes believed that the miller must be in league with the fairies. In Scotland fairies were often mischievous and to be feared. No one dared to set foot in the mill or kiln at night as it was known that the fairies brought their corn to be milled after dark. So long as the locals believed this then the miller could sleep secure in the knowledge that his stores were not being robbed. John Fraser, the miller of Whitehill claimed to have hidden and watched the fairies trying unsuccessfully to work the mill. He said he decided to come out of hiding and help them, upon which one of the fairy women gave him a gowpen (double handful of meal) and told him to put it in his empty girnal (store), saying that the store would remain full for a long time, no matter how much he took out. ^[57]

It is also believed that to know the name of a particular fae could summon it to you and force it to do your bidding. The name could be used as an insult towards the Faerie in question, but it could also rather contradictorily be used to grant powers and gifts to the user.

Changelings

Main article: Changeling

A considerable amount of lore about fairies revolves around changelings, fairy children left in the place of stolen human babies. A Changeling is a being in West European Folklore and Folk religion, typically described as the offspring of a Fairy, Troll A Changeling is a being in West European Folklore and Folk religion, typically described as the offspring of a Fairy, Troll ^[4] Older people could also be abducted; a woman who had just given birth and had yet to be churched was regarded as being in particular danger. In Christian tradition the Churching of Women is the ceremony wherein a blessing is given to mothers after recovery from Childbirth. ^[58] A common thread in folklore is that eating the fairy food would trap the captive, as Persephone in Hades; this warning is often given to captives who escape by other people in the fairies' power, who are often described as captives who had eaten and so could not be freed. In Greek mythology, Persephone ( Kore or Cora) was the embodiment of the Earth's fertility at the same time that she was the Queen of the Underworld ^[59] Folklore differed about the state of the captives: some held that they lived a merry life, others that they always pined for their old friends. ^[60]

Classifications

Main article: Classifications of fairies

In Scottish folklore, fairies are divided into the Seelie Court, the more beneficiently inclined (but still dangerous) fairies, and the Unseelie Court, the malicious fairies. In Mythology and Folklore, fairies are classified in a variety of ways Scottish mythology may refer to any of the mythologies of Scotland. ^[35]

Trooping fairies refer to fairies who appear in groups and might form settlements. In this definition, fairy is usually understood in a wider sense, as the term can also include various kinds of mythical creatures mainly of Celtic origin; however, the term might also be used for similar beings such as dwarves or elves from Germanic folklore. A legendary creature is a mythological or folkloric creature (often known as "fabulous creatures" in historical literature Celtic mythology is the Mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the Religion of the Iron Age Celts Like other Iron Age DWARF is a widely used standardized Debugging data format. DWARF was originally designed along with ELF, although it is independent of Object file An elf is a creature of Norse mythology. The elves were originally imagined as a race of minor nature and fertility gods, who are often pictured as youthful-seeming These are opposed to solitary fairies, who do not live or associate with others of their kind. ^[61]

Legends

In many legends, the fairies are prone to kidnapping humans, either as babies, leaving changelings in their place, or as young men and women. A Changeling is a being in West European Folklore and Folk religion, typically described as the offspring of a Fairy, Troll This can be for a time or forever, and may be more or less dangerous to the kidnapped. In the 19th Century Child Ballad, "Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight", the elf-knight is a Bluebeard figure, and Isabel must trick and kill him to preserve her life. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The Child Ballads are a collection of 305 Ballads from England and Scotland, and their American variants collected by Francis James Child Bluebeard is the title character in a famous Fairy tale about a violent nobleman and his curious wife ^[62] Child Ballad "Tam Lin" reveals that the title character, though living among the fairies and having fairy powers, was in fact an "earthly knight" and, though his life was pleasant now, he feared that the fairies would pay him as their teind (tithe) to hell. Tamas " Tam " Lin (also called Tamlane, Tamlin, Tam Lien, Tam-a-Line, Tam Lane, or True Thomas A tithe (from Old English teogoþa "tenth" is a one-tenth part of something paid as a (usually voluntary contribution or as a Tax or levy ^[62] Sir Orfeo tells how Sir Orfeo's wife was kidnapped by the King of Faerie and only by trickery and excellent harping ability was he able to win her back. Sir Orfeo is an anonymous Middle English narrative poem. It retells the story of Orpheus as a king rescuing his wife from the Sir Degare narrates the tale of a woman overcome by her fairy lover, who in later versions of the story is unmasked as a mortal. Sir Degaré (from Old English "Diggory", and is probably from French égaré > strayed lost) is an anonymous Thomas the Rhymer shows Thomas escaping with less difficulty, but he spends seven years in Faerie. Not to be confused with Thomas Rymer, a 17th century English historian Oisín is harmed not by his stay in Faerie but by his return; when he dismounts, the three centuries that have passed catch up with him, reducing him to an aged man. Oisín ( Old Irish, pronounced /ˈɔʃiːnʲ/ or roughly "ush-een" often anglicized to Ossian) son of Fionn mac Cumhail and of Sadb (daughter ^[63] King Herla also visited Fairy and returned three centuries later; although only some of his men crumbled to dust on dismounting, Herla and his men who did not dismount were trapped on horseback, this being one folkloric account of the origin of the Wild Hunt. The Wild Hunt was a folk myth prevalent in former times across Northern Western and Central Europe ^[64]

A common feature of the fairies is the use of magic to disguise appearance. Fairy gold is notoriously unreliable, appearing as gold when paid, but soon thereafter revealing itself to be leaves, gorse blossoms, gingerbread cakes, or a variety of other useless things. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Gorse ( Ulex) comprises a Genus of about 20 species of Evergreen Shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Gingerbread is a sweet that can take the form of a Cake or a Cookie in which the predominant flavors are ginger and raw Sugar. ^[65]

These illusions are also implicit in the tales of fairy ointment. Fairy Ointment or The Fairy Nurse is an English Fairy tale collected by Joseph Jacobs in his English Fairy Tales. Many tales from the British islands tell of a mortal woman summoned to attend a fairy birth — sometimes attending a mortal, kidnapped woman's childbed. Invariably, the woman is given something for the child's eyes, usually an ointment; through mischance, or sometimes curiosity, she uses it on one or both of her own eyes. At that point, she sees where she is; one midwife realizes that she was not attending a great lady in a fine house but her own runaway maid-servant in a wretched cave. She escapes without making her ability known, but sooner or later betrays that she can see the fairies. She is invariably blinded in that eye, or in both if she used the ointment on both. ^[66]

Literature

Fairies appeared in medieval romances as one of the beings that a knight errant might encounter. Henry Fuseli (in German Johann Heinrich Füssli; February 7, 1741 – April 16, 1825) was a British painter As a Literary genre of High culture, romance or chivalric romance refers to a style of heroic Prose and verse Narrative A knight-errant (plural knights-errant) is a figure of medieval chivalric romance literature. A fairy lady appeared to Sir Launfal and demanded his love; like the fairy bride of ordinary folklore, she imposed a prohibition on him that in time he violated. Sir Launfal is a 1045-line Middle English romance or Breton lay written by Thomas Chestre dating from the late 14th century. Sir Orfeo's wife was carried off by the King of Faerie. Sir Orfeo is an anonymous Middle English narrative poem. It retells the story of Orpheus as a king rescuing his wife from the Huon of Bordeaux is aided by King Oberon. Huon of Bordeaux is the title character of a 13th century French epic ( Chanson de geste) with romance elements Oberon, also Auberon, King of Shadows and Fairies, is best known as a character in William Shakespeare 's play A Midsummer Night's Dream ^[67] These fairy characters dwindled in number as the medieval era progressed; the figures became wizards and enchantresses. ^[68] Morgan Le Fey, whose connection to the realm of faerie is implied in her name, in Le Morte d'Arthur is a woman whose magic powers stem from study. Morgan le Fay, alternatively known as Morgane, Morgain, Morgana and other variants is a powerful sorceress and Antagonist of Le Morte d'Arthur (spelled Le Morte Darthur in the first printing and also in some modern editions Middle French for la mort d'Arthur ^[69] While somewhat diminished with time, fairies never completely vanished from the tradition. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a late tale, but the Green Knight himself is an otherworldly being. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a late 14th-century ^[68] Edmund Spenser featured fairies in The Faerie Queen. Edmund Spenser (c 1552 &ndash 13 January, 1599) was an important English Poet and Poet Laureate best known for The The Faerie Queene is an English epic poem by Edmund Spenser, published first in three books in 1590 and later in six books in 1596 ^[70] In many works of fiction, fairies are freely mixed with the nymphs and satyrs of classical tradition;^[71] while in others (e. In Greek mythology, a nymph is any member of a large class of mythological entities in human female form In Greek mythology, satyrs (Σάτυροι Satyroi) are a troop of male companions of Pan and Dionysus – " Satyresses quot g. Lamia), they were seen as displacing the Classical beings. " Lamia " is a Narrative poem written by English poet John Keats. Fifteenth century poet and monk John Lydgate wrote that King Arthur was crowned in "the land of the fairy", and taken in his death by four fairy queens, to Avalon where he lies under a "fairy hill", until he is needed again. John Lydgate of Bury (c 1370 – c 1451 was a Monk and Poet, born in Lidgate Suffolk, England. King Arthur is a legendary British leader who according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against the Saxon invaders Avalon (probably from the Celtic word abal: apple see Etymology below is a legendary island featured in the Arthurian legend, famous for its beautiful ^[72]

Fairies appear as significant characters in William Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream, which is set simultaneously in the woodland, and in the realm of Fairyland, under the light of the moon. Sir Joseph Noel Paton FRSA, LL D ( 13 December 1821 &ndash 26 December 1901) was a Scottish artist William Shakespeare ( baptised A Midsummer Night's Dream is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, suggested by " The Knight's Tale " from ^[73] and in which a disturbance of Nature caused by a fairy dispute creates tension underlying the plot and informing the actions of the characters. According to Maurice Hunt, Chair of the English Department at Baylor University, the blurring of the identities of fantasy and reality makes possible “that pleasing, narcotic dreaminess associated with the fairies of the play”. ^[74]

Shakespeare's contemporary, Michael Drayton features fairies in his Nimphidia; from these stem Alexander Pope's sylphs of The Rape of the Lock, and in the mid 1600s, précieuses took up the oral tradition of such tales to write fairy tales; Madame d'Aulnoy invented the term contes de fée ("fairy tale"). Michael Drayton (1563 &ndash December 23, 1631) was an English Poet who came to prominence in the Elizabethan era. Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 – 30 May 1744 is generally regarded as the greatest English Poet of the eighteenth century best known for his Satirical The Rape of the Lock is a Mock-heroic Narrative poem written by Alexander Pope, first published anonymously in Lintot's Miscellany The literary style called préciosité ("preciousness" arose from the lively conversations and playful word games of les précieuses, the witty and educated A fairy tale or fairy story is a fictional Story that may feature folkloric characters (such as fairies, enchantments]] often involving Marie-Catherine Le Jumel de Barneville Baronne d'Aulnoy (1650/1651&ndash 4 January 1705) was a French Writer known for her Fairy tales ^[75] While the tales told by the précieuses included many fairies, they were less common in other countries' tales; indeed, the Brothers Grimm included fairies in their first edition, but decided this was not authentically German and altered the language in later editions, changing each "Fee" (fairy) to an enchantress or wise woman. The Brothers Grimm ( German: Die Gebrüder Grimm) Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, ^[76] J. R. R. Tolkien described these tales as taking place in the land of Faerie. Alfheim redirects here For other uses see Alfheim (disambiguation Álfheimr or Alfheim ( Elf-home) is the abode of the ^[77] Additionally, not all folktales that feature fairies are generally categorized as fairy tales.

Fairies in literature took on new life with Romanticism. Romanticism is a complex artistic literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Western Europe, and gained strength during the Writers such as Sir Walter Scott and James Hogg were inspired by folklore which featured fairies, such as the Border ballads. Sir Walter Scott 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 &ndash 21 September 1832 was a prolific Scottish Historical novelist and Poet popular throughout James Hogg (1770 - 21 November 1835) was a Scottish poet and Novelist who wrote in both Scots and English. The English/Scottish border has a long and bloody history of conquest and reconquest raid and counter-raid (see Wars of Scottish Independence) This era saw an increase in the popularity of collecting of fairy folklore, and an increase in the creation of original works with fairy characters. ^[78] In Rudyard Kipling's Puck of Pook's Hill, Puck holds to scorn the moralizing fairies of other Victorian works. Joseph Rudyard Kipling (30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936 was an English Author and poet ^[79] The period also saw a revival of older themes in fantasy literature, such as C. Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting S. Lewis's Narnia books which, while featuring many such classical beings as fauns and dryads, mingles them freely with hags, giants, and other creatures of the folkloric fairy tradition. In Roman mythology, fauns are place-spirits ( genii) of untamed woodland The DRYAD Numeral Cipher/Authentication System (KTC 1400 D is a simple paper Cryptographic system currently in use by the U HAG is a Swiss maker of Model trains in HO scale. These are high quality trains made of die-cast metal with reliable mechanisms The Mythology and Legends of many different Cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength ^[80] Victorian flower fairies were popularized in part by Queen Mary’s keen interest in fairy art, and by British illustrator and poet Cicely Mary Barker's series of eight books published in 1923 through 1948. Flower Fairies are illustrations by Cicely Mary Barker, created during the first half of the 20th century Cicely Mary Barker ( June 28 1895 - February 16 1973) was the illustrator who created the famous Flower fairies, in the shape of ethereal Imagery of fairies in literature became prettier and smaller as time progressed. ^[67]

Fairies are seen in Neverland, in the novel Peter and Wendy, the version of James Barrie's famous Peter Pan stories that was published in 1911. Neverland (also called Never-Never-Land, Never Land and other variations is the Island and dream world featured in the play Peter Sir James Matthew Barrie 1st Baronet OM ( 9 May, 1860 &ndash 19 June, 1937) more commonly known as J Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J In the part of the story where Peter Pan and the lost boys had built a house for Wendy on Neverland, he stays up late that night to guard her from the pirates, but then the story says: "After a time he fell asleep, and some unsteady fairies had to climb over him on their way home from an orgy. Any of the other boys obstructing the fairy path at night they would have mischiefed, but they just tweaked Peter's nose and passed on. "^[81]

Fairies in art

See also: Fairy painting

Images of fairies have appeared as illustrations, often in books of fairy tales, as well as in photographic-based media and sculpture. A fairy tale or fairy story is a fictional Story that may feature folkloric characters (such as fairies, enchantments]] often involving Some artists known for their depictions of fairies include:

• Cicely Mary Barker
• Jasmine Becket-Griffith
• Amy Brown
• David Delamare
• Brian Froud
• Meredith Dillman
• Warwick Goble
• Kylie InGold
• Alan Lee
• Ida Rentoul Outhwaite
• Myrea Pettit
• Arthur Rackham
• Florence Harrison

The Victorian era was particularly noted for fairy paintings. Cicely Mary Barker ( June 28 1895 - February 16 1973) was the illustrator who created the famous Flower fairies, in the shape of ethereal Jasmine Becket-Griffith (born June 4 1979 is a freelance Artist who specializes in fairy, fantasy, and gothic artwork Amy Brown (born 1972 in Bellingham Washington) is a popular Fantasy and Fairy artist. David Delamare (born in Leicester, England) is a British-American Artist. Brian Froud (born 1947 in Winchester) is an English Fantasy Illustrator. Meredith Dillman is a Fantasy artist and illustrator from Minnesota who specializes in Fairies and Fairy tale paintings Warwick Goble (1862 &ndash 1943 was a Victorian illustrator of children's books Kylie InGold (born 1962 is an Australian artist a painter of the Fairy and Fantasy genre Alan Lee (born August 20, 1947) is an English book Illustrator and movie conceptual designer Ida Rentoul Outhwaite ( June 9, 1888 &ndash 1960 was an Australian Illustrator of Children's books Her work mostly depicted fairies Myrea Pettit ( February 10, 1970 -) is a British Fantasy and Fairy artist and Illustrator born in Northampton Arthur Rackham ( 19 September 1867 &ndash 6 September 1939) was a prolific English book illustrator Emma Florence Harrison was an English Art Nouveau and Pre-Raphaelite illustrator of poetry and children's books Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities The Victorian painter Richard Dadd created paintings of fairy-folk with a sinister and malign tone. Richard Dadd ( August 1 1817 – January 7 1886) was an English painter of the Victorian era, noted for his depictions of Other Victorian artists who depicted fairies include John Atkinson Grimshaw, Joseph Noel Paton, John Anster Fitzgerald and Daniel Maclise. John Atkinson Grimshaw (1836 &ndash 1893 was a Victorian-era painter notable for his landscapes usually known as Atkinson Grimshaw. Sir Joseph Noel Paton FRSA, LL D ( 13 December 1821 &ndash 26 December 1901) was a Scottish artist John Anster Fitzgerald (1819 - 1906 was a Victorian era fairy painter and portrait artist Daniel Maclise (1806 &ndash April 25, 1870) Irish painter, was the son of a Highland soldier and was born in Cork City, working ^[82] Interest in fairy-themed art enjoyed a brief renaissance following the publication of the Cottingley Fairies photographs in 1917 and a number of artists turned to painting fairy themes. The Cottingley Fairies are a series of five photographs taken by Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths two young Cousins living in Cottingley, near Bradford A photograph (often shortened to photo) is an Image created by Light falling on a light-sensitive surface usually Photographic film or an electronic Following in the footsteps of this trend, and utilizing modern digital technology, fantasy photographers like J. Corsentino created a new sub-genre of "fairy photography". Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting J Corsentino (1978 &ndash) is a Columbian born American photographer and fantasy artist ^[83]

Fairies in popular culture

For a more comprehensive list, see List of fairy and sprite characters

Fairies are often depicted in books, stories, and movies. These are fictional Fairies and sprites, listed in alphabetical order A number of these fairies are from adaptations of traditional tales.

Perhaps some of the most well-known fairies were made by Disney. Tinkerbell, from the Peter Pan stories by J.M. Barrie^[84] and the Disney adaptation. Tinker Bell (also known as "Tinkerbell" in common usage is a Real fairy in J Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J Sir James Matthew Barrie 1st Baronet OM ( 9 May, 1860 &ndash 19 June, 1937) more commonly known as J Peter Pan is an animated feature film produced by Walt Disney based on the play Peter Pan or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up by While in Carlo Collodi's tale Pinocchio a wooden boy receives the gift of real life from a fairy described as the "lovely maiden with azure hair",^[85] who was dubbed the "Blue Fairy" for Disney's adaptation. Carlo Lorenzini ( November 24, 1826 &ndash October 26, 1890) better known by the Pen name C Pinocchio (piˈnɔkːjo in Italian is a fictional character that first appeared in 1883, in The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, and Pinocchio is the second Animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics.

As would be expected, fairies appear in other media as well, including novels, video games, and music. A comprehensive list is beyond the scope of this article, but one recent and notable example is Susanna Clarke's novel Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, which revolved about two magicians with close connections to the fairy world;^[86] it won the Hugo Award for Best Novel. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is the debut novel by British writer Susanna Clarke. Winners of the Hugo Award for best science fiction or fantasy Novel, along with all the nominees are presented here ^[87] Clarke drew heavily on British folklore for this work and her collection of short stories The Ladies of Grace Adieu, including retelling the story of Tom Tit Tot as her "On Lickerish Hill". Rumpelstiltskin is a character in a Fairy tale of the same name that originated in Germany (where he is known as Rumpelstilzchen) ^[88]

As fairy art, folklore and music inspired by it has continued to thrive in popular culture, various fantasy faires and conventions dedicated to everything fairy have sprung up around the country, such as Faerieworlds, Faeriecon and fairy festivals at Sproutwood Farm. The Faerieworlds Festival is an annual music and arts festival currently held annually in Oregon in late July or early August Recording artist Gary Stadler released a series of fairy-influenced music CDs on Sequoia Records, beginning with "Fairy of the Woods" in 1994, and including "Fairy HeartMagic", that appeared on Billboard's top 25 New Age music chart in 2000, and featuring fairy artwork by Katlyn Breene of Zingaia. Gary Stadler is a New Age pianist composer songwriter and producer specializing in contemporary Celtic-influenced themes and atmospheres See Billboard (Turkish magazine Billboard is a weekly American Magazine devoted to the Music industry New Age music is peaceful Music of various styles which is intended to create inspiration relaxation and positive feelings often used by listeners for Yoga, Zingaia is a musical group in the genres of contemporary World Music, New Age music and Ethnic electronica.

Many children television programs such as The Fairly Oddparents also feature fairies and magic. Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and

Fairies are a companion and helper of Ofelia and the faun in the Spanish movie Pan's Labyrinth by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. In Roman mythology, fauns are place-spirits ( genii) of untamed woodland Pan's Labyrinth (Spanish El laberinto del fauno, literally The Labyrinth of the Faun) is a 2006 Spanish language Guillermo del Toro Gómez (born October 9, 1964) is an Academy Award -nominated Mexican filmmaker They originally look like large insects but shapeshift after Ofelia shows them a picture of what a fairy is supposed to look like.

In the Harry Potter scenario, unusually, fairies are depicted as non-sentient and reproducing by egg and larva and pupa like insects do. Harry Potter is a series of seven Fantasy novels written by British author J Sentience is the ability to feel or perceive subjectively. It is an important concept in the philosophy of Animal rights, in buddhist philosophy and in A larva ( Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of Animal with indirect development, undergoing Metamorphosis (for example A pupa ( Latin pupa for doll pl pupae or pupas) is the life stage of some Insects undergoing transformation Insects ( Class Insecta) are a major group of Arthropods and the most diverse group of Animals on the Earth with over a million described ^[89]

In the Artemis Fowl series, faires are depicted as wingless creatures who can "mesmerize" humans and live underground. There is a draft page for this article here. Artemis Fowl is a series of Fantasy novels written by Irish author Eoin Colfer

Bibliography

• D. L. Ashliman, Fairy Lore: A Handbook (Greenwood, 2006)
• Brian Froud and Alan Lee, Faeries, (Peacock Press/Bantam, New York, 1978)
• Ronan Coghlan Handbook of Fairies (Capall Bann, 2002)
• Lizanne Henderson and Edward J. Brian Froud (born 1947 in Winchester) is an English Fantasy Illustrator. Alan Lee (born August 20, 1947) is an English book Illustrator and movie conceptual designer Ronan Coghlan (born 1948 is an Irish writer living in Bangor County Down in Northern Ireland. Dr Lizanne Henderson BA (Guelph MA (Memorial PhD (Strathclyde is a Lecturer in History at the University of Glasgow in Dumfries Cowan, ''Scottish Fairy Belief: A History'' (Edinburgh, 2001; 2007)
• C. S. Lewis, The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature (1964)
• Patricia Lysaght, The Banshee: the Irish Supernatural Death Messenger (Glendale Press, Dublin, 1986)
• Peter Narvaez, The Good People, New Fairylore Essays (Garland, New York, 1991)
• Eva Pocs, Fairies and Witches at the boundary of south-eastern and central Europe FFC no 243 (Helsinki, 1989)
• Diane Purkiss, Troublesome Things: A History of Fairies and Fairy Stories (Allen Lane, 2000)
• Tomkinson, John L. Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963 Haunted Greece: Nymphs, Vampires and other Exotika, (Anagnosis, 2004) ISBN 960-88087-0-7

References

External links

• Academic discussion on BBC Radio 4's In Our Time, May 11, 2006 (streaming and podcast)
• Audio recording of a traditional fairy story from Newfoundland, Canada (streaming and downloadable formats)
• Brief Essay Away With the Faery: Exploring the Irish Gentry by Paula Vaughan
• The Iron Fairies : Exploring the Fairies of Australia

Bloomsbury is an area of central London in the south of the London Borough of Camden, developed by the Russell family in the 17th and 18th centuries into Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a 2001 book written by English author J Joanne "Jo" Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965 who writes under the In Our Time is a discussion programme hosted by Melvyn Bragg on BBC Radio 4 in the United Kingdom. Events 330 - Byzantium is renamed ''Nova Roma'' during a dedication ceremony but is more popularly referred to as Constantinople Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

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