Faeries Of The World

The Faeries Of The World

Throughout the history of mankind, there has not been a society on this planet that did not have some kind of pantheon of nature or elemental spirits that we would call Faeries. The Faeries of the world, irregardless of geographical location, have always had striking similarities. In fact, the only real difference in the stories and legends of the Faeries, have always dealt with the way humans have related to them.

More than any other Western culture, the Irish people have had a long and prosperous history with the Faerie spirits. In the Irish language, the word for Faeries is "Sidhe", which is derived from a Hindustani word, "Siddhi", meaning "something which controls the elements". The Irish are also know for the various names they use to refer to Faeries - such as Daoine Sidhe, Daoine Maith, Wee Folk, Little People, Wee Ones, Gentry, Good Folk, Them Who Prowl, and Blessed Ones.

The Isle of Man, which shares a common history with Ireland, is also rich in Faerie lore. Faerie sightings are still very common here, and very few visitors to the Isle leave a nonbeliever. The people of Man have several different euphemisms for the Faeries - Little Fellas, Themselves, Middle World Ones, Good Folk, and Natives. The Manx cat, which originated on this island, was said to have been bred by Faeries.

In Scotland, the Faeries are divided into two broad categories - The Seelie and Unseelie Courts. These two types of trooping Faeries are not known for their marches, but instead participate in Rades, where they fly across the countryside in a vaporous form similar to ghosts. The Unseelie Court is so terrible to behold, that people have died of fright just watching them pass by. The Seelie Court, however, has only the kindest and most benevolent Faeries among its members. The Scottish people refer to the Faeries by such names as Still Folk, People of Peace, Silent Moving Folk, Pixies, Wee Ones, and the Prowlies.

The Welsh Faerie tradition is deeply linked to the Arthurian legends. It is believed that Arthur was King of the Faeries when he married Guenivere. After her marriage, Queen Guenivere had her knights dress in green - the traditional color of the Welsh Faeries. Welsh Faeries are usually depicted as having a courtly appearance, and are known for their love of horses. The most common Welsh names for Faeries are Fair Folk, Night Walkers, and Them Who Be.

Very little English Faerie lore has survived, with most of the legends coming down to us through faery tales and Mother Goose rhymes. Due to the influence of their Celtic neighbors to the North, and the Germanic invasions from the East; you can find the Germanic Bogies and Goblins, as well as the Scottish Gnomes and Brownies both living in England. The most common euphemism for English Faeries is the Little People.

The German Faeries became well known to Western culture due to the influence of two brothers named Grimm. "Grimm's Faerie Tales", which are a collection of 242 orally recorded Germanic Faerie tales, is one of the most popular books on Faeries ever published. Germany is also famous for its Enchanted Forests. One such place is the Black Forest, where the trees are said to move about at night. German Faeries are also said to keep dragons as pets.

Scandinavian mythology has their Faeries, whom they call Elves, divided into two parts - the Light and Dark Elves. This division has more to do with appearance than it does with personality. Light Elves are pale in color and can usually fly, while Dark Elves are dark skinned and generally live below ground.

The Faeries of Greece are some of the best known in Western culture, due to the European fascination with Greek society. In fact, the Gods of Ancient Greece were known for their shapeshifting ability, which is a trick usually reserved for Faeries. Also, the Fauns, Satyrs, Nymphs, and Dryads of Greek lore are all considered Faeries.

The majority of Italian Faerie lore comes from the Greek influence upon Roman culture. The Italian word for Faerie is "Fada", which is derived from the Latin "Fatum". "Fatum" means "fate", and the use of this word is a reference to the belief that Faeries once controlled the destinies of men.

Unfortunately, very little information on the Faeries of the Iberian Peninsula survived the area's conversion to Christianity. The only story to be passed down is called "Tonino the Hunchback and the Faeries". This folk tale lets us know that the Iberian Faeries were partial to olive trees.

The Faerie traditions of the Polynesian people has not faded with time. The Menehuna are some of the most popular Faeries of the Polynesians. The Menehuna are known to aid the lost and grant wishes. However, very little is known of Polynesian Faeries due to a lack of trust between the Polynesian people and the Europeans.

In Egypt, the word for the Faerie was "Hathor", which links them to the Goddess Hathor. The Hathor were know to live underground, similar to the Faeries of Europe. Where the Hathor differentiate from other Faeries is their complete immunity to metal, including iron.

The predominant religion of India, Hinduism, promotes a belief in the spiritual forces of Nature. Hinduism allows its adherents to chose where in Nature they wish to worship, knowing full well that the nearby Faeries will carry the worshipers requests to the Gods. On the Hindu High Holy Days, a small, quick, winged Faerie is sometimes seen, and children are encouraged to seek it out and give offerings of food.

African Faerie lore is based on an oral tradition, and as such, very little has been written down. What is known about the African Faeries traditions, is that it is rich with Elves and Seasonal Faeries, as well as less commonly known Nature Spirits. African Faeries are also known to take animal forms, much like the spirits of the Americas.

In Russia, the word for Faerie is "Domovoi", and is always part of a Faerie's full name. The word "Domovoi Djedoe", which translates to "Earth Faerie", is the Russian name for a Gnome. Russian lore is full of Seasonal Faeries, especially the spirits of Winter, as well as Trickster Faeries who delight in stealing or spoiling milk.

Very little of the Faerie lore of Central and South America survived the colonization efforts of Europe. What did survive has become so ingrained in the Catholic belief systems, that it is almost impossible to separate the original tales. While Central and South America still have a vibrant belief in the occult, most of the knowledge revolves around the Christian church.

The Faery spirits of North America tend to take the forms of animals more frequently than the forms of humans. These animal spirits are sought out and prized as teachers and mentors. Most Native American beliefs stated that all things, such as the mountain, the storm, and the tree, have an intrinsic spirit which can be contacted if you know how. This is very much like the European beliefs of the Faeries living in inanimate objects like mountains, storms, and trees.

Australia's Faerie beliefs stem from it's Aboriginal inhabitants. The Aborigines do not believe that the Faeries are either good or bad, but instead are neutral spirits. The Faeries of Australia neither hate nor care for humans, but are willing to help someone seeking their aid.