![]() ![]() This image of Fairies has been extremely prevalent in popular culture ever since from J. They're also commonly depicted as glowing or sparkling, and are sometimes said to become visible only to children and/or to those who believe in them. These Fairies are spiritual or elemental beings associated with nature - especially trees or flowers - and are most usually benevolent. The image nowadays most commonly associated with Fairies was already popular in England in the 19th century - that being of a small delicate humanoid, typically female, with wings resembling those of a butterfly or wasp. Legend has it that King Arthur's body was taken by the Fairies upon his death and brought to Avalon, where he resides upon a fairy hill, waiting to be revived when England needs him again.įairies illustrated by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite. It's interesting to note that the Aos Sí themselves derive from earlier stories about the Tuatha Dé Danann, which were regarded as deities by the Irish people before the advent of Christianity.Īdditionally, Scottish tradition makes a clear distinction between "seelie" and "unseelie" Fairies the former being mischievous but generally harmless beings while the latter were far more malevolent. Curiously, the word Banshee actually derives from the Celtic "Bean Sí" and simply means "woman of the Sídhe", therefore being technically usable for designating any female member of the race. However, the Aos Sí designation includes such distinct creatures as Banshees, Dullahans and Leprechauns, among many others. Similarly, there was a time the word Faerie was used to designate both the creatures themselves and the land they inhabited. In Ireland, the Fair Folk were referred to as the Aos Sí or the Sídhe - the latter term being originally used to designate the hills believed to have been inhabited by them. Cold iron is said to confer efficient protection against these creatures. There are also stories suggesting that in the land of the Fair Folk, time behaves differently, with characters who spend time there returning to find that several decades and even centuries have passed in the human world. human children who have been kidnapped by them and replaced with Fairy doppelgangers, were all too common. Traditionally, the Fair Folk were often depicted as masters of illusion and as far less benevolent than modern Fairies. Others viewed them as the spirits of the dead, and yet others as an independent species on their own - the latter being the most popular nowadays. Some traditions held them as fallen Angels or as an intermediate race between Humans and Angels. They have also, although less commonly, been associated with elementals, especially air spirits such as the Sylphs. Their origins can be traced down to several sources from across Europe and might be associated with the Irish Aos Sí, the Persian Peris, the Germanic Elves and even the Greek Nymphs, especially the Wood Nymphs, or Dryads. In earlier folklore, they could be anything from insect-sized to human-sized - or change their size magically - but almost never had wings. Historically, the word has been used along with variants such as Fay, Fae and Faerie - as well as the term " Fair Folk" - to refer to magical inhabitants of the woods. Less commonly, they may be portrayed closer to their medieval stories, where they tended to be far less friendly and more menacing. They may be portrayed as anything from tiny insect-sized to human-sized beings, and are typically seen as benevolent nature creatures, rarely showing up in urban settings. Although they were originally wingless (mostly) since the 19th century they have been usually depicted as delicate winged humanoids, most commonly female. Anjana, Apsara, Aziza, Banshee, Brownie, Duende, Elf, Gnome, Goblin, Hobgoblin, Hulder, Imp, Ishigaq, Kobold, Leprechaun, Mermaid, Nixie, Nymph, Peri, Pixie, Sprite, Sylph, Tomte, Yumboįairies are a race of magical humanoids from European myth and legends. ![]()
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