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Other Names for the Faerie: Fays - early form of the word Fair Family/Fair Folk - Welsh nickname Farisees/Pharisees - Suffolk nickname Fary - Northumberland nickname Fees - Upper Brittany nickname Feriers/Ferishers - another Suffolk nickname Frairies - Norfolk and Suffolk version Good Neighbors - Scottish and Irish nickname Good People - Irish reference to the Sidhe The Green Children - faerie reference in medieval literature Greencoaties - Lincolnshire Fen version Greenies - Lancashire nickname The Grey Neighbors - Shetland nickname for the Trows Henkies - Orkney and Shetland nickname for Trows Klippe - Forfarshire nickname Li'l Fellas - Manx nickname Nunnehi - Cherokee for "Moon-Eyed People" The Old People - Cornish nickname People of Peace - Irish reference to the Sidhe Pigsies/Piskies - Cornwall variations of Pixies Sith/Si - Gaelic variations of Sidhe Sleigh Beggey - Manx language version of Little Folk The Small People of Cornwall - Cornwall variation Still-Folk - Scottish Highland version Themselves/They/Them that's in it - Manx replacements for "faerie" Verry Volk - Gower (Wales) nickname Wee Folk - Scottish and Irish nickname
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Abatwa - Said to be the tiniest
creatures of human form in existence, these little people coexist peacefully
with the ants in the anthills of Southern Africa and live on their foraging
from the roots of grasses and other plants. They are very shy and so are
elusive, however tend to reveal themselves to very young children, wizards,
and pregnant women. Aine - She is a faerie goddess, sister to Fennine, daughter to Egogabal who was a king of the Tuatha de Danann. The Earl of Desmond fell in love with her when he saw her sitting by Lough Gur. He captured and married her. Their son was Earl Fitzgerald. The Earl of Desmond's taboo was that he could never show that he was surprised by anything his son did. Unfortunately he couldn't hold to it when he saw his son jump in and out of a bottle. His son fled in the form of a wild goose and Aine disappeared into Knock Aine. Angiaks - children of the living dead of Eskimo lore. In hard times, unwanted babies were taken out into the snow by tribal elders to die of exposure. Unless the tribe would move to a new hunting ground, they would often find themselves haunted by this small, miserable ghost. Ankou - the faerie version of the grim reaper. Sometimes he's portrayed as a benevolent, comforting figure. Anthropophagi - a cannibal faerie. He has no head, but his eyes sit atop his shoulders and a mouth may be found in his torso. His lack of a nose allows him to eat human flesh without gagging. Arkan Sonney - Fairy pigs on the Isle of Man, they're also known as "Lucky Piggy." Fairy pigs are supposed to bring good luck if one is to capture it. Asparas - Usually female, also known as sky-dancers. They bless humans at important stages in their lives, and are often seen at weddings. They live in fig trees and sometimes appear to scholars or scientists, seduce and exhaust them, making sure they don't venture into areas that the spirit world deems unfit. The Asrai - small, delicate female faeries who melt into a pool of water when captured or exposed to sunlight Aughisky - pronounced "Agh-iski"; They are the Irish version of the Each-Uisge. Awd Goggie - A type of Bogie (see this page ). He haunts forests and orchards, and kidnap children. Wise children will stay away from orchards when unsupervised lest Awd Goggie get them. Banshee - actually should be spelled Bean Si . The Scots call her Bean-Nighe (see below ). She's an Irish death spirit. Their keening foretells a death. They have very long, flowing hair and wear green dresses with grey cloaks. Their eyes are bright red because of their continuous weeping. Barguest - A kind of Bogie. It has horns, dangerous teeth and claws, and fiery eyes. It can take many forms, but usually is a shaggy black dog. Upon the death of a prominent figure, it rounds up all the dogs in the community and leads them on a procession through the streets, howling. Bauchan - also Bogan-. A type of Hobgoblin. Like most faeries, they are fond of tricks, sometimes are dangerous, and sometimes are helpful. The Bean-Nighe - pronounced "ben-neeyah"; type of Banshee around streams in Scotland and Ireland. She washed blood stained clothing of people who will soon die. They are rumored to be the ghosts of women who died in childbirth and will continue to wash until the day they should have died. Bean-Tighe - a benevolent, grandmother-type, she does chores and looks after the children so long as you give her milk and cakes. Bendith y Mamau - pronounced "ben-dith uh momay"; Carmarthenshire (Wales) name for fairies, translates to "Mother's Blessing". Phrase is used as a prayer to protect from evil. Black Annis - She is a Hag; however she is unique in that she is a cannibal. Blue Men of the Minch - They dwell in the strait between Long Island and the Shiant Islands. They are responsible for sudden thunderstorms and shipwrecks, but their ship-sinking attempts may be thwarted if you are an adept rhymer. Some think they may be fallen angels. Bodach - also Bugbear or Bug-A-Boo. They slide down chimneys to kidnap naughty children. Boggart - Brownies that have turned evil. Bogie - This is the generic name for some different types of Goblins. Their temperaments range the spectrum from benign to malevolent. Bogles - They are a form of Goblin and are generally nasty in temperament. However, they prefer to inflict their evil deeds upon liars and murderers. Bokwus - A fearsome spirit in the great northwestern American spruce forests. He is only seen in glimpses, but has been seen wearing totemic face paints. Hunters are very aware of his presence. He likes to push fishermen off the banks to drown, taking the victim's soul to his home in the forest. The Brown Man of the Muirs - He is the protector of wild animals. The Brownie - They are typically a tiny, shaggy-looking man with wrinkled brown skin. They are approximately 25 inches tall. They are usually either naked or their brown clothing is in extremely bad condition. Brownies like to adopt houses which they look after. They come out at night to finish small chores, look over the cattle. If there is a lazy servant in the home, he might choose to plague him for it. All Brownies expect in return is a bowl of cream or good milk and a honey cake. Never leave clothes and never leave too much food. They find this offensive and will leave. Care should be taken not to criticize their work. When one farmer criticized the mowing job, the Brownie responsible threw the entire crop over a cliff. Bugul-Noz - He's a forest dweller, a shepherd. He's very unattractive and he knows it, but he yearns for human companionship. The Bwca - They are the Welsh version of the Brownie (see above). They have slightly nastier tempers and are prone to tantrums if their work is criticized. They also despise tattletales and people with long noses. Cannered-Noz - Breton version of the Bean-Sidhe. Churn Peg and Melch Dick - they're an arthritic old faerie couple. They jealously guard nut crops and hate lazy humans. They usually are dressed in peasant costumes dating from around the fifteenth century. Cluricaun - He's a Leprechaun after he's finished work for the day. Cluricauns raid wine cellars and torture sheep and dogs by riding them like horses in the moonlight. Coblynau - (also Koblernigh) They are Welsh mine faeries, similar to Knockers. They are considered good omens since the location of their mining usually precedes the discovery of ore there. Corrigan - Beautiful maiden by night, repulsive hag by day. She awaits the day when a human man might fall in love with her and be open-minded enough to follow through to the day. When this happens, she will retain her maiden form permanently. Cururipur - A powerful South American spirit who owned the jungle and tortures tortoise hunters since the tortoises are his friends. Daoine Maithe - a/k/a "The Good People"; there is a question as to whether they're angels or faeries, since they were present at the Biblical Fall, but did not fall. It's generally assumed that they are awaiting salvation. Daoine Sidhe - This is the name assumed by the Tuatha de Danann when the Milesians drove them underground. Their King is Finvarra, who to this day hold court in his palace beneath the faerie hill of Knockma. They are skilled chess players, and no human has ever beaten Finvarra in a game. Finvarra is a womanizer, frequently kidnapping human women. The Daoine Sidhe are also quite fond of hurling. (Hurling is an odd cross between field hockey and lacrosse, as many of you have told me. Thanks!) Devas - These are plant faeries of dull sentience. They are most often seen not as a body, but as a faint golden glow clinging to healthy, well-cared for plants. It is thought that they often guide medical researchers who look for beneficial medical properties in plants. If a plant is neglected, the deva will abandon it, so water your plants! Disir - these are spirits who attach themselves to a particular place, usually man made, like houses. Especially old houses. They are generally feminine ancestral spirits. Duergar - These are a malicious form of Dwarf (see below) from Northern England. They revel in tricking people into dying. Dwarfs - They are short, usually bearded and appear to be very old. Their aged appearance seems to be caused by the fact that they reach maturity at age three. They exist mainly in the mountains of Scandinavia and in mines in Germany. They are sensitive about showing their feet since they are usually deformed in some way. If you are curious of their feet, the only way to get an idea is to put flour, ash, or something of that sort in their path and to look at their footprints. Dwarves can't be above ground during the day since sunlight turns them to stone. Some say they exist as toads during the day and assume their familiar dwarfish form at night. Dybbuk - a Jewish demonic spirit capable of possessing humans. Each-Uisge - pronounced "Ech-ooshkya"; They are similar to the Kelpie, but far more dangerous. They inhabit lochs and seas and will eat their victims after tearing them into pieces, except for the liver, which they leave. If they are ridden inland, they are safe to ride, but if they catch the slightest whiff of the sea air... Ekimmu - One of the uttuku, evil or vengeful spirits of the ancient Assyrians, the ekimmu appeared wailing and crying outside a home to signal an impending death, much like a Banshee. Elementals - Stepanich says they're "sub-human Nature-Spirits: who are generally regarded as having pygmy stature..." [from Faerie Wicca: Book One, p. 31] Ellyllon - Welsh Elves who feed on toadstools. Their queen is Mab. They are smaller than the Tylwyth Teg. Elves - They're the Scandinavian version of faeries, complete with two classes, light and dark, like the Seelie and Unseelie. The Danish elves are beautiful from the front, but hollow when seen from behind. The Danish elves also like stealing dough other human foods. In Scotland, elves were faeries of human size. England called trooping faeries elves, especially small faerie boys. Elves of Light - A tiny people of Algonquin legend. They live in the forest and enjoy dancing. Their Queen is Summer, a tiny but beautiful creature who was once captured by the gof Glooskap who kept her in a moose hide as he entered the wigwam of the giant, Whiner. Her very presence caused Winter to melt away and spring to come, and woke the elves who had been hibernating. ErlKonig - he is the "Elf King" in Germany. He's been known to warn people of their pending deaths. How he appears will relay to that person how he or she is going to die. The Fachan - Faeries from the Western Highlands of Scotland. He has only one of each feature (one eye, one leg, etc.) He is extremely bad tempered and carries a spiked club, so stay out of his way. Feeorin - This word can be used as a collective word for faeries. It usually indicates small green faeries, almost always with red caps. They love dancing and music. They are thought to be more or less friendly to humans, and have given warnings to them. The Fenoderee - He is a type of Brownie from the Isle of Man. He is enthusiastic about helping the farmers, but isn't all that bright. The Fenoderee once was tricked into trying to fetch water with a sieve. The Fenoderee was at one time a handsome member of the Ferrishyn (the faerie tribe of Man), but he was exiled and his good looks taken when he missed the Autumn festival to court a human girl. Fetes - a/k/a the Fates, from Upper Brittany Fir Darrig - pronounced "fear dearg"; They like fairly gruesome practical jokes. Be nice to them or you may be on the receiving end of one. Foawr - They are Manx stone-throwing giants. They often ravish cattle. Nasty beings, they are... Formorians - These are sea faeries. They once were land dwellers, but the Tuatha de Danaan exiled them to the sea. They have since evolved into nasty sea monsters, known to attack ships. Fyglia - a sort of personal spirit. They often take an animal form. The Native Americans call them "fetches" and use them as totems. They serve mostly as personal guardians. Gancanagh - He's the faerie Don Juan, seducing human women. They die eventually, pining away for love of him. He carries a clay pipe, although he does not smoke it - faeries generally detest smoke. Gans - Apache Indian shaman offer prayers to the Gans, asking them to drive evil spirits away and to attract good fortune. Ghillie Dhu - He is a solitary Scottish faerie who can be found amongst birch thickets. He is clothed with leaves and moss. The Glaistig - She is a water faerie, a beautiful seductress with the body of a goat which she hides under a long billowy green dress. She lures men to dance with her, then feeds like a vampire on their blood. She can be benign as well, often tending children and the elderly or herding cattle for farmers. Goblins - They are somewhat malicious little creatures. They can appear as animals. They are thieves and villains and count the dead among their companions. They like to tempt people with faerie fruits. They're not truly completely evil, however. Mine goblins make knocking noises where they know there are rich deposits of ore. To avoid the Knockers' wrath, a pastie (traditional miner meal) should be left for them. Golem - a Jewish zombie-like spirit. Grant - a small horse which stands upright; each Grant is attached to a particular place and when he senses danger will turn through the town shouting warnings. The Green Lady of Caerphilly - She haunts ruined castles, and often appears as ivy. Gwragedd Annwn - pronounced "Gwrageth anoon"; They are beautiful Welsh water faerie maidens who sometimes marry humans. Gwyllion - The Gwyllion are one of my favorite types of faeries. They are Welsh mountain faeries whose only known occupation in to sit amongst the rocks along mountain paths and stare evilly at those passing by, creeping the travelers out. For some reason I find that incredibly cool. Hags - They are the personification of winter in the British Isles, and are thought to be the remnants of the most ancient goddesses. Some hags turn from hideously ugly (their usual state) to breathtakingly beautiful at the turn of winter to spring. Hathors - Nature spirits of Egyptian mythology. When a child is born, seven Hathors gather to plan the life of the child. The Hathors are often portrayed as the sky-goddess Hathor, goddess of beauty, love, marriage, and childbirth. She often takes the form of a gigantic cow. Hobgoblin - They have a bad reputation since the Puritans used their name to refer to wicked Goblin spirits, but they're really a sort of friendly Brownie. They are helpful at times, but like practical jokes. But don't annoy them or they can become nasty. Huacas - Incan myth speaks of Huacas, stone forms of sprits or divine beings who watched over fields. Huldafolk - the huldafolk are fairly reclusive Scandinavian faerie folk. Shy doesn't even begin to describe them. But in their dealings with humans, they are very fair, even generous when they experience human kindness. The story goes that there was once a farm girl who came across a woman giving birth in a field. She helps her to deliver the baby and is rewarded with an apron full of woodchips. Disgusted, the girl dumps them out and returns home. Then a look at her skirt reveals that the chips still stuck to her apron had turned to gold. She went back in search of the rest of the woodchips but they had disappeared. Hyter Sprites - They are faeries from East Anglia. They are able to appear as sand martins (a type of bird). Jack-In-Irons - He is a giant from Yorkshire who haunts lonely roads. Jenny Greenteeth - She is the Yorkshire River version of Peg Powler. (More information there.) Jimmy Squarefoot - His appearance is said to be frightening, but he is actually harmless. Jungle Spirits - The Amazons believed in an amazing variety of ogres, demons, and powerful spirits, often shaped like animals. Some were ghosts of the dead. They also regarded birds as demonic spirits who battled with dead spirits. Kappa - "A kappa is a fabulous creature of the waters - rivers, ponds, lakes and the sea - it was described as an unattractive, humanlike child with greenish skin, webbed toes and fingers with a long nose and round eyes. It had a shell like a tortoise and smelled of fish. It had a concave head that held water, if this was spilled the kappa lost its strength. They lived on cucumbers and blood. They sometimes stole the former and attacked livestock and children in or at the edge of their watery home. People attempted to appease kappas by throwing cucumbers marked with the names of their family into the water. Kappas sometimes made deals with humans, especially if caught, and being honorable always abided by them." - Rebecca Sutton; a vampiric Japanese faerie The Kelpie - They are Scottish water faeries. Usually they are seen as young horses, but sometimes they appear as hairy men. They haunt rivers and streams, letting men mount them and then riding off into the water, dunking them. (See also Each-Uisge.) The Killmoulis - He is an ugly Brownie who haunts mills. He has an enormous nose and a missing mouth. He eats by stuffing the food into his nostrils. He works for the miller but he plays pranks so often he is often more of a nuisance than a help. Klaboutermannikin - they inhabit the figureheads of ships, giving them guidance and protection. Knockers - see Goblins Koblernigh - see Coblynau. Kobolds - These are the German version of Knockers. They are known for causing problems for the miners and undoing their progress. To keep the miners guessing, they occasionally help them. Korred - bizarre-looking and capricious but generally good-natured guardians of Brittany's standing stones. Kubera - King of the Yakshas, the god of wealth. Usually depicted as a dwarfish figure with a paunch, bearing a money bag or pomegranate and seated on a man. Kul - A water spirit of the Eskimos in the Arctic, Kul may be malevolent but generally helps the Northern peoples with their fishing. As a show of gratitude, it is customary to offer him some of the fish caught at the beginning of the season. The Lady of the Lake - She is a faerie whose palace is hidden by the illusion of a lake. Lamas - Kind, protective spirits of ancient Chaldea, the lamas supervised the welfare of mortals and were usually female. Most often, a winged, hybrid creature. Landvaettir - spirits of the land that inhabit stones, rivers, animals, and such. Some say they are the stones and trees. Mostly they keep to themselves. Leprechauns - This Irish faerie is always seen alone. He can be found happily working on a single shoe under a dock leaf or a hedge. They are very cunning, an it is difficult to get them to let on to the location of their amazingly well-hidden pots of gold, since to do so you must see the Leprechaun before he sees you. Leprechauns usually wear a three-cornered hat, and have been seen spinning on them like tops. The Little People of the Passamaquoddy Indians - There are two kinds: the Nagumwasuck and the Mekumwasuck. They're both two to three feet tall and ugly. The Passamaquody Indians live close to the Canadian border, by the way. The Nagumwasuck are closely involved with their humans, often singing sadly when there is a death in the tribe, and they dance at weddings. They are self-conscious of their ugliness, and it is near fatal to laugh at them. The Mekumwasuck live in the woods and dress outlandishly. Their faces are covered with hair. They are the guardians of the Catholic Church. If a Mekumwasuck looks directly at you, you either die or acquire a contagious disease of some sort. Lob - A small purple "blob", resembling a storm cloud of sorts, which thrives on discord and may appear at the scene of a heated argument. Lunantishess or Lunantishee - They are the tribe which guards blackthorn bushes. They will never allow a stick to be cut on November 11th or May 11th. If you manage to cut a stick on those days, you will experience misfortune. Ly Erg - This faerie yearns to be a soldier. He dresses like one and cannot be distinguished from human soldiers except by his red-stained hands, red from the blood he has shed. Mab - She is the traditional queen of the faeries. Mazikeen - also known as the shideem or shehireem, these Jewish faeries know much of magic and enchantment. They were born when Adam and Eve were excommunicated for 130 years for eating of the tree of knowledge. Female spirits lay with Adam, and male spirits with Eve, and of these unions were born the Mazikeen. They are a rank between men and angels. They have wings and can fly, tell the future, and like to feast and drink, marry and have children. They can also shape shift. Menihuni - also, "Menehune," the Hawaiian little people. Islanders believe they are responsible for events that cannot otherwise be explained. Example being that is someone finished a task more quickly than expected, the menihuni were credited for the unexplainable speed. Example two being that if something was so old that no one knew who built it, it much have been the menihuni. Mermaids - They lure humans with their beautiful singing, which carries with it an enchantment. They create storms which wreck ships. They are often seen vainly combing their hair, admiring their reflections in mirrors. Merrows - They are the Irish merpeople. They wear red feather caps. If their caps are stolen, they can't return to the depths of the sea where they live. Female merrows are beautiful and to see one is an omen of a storm, but they are benevolent and often fall in love with fishermen, probably because the male merrows are so repulsive. Males are, however, generally friendly. They often come ashore in the form of small hornless cattle. Mother Holle - A crone who lives at the bottom of old wells. She dispenses justice and might aid you with guidance and divination if she likes you. Mumiai - best known for persecuting peasants, especially those of the lowest castes, who had stolen from their neighbors or demonstrated their dirty habits. The Mumiai toss their belongings in the air, break their pottery and trample on their gardens, finally forcing them to move out of their villages. Muryans - It's the Cornish word for "ant" - strange, I know. They are the souls of those sent to Purgatory. Their souls dwindle in size until they are the size of ants. Then they disappear, and no one knows where they go after that. So never step on ants. You could be stepping on your Great-Great-Great Aunt Wanda. Nagas - Nagas are human from the waist up and snake from the waist down and are often seen wearing hooded canopies or with seven or more heads. Both sexes are extraordinarily beautiful and several royal Indian families claim to be descended from them. They bite humans who are evil or destined to die prematurely. Buddhists regard them as minor deities and door guardians. Nuckelavee - He is a horrible Scottish sea faerie who appears as a gigantic horse with legs that are part flipper, a gigantic mouth and blazing, evil eyes. Rising from its back is a hideous torso with arms that nearly reach the ground and it appears that its neck is too weak to support its monstrous head. It has no skin, exposing black blood in yellow veins, white sinews, and strong red muscles. He hates fresh running water, so if you are ever chased by him, just find a stream and cross it. Oannes - Fish-headed beings from another world, these were considered to be sea-gods by the ancient Chaldeans. Oannes lived among men by day, building the great Sumerian civilization and teaching art, science, and religion, while at night they returned to the Persian Gulf to swim in the ocean. Ohdows - a race of small, well-formed people with the features of the Native Americans who live underground in North America. They use their magic to subdue the earth spirits who cause earthquakes. Peg Powler - She inhabits the River Tees. She is a green water Hag with long hair and sharp teeth. She is fond of grabbing the ankles of those who stand too close to or wade into the water and pulling them underwater to drown. Fear of her was written into a popular Mother Goose rhyme: "Mother, may I go out to swim?" "Yes, my darling daughter. Hang your clothes on an alder limb And don't go near the water." (Alder trees are considered a sort of charm against evil faeries.) See also Jenny Greenteeth. The People of the Hills - English faeries who live under green mounds. Phooka - This is an Irish Goblin who appears as a variety of beasts. Sometimes he appears as a dog, a bull, a horse, or an eagle and he is almost always black with blazing eyes. He is fond of offering rides to weary travelers, appearing to be a kind, docile pony, but then takes them for the wildest ride of their lives once they have mounted and soon after dumps them headfirst into an undesirable locale. Pixies - Green faeries who often take the form of hedgehogs. They are also known as urchins, pisgies, piskies, and pigseys. They originated in Cornwall. They like to dance in the shadows of stones. Their bells are often heard on the moor. They like to steal horses and torture them to get them to run faster. They delight in throwing pots and pans at kitchen girls. They usually mean no harm, however. Beware of doing pixies favors, for they have a tendency to backfire. Plant Rhys Dwfen - They're a tribe of faeries who inhabit a small invisible land. It is invisible because of a certain herb that grows on it. They are beautiful people, quite short, and they are fond of outbidding at Cardigan auctions. They are honest in their dealings, and kind to people who are kind to them. Polevik - a Polish faerie, he appears as a two-footed goat and helps to bring in the harvest. Pooka - Pooka have a standing claim to crops left unharvested after Samhain. Farmers who harvest after this date risk their wrath. Portunes - They are small agricultural faeries who work on human farms by day, and spit-roast frogs by night. They are generally very old men with wrinkled faces and patched coats. However kind they are, they have a weakness for grabbing the bridles of horses whom men are riding alone at night and leading them into ponds, laughing. Puck - He is a mischievous, shape-shifting Hobgoblin, made famous by Shakespeare. He is also associated with the Pwca (maybe a/k/a Pooka) and the Phooka (both on this page). Rakshasas - shape shifting demon-goblins. They can appear as monsters, animals, or beautiful women to seduce holy men and then eat them. They have side tusks, ugly eyes, curling awkward brows, bull's heads, bloated bellies, tangled hair, and backward pointing hands. They can cause leprosy, raise the dead, and regenerate severed limbs. Ravana - the ten-headed, twenty-armed king of the Rakshasas,Ravan ruled in the kingdom of Lanka (possibly Sri Lanka) until he was killed by Rama. He was once imprisoned in a mountain for a thousand years, but he can only be destroyed by a mortal. He was finally killed after kidnapping Sita, Rama's wife, when Rama and his army of Indian faeries stormed his castle. Redcap - He is one of the most evil Goblins. He inhabits ruined towers, especially those that have a history of evil. His red cap is dyed with human blood. Roane - Irish name for the Selkie. Seelie Court - They are a good-natured aristocracy of faeries. They are fond of riding in long solemn processions called faerie Rades. They are believed to be the last of the Tuatha de Danann (see below). Their evil opposite is the Unseelie Court. Selkies - Also known as the Seal-Faeries, they inhabit the seas around Orkney and Shetland. A female selkie can shed her seal skin and become a beautiful woman. If a human gets a hold of the empty skin, the selkie is forced to become the perfect wife. But he must keep the skin hidden from her since she may return to the sea if she finds it again. The husband then dies of a broken heart. The male selkies create storms and flip boats to take revenge for their kin murdered at the hands of humans. Shellycoat - He is a Scottish Bogie who haunts streams. He is covered with shells which clink together when he moves. He likes to trick travelers and lead them astray. Sidhe - They are Irish faeries who are very attracted to beauty and luxurious locales, and detest penny pinchers. Sluagh - The most formidable of the Highland faeries, they are the Hosts of the Unforgiven Dead. *shudder* Some account them as being the dead, some think they are fallen angels. But the most popular view is that they are the souls of dead mortals. Solitary Fairies - They are usually malignant, ominous creatures, but there may be a couple nature spirits or dwindled gods amongst them. The Brownie is an exception to that rule. Other solitary faeries include the Fendoree, Leprechauns, Pookas, Banshees, the Fir Darrig, Glaistig, Bogies, Duergars, Brown Man of the Muirs, Shelleycoat, and Nuckelavee. Spriggans - They are ill-tempered, and ugly little things (although the drawings in the Froud and Lee book are awfully adorable, in my opinion!). They are very small, but are able to inflate to monstrous proportions. They are thought to be the ghosts of giants. They guard the treasure of hills. They are destructive, dangerous, skilled thieves. They have been known to kidnap babies and leave baby Spriggans instead, which are quite repulsive. They also have robbed houses and destroyed crops. Sprites - A name for spirit faeries, not usually used for earthier forms. Star-Folk - a handsome race of spirits of Algonquin myth. They live in Star-Country in the sky, a beautiful, Eden-like place. The Star-Folk can cast spells on people so they fall ill. They may intermarry with humans. Stray Sod - Some faeries appear as though they are merely a part of the grass. If you unwittingly step on them, you will be unable to continue on your way, no matter how well you know the place. Tiddy Ones - These are usually groups of influential spirits, rather than individuals. They are generally helpful. Tiddy Mun was often invoked to withdraw flood waters. However, if they are hurt (physically or emotionally was not specified), they throw tantrums and cast pestilence on cattle and children. Tokolosh - A South African faerie; Tokolosh is a sullen spirit who lives beside streams, throwing stones into the water on still nights. He is famous for frightening lone travelers, usually by jumping on a small animal or bird and strangling it so that the poor animal's panicked cry alarms the traveler. He is described as being something like a baboon, but smaller and without a tail, and covered with black hair. Trooping Faery - see Seelie Court (above) Trolls - Scandinavian faeries who hate sunlight. Trows - They are similar to Scandinavian Trous. They detest sunlight. They are often seen dancing the Henking, which apparently is rather lopsided. Tuatha de Danann - pronounced "Tootha day danan"; They once ruled Ireland, but fled underground when Ireland was conquered by the Milesians. When they were driven underground, the became the Daoine Sidhe. Their few remaining descendants are believed to make up the Seelie Court (see above). Tylwyth Teg - They are Welsh faeries. They like to kidnap children with long golden hair. They live underground or underwater. They dance and make faerie rings. The faerie maidens often marry humans willingly. They embellish those they favor with rich gifts, but if the gifts are spoken of, they mysteriously disappear. Undine - water elemental, small sea-horse with a human face. Unseelie Court - Hails from Scotland. They are the opposite of the Seelie Court, being malicious and completely evil. Usually seen around twilight fly around kidnapping people who happen to be in their way. The victims are dragged, beaten and forced to help them in their path of destruction. Urisk - He is a solitary Scottish faerie who haunts pools. He's very lonely and tries to find a friend among the humans, but they run from him since he looks somewhat frightening. Virikas - Never more than eighteen inches tall, these unpleasant spectral entities can be recognized by their flaming red color and their horribly pointed, bloodstained teeth. They gather outside the homes of men soon to die and jabber excitedly. To prevent this, people can erect a small shrine in their honor and burn daily gifts of flowers and spices for them. The Water Leaper - They prey on Welsh fishermen. (Artist drew it to look somewhat like a toad with bat's wings and a snake-like, barb-ended tail.) Well Spirits - these are delightful faeries who are sympathetic to human needs. They often take the form of beautiful humans. But stay far away - if one embraces you, you will be dragged down into the well to exist as its eternal companion. On the other hand, this may not be a bad thing... The White Ladies - Many explanations for White Ladies exist. One is that they are the direct descendants of the Tuatha de Danann. Another is that they are merely ghosts. The name "Guinevere" means "white phantom". Wichtlein - This is a Southern German faerie who announces the death of a miner by tapping three times. Digging and other miner imitations are warning of pending disaster. Will O' the Wisp - No one is quite sure what these distant floating balls of flame are, but they are generally associated with and are sometimes thought of as faeries in the British Isles. They are sometimes thought to be the souls of children who have died and like to cause mischief. Yakshas - Benevolent nature spirits; they are the guardians of treasures hidden in the earth and the roots of trees. Their ruler is Kubera, who lives on a mountain in the Himalayas. They are deities of cities, districts, lakes, and wells, and are thought to have originated from a cult of the ancient Dravidians. Yann-an-Od - Kindly old shepherd who tends sheep. He might have once been a faerie king. He's rather shy of humans. Yumboes - Located on Goree Island, south of the Cape Verde Peninsula in Senegal, West Africa. They are two feet tall with pearly skin and silver hair. They are also called the "Bakhna Rakhna" which translates to "The Good People." They enjoy dancing and feasting by moonlight and live in magnificent subterranean dwellings in the Paps, groups of hills about three miles from the coast. Guests to their homes report lavishly decorated tables and savants invisible except for their hands and feet. They like to eat fish. |
