FAERIES & DRUIDS, SOME OF THE MAGICAL FOLK ABOUT...
Some helpful Faeries
Bean-Tighe, found in Ireland otherwise known as Our Housekeeper. They appear as small elderly women dressed in peasant clothing with kindly dimpled faces. They are very friendly to humans and wish to have a human house to watch over. They also love to care for and protect children. Their favorite food is strawberries and cream
Brownies, found in Scotland also known as Little Man. They are one of the most benevolent and kind faeries you could hope to meet. They are very small dwarf faeries who always appear as males with coal black eyes. They wear suits of green blue or brown and small caps made of felt. Their ears are slightly pointed and they have long nimble fingers. Because of their generous nature they are known to hate misers and cheats, cannot tolerate lying and detest pretentiousness. They reward kindness by helping out around the house and chasing away ill-meaning spirts. Their favorite foods are milk, honey, ale and cakes.
Brown Men, found in Cornwall, also known as Moor Men. They are short thin male faeries who protect animal life in Cornwall's Bodmin Moor. They have a sparse thatch of copper-red hair on their heads, have long plump arms and dress in brown and withered foliage of the moors. They do not appear to dislike humans, but avoid them whenever possible. Chances are they are friendly, just very shy.
Clurichauns (Kloo-ree-khan), found in Ireland, also known as His Nibs. Is a solitary faery that resembles his cousin the Leprechaun. Always male, he is the self appointed guardian of the wine cellar. He is almost always drunk, but is impeccably well-groomed and well-dressed. Generally he has a cheerful disposition, but is rather aloof even while intoxicated. Like many faeries he wears a red cap which may be made of plants. He will prevent wine casks from leaking and will chase away all those who come to take a drink uninvited by the master of the house.
Corrigans, found in Brittany and Cornwall. A changeable faery that appears as a beautiful blonde female by night and a repulsive hag by day. Men who have seen her by night will never forget her and some pine away just for want of her. Legend states that if a man marries her by night, only to discover the true nature of their wives, if he is open minded enough and genuinely loves her she will become human and remain beautiful both night and day.
Dryads, Found in Celtic countries ( tree spirits & tree faeries are a worldwide phenomenon). They are also known as Tree Ladies, Druidesses, Hamadryads. In Gaelic they are sometimes called Side Draoi which means Faery Druids. They are playful creatures who seem totally androgynous, though they are always referred to as female. This labeling is simply a guess as they are seen as not more than enchanting wisps of pure light, sometimes gently colored, in tree heights. They seem open to human contact, but are very capricious. The best time to see one is on the full moon. They prefer willow trees, though they live in all 13 Celtic sacred trees.
Ellyllons, found in Cornwall & Wales. Ellyllons are small inland lake faeries who transport themselves by riding on eggshells. These are the faeries who are the guardians of the domain of the Lady of the Lake. They live at the bottom of Dosmary Pool, a lake in Cornwall, and are shielded by the illusion of water.
Elves, found world wide. Elves dress differently depending on what land they come from, but are all small and chubby. Mostly are kind and beneficial to humans; a very few types are dangerous. As a general rule, trooping Elves are good and solitary Elves are bad
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Fin Folk, found in Scotland, Cornwall & Wales. They are also known as Sea Gardeners and the Lady's Own. They are anthropomorphic faeries who have made it clear that they wish to avoid humans, though they seem not to wish us any harm. Their underwater world is said to be a utopian miniature kingdom encased in glass on loch bottoms. Their world is a paradise of vibrantly colored flowers and lush foliage.
Geancanach (gan-cahn-ock), found in Ireland. They have a pixie-like appearance, with huge eyes that curve upward on the ends and large pointed ears. They are very small, some no more then a few inches and having playful, if not somewhat mischievous smiles. They have small wings which do not seem functional as they appear to move from place to place dematerializing and reappearing quite rapidly. They may be mistaken for flickering lights of lightning bugs. They love a warm fireside and fresh milk.
Gnomes, found in Scotland. They are dwarf faeries who appear to be quite old because they mature early. Their life span is about 1000 years, they reach maturity in about 100 years at which time they stand about 12 inches tall and look well past middle age. They are male, female and children, wear peasant costumes and are kind hearted and will always aid sick or frightened animals.
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The Grant, found in England. The Grant looks something like a small oddly formed horse, though he walks erect. He warns humans of approaching trouble and is said to be very friendly if somewhat terrifying to see.
Gruagach (grew-g'ac), found in Scotland. She is a solitary female faery, extremely grotesque in appearance but with a heart of gold. She carries a shepherd's staff in her gnarled hands, and her gown is usually green in color, though it has been said to be corn silk gold. She enjoys any brief human contact she can get and will offer what ever help she can in your spiritual pursuits if you do not show fear or revulsion. She loves warmth and offering of milk. In Scotland obligatory libations of milk are given to her at Imbolg & Lughnasadh by pouring it into a hollow stone called the Gruagach's stone.
Gwaragedd Annwn (Gwer-geth-Ai-noon) found in Wales. They are beautiful blond water faeries who love children and are helpful to human mothers, children and the poor. They are human in size and female only. These feminine faeries live in and near lakes of the Black Mountains of Wales. Though they are helpful to women and children, they seem uninterested in males except as occasional mates. They are reputed to like female company, but are very temperamental and easily offended. They love dancing and have been seen enjoying their revels under the full moon. They are believed to be a very old group of faeries and some mythologists believe that the Irish Faery Queen Fand may have been of this race.
Heather Pixies, found in Scotland. Also known as Moor Sprites. Like other Pixies, the Heather Pixies have clear or golden auras and delicate, translucent wings. But these faeries are attracted specifically to the moors and the heather which covers them. They are not averse to human contact but do not seek us out. They have a pranksterish nature. The word Pixie may be somehow related to the Picts, the early inhabitants of Scotland. Scottish faery lore says that Heather Pixies enjoy spinning flax.
Hyters (High-ters), found in England. Hyters are shape shifters who appear as birds. They are not predisposed to showing kindness to humans, though they have never harmed anyone. They have been know to gather in groups and buzz humans for the sheer joy of frightening them, but no human has ever reported being hurt.
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Knockers, found in Cornwall, also known as Black Dwarves in Scotland and Coblynaus (Kob-lee-nows) in Wales. They are the most popular faeries in Cornwall. They are dwarf faeries who live in mines and caves of the region and like to play games and aid respectful miners. They get their name from the knocking sound they make when directing miners to a rich vein. Frantic knocking in any mine is a warning of imminent danger and Cornish miners won't go into a mine once they have been warned by a Knocker.
Leprechauns, (Lep-rah-kahn) found in Ireland. They are solitary faeries and trickers that love to play pranks on the humans they meet. He always appears as a male, and no sighting of female Leprechauns have ever been reported. They are always seen wearing green clothing of costly material and green tri-cornered hats. They are mischievous, but will be helpful to humans if approached with respect. They are very quick witted unless they are drunk. They are shoemakers by trade. He guards his pot of gold which in fact is a cauldron associated with the Crone Goddess. If one can gain control of one of these wily creature one can have the cauldron, and three wishes along with it.
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Pillywiggins, found in England and Wales. Also known as Flower Faeries & Spring Faeries. Pillywiggins are seasonal faeries associated with spring. They are small winged creatures who resemble Pixies, and are very playful. Their sole purpose seems to be to tend to the Spring flowers.
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Pixies, found in Scotland also known as Grigs or Dusters. Pixies are small winged creatures with heads too large for their bodies. They have pointed ears and noses and arched eyebrows. Their wings are shiny and translucent, and they are usually seen wearing seasonal colors and flora. Pixies are generally friendly but extremely capricious and given to non malicious mischief. The little caps they wear are the tops of foxglove or toadstool, plants they hold sacred. No gender differentiation seems apparent.
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Snow Faeries, found in Europe and Asia. Also known as Frost Faeries, Winter Faeries, Jack Frost, The Frost King and Old Man Winter. Snow Faeries take on many different appearances depending in which land they live. In some lands they are trooping Faeries like the Pillywiggins, who collectively help bring Winter to the world. In this instance they are small, winged creatures, dressed in white. As an individual being, such as Jack Frost, he is a solitary male. No record has been kept towards their attitudes towards humans, but they appear to have no interest in us at all.
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The Tuatha de Danann (Too-ah day Thay-nan). found in Ireland, One of the five myth cycles of the island is the invasion Cycle in which the Tuatha de Danann take a leading role. Also known as Irish Faeries, the Royalty & the Gentry. They are among the earliest conquerors of the island and their Goddess Dana is one of the earliest Great Mother Goddesses of western Europe. She was later renamed Brigid, a name by which she is better known today. The Thuatha are trooping faeries, warrior like in temperament, but fair and just. They are male, female and children and look exactly like humans only somewhat smaller.
Wag-by-the-Way, found in the Scottish Lowlands. He got his name because he used to guard the byways of the Lowlands for the noble families of Scotland. He has a long cat like tail which wags when he is irritated or angry. He is an extra small sized dwarf faery usually covered in cinders. Only males have been reported. The Wag is generally friendly.
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Well Spirits, found in Ireland & England. Well Spirits are water sprites and well guardians who are very sympathetic to human needs, but asking them for help carries a huge price. They are superb shape shifters who usually take on the form of human beings whose bodies they envy, and they are dangerously beautiful. It is the guardian spirit to whom you make a petition when you drop a coin in a wishing well.
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Excerpts from Faery Folk by Edain McCoy
DRUIDS
On occasion, we are asked, What is the difference between a Celtic Witch and a Celtic Druid? The question should not be What is the difference?, but rather What is the connection between Witches and Druids?
The Druids were the intellectual class of the Celtic tribes. Their focus was upon knowledge of everything upon the physical, mental, Astral, and Spiritual Universes, and all the planes and levels in between. They were the reservoirs of Celtic knowledge which included knowledge gathered from other civilizations such as the Mesopotainians, Sumarians, Akkadians, Egyptians, Greeks, Norse, and Phoenicians. The Druids controlled Celtic education and yielded tremendous power and influence over the Celtic peoples. A ruler obtained and kept his/her position of power through Druidic approval. A single Druid could step between battling armies and immediately stop the conflict. The Druids were leaders, philosophers, seers, diviners, Priests and Priestesses, historians, teachers, administrators, chieftains, officials, doctors, healers, herbalists, magicians, scientists, astrologers, astronomers, story tellers, musicians, judges, and law makers. This was a vast amont of knowledge, far too vast for each individual Druid to learn everything about everything and so the Druidic Order was divided into three groupings.
THE BARDS were the poets, musicians, singers, storytellers, and historians. They understood the power of language and sound.
THE DRUIDS were teachers, scientists, and lawmakers.
THE VATES (Wise Ones) were the healers, diviners, seers, herbalists, Priests, and Priestesses
When the Celtic tribes of Britain were overrun by the Anglos and Saxtons, the Vates were again referred to as "The Wise Ones" because of their knowledge of healing and of the future. These were the Wicca (male) and Wicce (female). With their knowledge and skills or Craft of the Wisebeing called Wicca Croeft in the Anglo-Saxon language, which in turn, became (in modern English), Wicca craft or Witchcraft. So, the Witch was the Priest (Flamen) or Priestess (Flamenca), the healer, seer, herbalist, doctor, midwife, nurse, psychiatrist, and counselor of the Celtic peoples... the Vates of the Druidic Order. So what is the difference between a Druid and a Witch? Well, what is the difference between the Naval and Valencia orange?
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Thanks to the Temple of Ishtar & the ElfLore Family
