By the moone we sport and play,

With the night begins our day;
As we daunce, the dew doth fall;
Trip it little urchins all,
Lightly as the little Bee,
Two by two and three by three:
And about go wee, and about go wee.

--William Shakespeare, Midsummer's Night Dream

According to Webster's New Dictionary, a fairy is a:

small elemental being with powers of magic. of fairies; like a fairy: beautiful and delicate.

Faeries are mystical creatures of the Otherworld. They are sometimes described as being tiny, delicate, beautiful, winged creatures who resemble humans. The word Fairy comes from Faerie (French), while the word Faerie comes from Fa'ae (Gallic). Finally, Fa'ae comes from the Latin word, Fata, meaning the fates.

There are several theories as to the origin of faeries. Some people believe that faeries are spirits of the dead, and Finvarra (the King of Faeries) is sometimes referred to as King of the Dead. Others believe that faeries are fallen angels, not evil enough for hell, but not good enough for heaven. Certain folklorists believe that faerie legends are based on a race of conquered, little people, driven into the forest. Still others believe that they were ancient gods who, over time, reduced in nature and size to become fairies.

There are many tales which tell of human interaction with the Fey Folk. It is said that sometimes the faeries will substitute a changeling for a newborn baby, or that someone wandering in the forest will catch a glimpse of the Fey Folk dancing at one of their famous feasts. If, lured into the forest by their sweet music, the human decides to stay and dance with the faeries for a while, they may come back to our world after what seemed like only one night 100 years later. On the otherhand, a human who believes they have lived with the faeries for a year may return only to find that they have been gone for only a few moments.

Faeries are said to be great lovers of music, and they have a reputation for stealing away talented human singers and players to entertain them. After these people have returned to the world, their talent is often far greater then that which they had before, as they bring with them faerie-inspired tunes. The Londonderry Air is said to be one such tune.

FAERIES: FUN FACTS TO KNOW AND TELL-
-Fairy Element: Air (airy fairy)
-Fairy Color: green
-Still more names for faeries: faery, faerie, fatae, fa'ae, fairye, sidhe, sith, fee, fay, fae, fayerie, fair folk, verry folk, feriers, ferishers, farisees, wee folk, green men, greenies, greencoaties, green children, gremlins, good neighbors, good people, grey neighbors, pixies, piskies, sprites, tamlane, tammerlane, tom-lin, tom of lyn
-Knowing a fairy's true name gives you power over it
-A four-leaf clover can break fairy spells
-Iron repels fairies
-Fields of bluebells are dangerously enchanted by fairies
-The wind in the willows is the whisperings of a fairy in the ear of a poet

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
The Faerie Realms
Alexandra's Faeries
The Faerie Isle
Open, Sesame Fairy Page

© Copyright Sabrina Wish 1998