Types of Faeries
Air Faeries:
Sylphs
Sylphs,
also known as Windsingers, are elemental air spirits claiming both Greek and
Egyptian ancestry. As a whole, this miniature race is very beautiful. They are
long-lived, reaching hundreds of years in age, yet they never seem to become
old. Like other elementals, they possess the ability to shapeshift and may
assume human form. Typically residing on mountaintops, they possess a
hierarchy system, with their leader Paralda occupying the highest mountain of
Earth.
Kind of nature, they are most helpful with wishes involving air, though they
will assist with any positive desire. In addition, they are associated with
mental development and one of their functions is to inspire human creativity.
Trows
Originating
in Shetland and the Orkney Islands, and possibly the Upper Hebrides they are
most likely derived from legends of trolls in Scandinavia. The trows (rhyming
with row) possess many traits similar to those of their northern brethren. They
fear sunlight, though they are only frozen in place until dawn rather than
turned to stone as are trolls. Once the sun has set, they are free to return to
their underground homes.
Among their other names are creepers and nightstealers,
as trows have been known to kidnap human babies from cribs, leaving a changeling
in the place of the child. Fiddlers have also been nabbed to play for the
trowish revels. Some fiddle tunes are even accredited to Shetland's trows. (The
name sea-trow, I should note, typically denotes a selkie, rather than the trows
we discuss here.)
The legends of trows typically describe them as squat,
round, and misshapen faeries lacking legs. Movement is achieved by bouncing
about on their bottoms like rubber balls. They are not necessarily wicked in
nature, but they are mischievous and delight in hiding things from people under
the cover of darkness.
Phookas
An Irish Goblin, the
Phooka probably had his roots in Scandinavia before being brought to Wales and
Ireland. His Nordic name is Kornbock (which prefers a goat body) and Welsh call
him Bookha or Bwca (which typically has a pig or horse body).
In Ireland the Phooka typically chooses a horse body,
however he is a shape shifter and sometimes becomes a goat, a bull, a dog, or an
eagle (among other beasts). His head is that of a human male. They are
pranksters, like most goblins, and appear to weary travelers as docile ponies.
Once their victim has climbed upon aboard, the phooka takes the hapless rider on
a wild ride across the wettest and most loamy country before depositing him in
ditch or tossing him headlong into the mire. His eagle form has also lended
itself to a similar trick.
Phookas are pack animals and frequent fights occur
among the vicious creatures. The Irish believe that should the sun shine though
it be raining, the Phooka will be abroad that night. In Ireland, the Phooka
never enters human houses, however in Wales the Booka sneak have taken their cue
from Santa Claus and sneak in through the chimney. This poses particular dangers
because the species adores human babies and are always looking for one to steal.
Aside from babysnatching, they wreck havoc by
destroying crops, specifically claiming any crop not harvested by Samhain. A
farmer who dares to cut any crops after that date is likely to receive
retribution in the form of a dead herd animals (the Irish say mysteriously dead
cows have been pooked, at term which likely grew from Phooka). In particular,
the Phooka loves potatoes and swipes them from untended fields at night. Between
Midsummer and Samhain humans are safe from the Phooka's tricks, as they are
believed to go into hibernation for a time.
Fachan
The Fachan, or
Peg-Leg-Jack as he is sometimes known because of his single leg, originated in
Scotland. Matching his single leg, all of his features are singular. He
possesses one head, one eye, one arm, one leg, one toe, one finger and so
forth, which are all perfectly centered on a body covered in hair and
feathers. Its coloring was pitch black, aside from a dark blue mane of
feathers which ruffled as a prelude to an attack. So fearsome was its
appearance, that the mere sight of the Fachan was credited with causing
heart-attacks.
The armament of the Fachan (sometimes spelled Fachen or Fachin) was a single
spiked club. He uses this club to chase away all livings things. Indeed, he is
a particularly spiteful faery and is most jealous of the gift of flight he was
denied despite his feathery crown. He can be found on the highest Scottish
mountains. Though why you would want to bother? I would
rather not know.
Water Faeries
Undines
These are the elemental
spirits of water. Their magic centers upon this element, whose course and
function they can control. Undines exist within the water itself and cannot be
seen with normal human vision. Their homes are typically within the coral
caves in lakes or upon the banks of rivers, though smaller undines may choose
to live under lily pads. Their appearance is similar to human beings in most
cases, with the exception of those living in smaller streams or ponds. Undine
clothing is shimmery, reflecting all the colors of water though green is
typically the predominant color.
Every body of water is home to undines, from ocean waves, to rocky pools, to
marshlands, to rivers, to lakes and ponds. Even waterfalls and fountains have
an undine living in their midst.
Mermaids
Bane of seamen, these half-fish half-women lured countless sailors to
their deaths. Breathtakingly beautiful humans from their torso-upwards, their
lower bodies where those of fish, complete with scales. Men find their songs
irresistible and follow them willingly into the sea. Mermaids can be caught
and held in exchange for the wishes they grant. The males of the species,
Mermen, are regarded as vicious creatures who raised storms for the purpose of
sinking men's ships.
Occasionally they are successfully courted by human men. The offspring of such
pairings are often granted great powers in healing by their mothers.
Selkies
The shapeshifting
selkies, who are also known as silkies or roane (Gaelic for seal), occupy the
seas surrounding the Orkney and Shetland isles. The exact nature of their
undersea world is uncertain, though some believe it to be encased in giant air
bubbles. Their true forms are those of faeries or humans, though they take the
form of large seals when traveling the through the oceans. In particular:
great seals and grey seals are said to take human forms. Older tales tell that
selkies are only able to take on human forms on certain nights of the year,
such as Midsummer's Eve or All Hallows.
Occasionally they encounter humankind, sometimes becoming their mates. A human
male may take a selkie female as his wife if he finds her seal skin on the
beach and hides it from her. In the end she always recovers the skin and
returns to the sea, though she may return occasionally to watch over her human
family from the safety of the waves.
A human woman may bear the child of a selkie male if she weeps seven tears or
seven drops of blood in the nighttime sea. Such relationships are rarely
lasting. Seven years hence, the selkie would return for his child, offering
the mother a fee for nursing her own babe.
Fir Darrig
The Fir Darrig, pronounced "fear dearg", is an Irish
fairy, though its original home may have been Scotland. Translated, the name
means "red man." They are also known by the name Rat Boys, largely
due to their appearance; they have dark, hairy skin, long snouts, skinny tails
and are rather fat. Even their clothing looks as though it might have been
scrounged from a sewer, being extremely torn and shabby.
Some legends hold that the Fir Darrig is an unlucky former human who wandered
into fairy land by mistake and now attempts to warn others from making the
same mistake. Despite this apparently good natured move, they revel in cruel
and gruesome pratical jokes, which they play upon those who have made the
mistake of irritating them. Possessing a similar lack of taste in their choice
of foodstuffs, Fir Darrigs consume carrion as their main staple.
Most active in winter, and found along polluted coastlines, in swamps, marshes
and coastal ruins, it is best to avoid these creatures at almost any cost.
Occasionally they venture into the land of humans, where they delight in
startling people by knocking upon their doors in the dead of night and asking
to warm themselves at the fire. Never refuse such a request, as it is
exceedingly bad luck and you may wake to find a changeling in your child's
crib or that your cows have come down with the pox. Should you happen to
encounter a Fir Darrig, take great pains to be polite to it lest you become
the victim for one of its practical jokes.
Beansidhe
One of the most
dreaded and best known of the Irish faeries is the Banshee, properly named the
Beansidhe literally, "woman fairy." The Irish have many names for
her (perhaps they feared invocation of her true name may invoke her
presence?). They included: Washer of the Shrouds, Washer at the Banks, Washer
at the Ford and the Little Washer of Sorrow. The Scottish called her Cointeach,
literally "one who keens." To the cornish she was Cyhiraeth and to
the Welsh either Cyoerraeth or Gwrach y Rhibyn, which translates as "Hag
of the Dribble" (to the Welsh she sometimes appear as a male). In
Brittany her name is Eur-Cunnere Noe.
The Beansidhe is an extremely beautiful faery, possessing long, flowing hair,
red eyes (due to continuous weeping) and light complexions. They typically
donn green dresses with gray cloaks. Their wailing fortells of a death nearby,
though it never causes such a death (which is why they are wrongly feared).
Some of Ireland's oldest aristocrachy could boast of banshees dwelling nearby
their ancestral homes.
If one heard the wailing of the beansidhe and discovered candles burned in a
winding pattern (like a shroud) later that evening, they knew the death was to
occur in their household. In Scotland she squats near the door of the one
doomed and in Cornwall her figure flaps her wings against the glass of the
window belonging to s/he who would die.
As her other names might suggest, she frequently appears as a washerwoman at
the banks of streams. In these cases, she is called the Bean Nighe (pronounced
"ben-neeyah"). The clothing she washed takes different forms
depending upon the legend. Sometimes it is burial shrouds, others it is the
bloodstained clothing of those who will soon die. This particular version of
the Bean Sidhe is Scottish in origin and unlike the Irish version, she is
extremely ugly, sometimes described as having a single nostril, one large buck
tooth, webbed feet and extremely long breasts, which she must throw over her
shoulders to prevent them getting in the way of her washing . Her long stringy
hair is partially covered with a hood and a white gown or shroud is her main
wardrobe. The skin of the Beansidhe is often wet and slimy as if she had just
been pulled from a moss covered lake. 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. The keening music of Irish wakes, called caoine, is said to
have been derived from the wails of the Beansidhe.
Leanan Sidhe
The Fairy
Mistress or Fairy Sweetheart, Leanan Sidhe (lan-awn shee), is a Celtic muse
possessing a dark unearthly beauty. Her names translates directly as My
Inspiration (Leanan) Faery (Sidhe). She is sometimes called Lhiannan-Shee (lannan-shee).
Legend says she resides under the Irish Sea off the eastern coast of Ireland
and roams sometimes roams the Isle of Man at night as she searches for a new
lover.
Her lovers are frequently artists, and all who fall under her spell suffer a
keen longing in her absence. In return for the depth of emotion she receives,
she inspires genius in her loves. They have been likened to candles burning at
both ends: incredibly bright, but lacking the endurance of that which burns
normally they expire quickly. Such is often the price of her gift, though it
usual results from a great heartbreak or sorrow when she leaves, rather than a
malicious intent on the part of the Leanan Sidhe.
While the artist in question typically considers her attentions a gift, the
self destructive nature of the artists once she has left seems to have
inspired a belief that the Leanan Sidhe is evil and dangerous. Some have even
likened her to a vampire, attached to one man as she ruins his body and soul.
Radiantly beautiful to her lover, she is invisible to all other mortals. So
beautiful, in fact, that all other mortals become lifeless and dull when
compared to the Leanan Sidhe.
Kelpies
Kelpies have their
origin in Scotland, though they are also part of northern Irish faery lore
where they are called Eisges (Ech-ooshk-ya) or Fuath (Foo-ah). The Cornish
call them Shoney which is derived from the Norse name Sjofn, meaning a Goddess
of the Sea. Those in Iceland know them by the name Nickers, being related to
the Nix (who are German water sprites). In Shetland and the Orkney Islands
they are called Nuggies.
These foul-tempered denizens of the fae are rarely seen today, a fact which is
a blessing as humans are among the favorite meals of these cannibalistic
faeries. When other faeries or humans were unavailable for dinner, Kelpies
chose deer who had wandered too close to the lochs.
Irish lore describes them as web-footed water spirts, who possess the manes
and tails of horses and the bodies of women. In Scotland they appear as
friendly seahorses who allow passing humans to mount them, drowning their
hapless victims once they're away from the shore.
They are able to shape change, occasionally appearing as humans though they
can be distinguished by their seaweed hair which they are unable to change.
Kelpies may be captured by placing a bridle over their heads, though it was a
difficult and dangerous task due to the beasts strong and willful nature.
However, if a person managed to accomplish this task the kelpie was forced to
serve the one who bridled it.
Earth Faeries:
Goblins
The word
goblin is derived from the Greek "kobalos" meaning rogue.
Appropriately, goblins are known as the thieves and villians of the fae realm.
The term goblin can apply either to the ugliest members of the fae, or to
certain sub-races.
Some reside in mines where they search for the earth's treasures (though not
all goblins are adept at this pratice, Kobolds and Wichtlein mime the act by
stricking pickaxes and hammers against the stones). Human miners take the
resulting sounds as a sign of good luck, believing the present ore to be of high
value. Other goblins choose human residences where their mischief includes the
banging of pots and pans, rearranging furnitrue, removing the clothes from
sleeping humans and knocking on doors and walls. Still others of the family
prefer grottos, often residing in the same one for their entire life.
Those fae numbered among the goblin subraces,
include: Scottish Trows, Scandinavian Trolls, English Spriggans, Welsh Knockers,
Cornish Knockers, German Kobolds, the Irish Phooka and even Shakespeare's
infamous Puck are all considered goblins.
Spriggans
Among
the most ugly and wicked of the fae, Spriggans are typically only seen around
old ruins, barrows, castles and other places where treasure might be buried.
Their skill as guardians of buried riches unfortunately translates in the
reverse, as they are accomplished and therefore notorious child snatchers.
Parents unfortunate enough to be their victims would return to their child's
crib only to discover a hideous Spriggan babe left in the place of their babe.
Along with their baby-stealing, they are blamed for bringing bad weather to
blight crops, causing whirlwinds amongst cut corn and other general mischief.
Their appearance is short and goblin-like, they develop long
beards and have spindly limbs and large feet. A Spriggan costume is usually
ornamented with bits of stone. It is believed the race devolved from a greater
fae; a race of giants responsible for such wonders as England's stone circles.
Some say that they retain a portion of this heritage, being able to swell to
an enormous size. Their historic range is Cornwall in Southeast England.
Dwarves
The origin
of these beings is typically traced to the legends of Nordic mythology. Later,
the Gaelic and Norman peoples carried their traditions to the British Isles.
Mystical metal workers, dwarfs are at home amid their mountain
forges. Their knowledge of metal's properties, both physical and magical, is
legendary. Their work sells for astounding prices; their payment is almost
always made in gold or other magical treasures. The dwarves' wealth is best
left untouched by humans. Those foolhardy enough to steal it usually meet with
great misfortune and are left with little in return for their troubles when
the gold turns into dead leaves, cow dung or worthless stone.
Those who reside in mines are more foul of temper than their
mountain brethren. Unless they receive offerings from their human
counterparts, they are known to sabotage efforts to extract earth's valuable
minerals. Their interference includes the breaking of tools and pulling down
mine roofs.
The race is short of stature, yet they possess incredible
strength. On the whole, dwarfs prefer residing in communities to solitary
lives. Mountain dwarfs are typically organized in tribes or kingdoms, having
chieftans or kings, as well as dwarven armies. They are typically called by
the name Sidhe or Shee (Gaelic for "people of the hills"). One of
their favorite indulgences in life is mead, of which they were master brewers.
Dwarfs are never seen during daytime (at least not as dwarves,
though they may appear as toads). However, they often appear during the
twilight hours. Those that appear during night tend to belong to the Unseelie
Court.
J.R.R Tolkien's The Hobbit is the source of a good deal of
current dwarfish lore. It is from the animated movie based on his book that
the graphic seen here originates.
Trolls
One of the largest of
faery kin is the Troll, who originated in Germany and Scandinavia (the Swedish
use the name Trolds and the Dannish prefer Hill Men or Berg People). They are
also found in Scotland and Italy.
As a whole, they are a vulgar race. They are bipedal (though in some cases,
just barely), hairy, and typically grotesque in appearance. Most of all, they
harbor hatred for all faeries and humankind as well. Luckily, this hatred has
a happy byproduct in that Trolls never steal human mates or children for they
find humankind to be worthless, ugly and smelly. The same factors keep them
away from human dwellings. Of course, they're notoriously stupid, so their
judgement isn't to be trusted.
Trolls are carnivous creatues who love mutton and goat best.
(They'd very rarely deign to eat a smelly human.)
Legend places them as guardians of bridges and byways, despite their often
lacking judgement. Their decisions resemble most closely, those of
neighborhood bullies. And like bullies, they tend to run in packs. One of
their favored acts is to throw stones at creatures unfortunate enough to have
passed them.
Pixies
Pixies are the
pranksters of Cornwall. Some sources attribute their origin to the Irish
saints, while others claim they are souls of virtous pagans. The most
prevalent theory regards them as the gods of pre-Christian Cornwall.
They delight in leading people astray from their paths and leaving them to
wander aimlessly for hours until dropping into a deep sleep, a practice which
spawned the term pixie-led. While pranksters, Pixies were also known to led
helpful hands to humans in need. The elderly might find household tasks
mysteriously complemented, the worthy farmer may discover his grain has been
mysteriously threshed and maidens searching for their true love may beseech
his name by going to a well and pleading with the Pixie folk.
Typically
they appear as wisened old men no taller than a hand's span. (In fact, there
is only one reference to a female pixie, Joan the Wad, who is regarded as
their Queen.)
Leprechauns
Originally coined by
Thomas Keightley in The Fairy Mythology (1850) from the Irish "Leith
bhroyan" or "Leith phroyan" meaning "one shoemaker,"
comes the name Leprechaun. They are also known by the name Gentry. In
addition, Jewish folklore tells of a similar creature, the Sheedem or Shedim.
It is now demonized and the name used derogatorily in reference to pagan
deities. Their typical habitat is wild areas with large grassy hills.
Leprechauns are a race of cobblers whose craftsmanship is beyond compare. As a
result, their wares go for astonishing sums which makes most of them
exceedingly wealthy and is likely the source of the tales of their pots of
gold. Infamous hoarders, they are loathe to spend a single penny, which
probably explains their poor appearance in spite of their great wealth. Some
legends says that once a leprachaun begins dancing to a human's song, he
cannot stop until the tune ceases. His exhausted state may cause him to make
outlandish offers, including his crock of gold, if you will please only allow
him to stop dancing. Other means of finding his gold include looking at the
end of a rainbow, which may lead him offer 3 wishes in exchange for his
treasure. His promises of gold alway proves hollow, as the Leprechaun always
employs clever tricks in his granting of wishes, often resulting in the
embarrassment or injury to the one who expected a bounteous reward.
Green is the color of choice among this race, though their clothing is never
extravagant. Their footwear, however, is a source of pride and every
Leprechaun posses the very finest he can make. Their clientele is exclusively
faery and legend holds that they only make one shoe at a time, never pairs.
Apparently, the race is exclusively male as no female Leprechaun have ever
been seen. Some Leprechauns belong to the unseelie court; they are
raiders of wine cellars who revel drunkenly after dark riding the backs of
sheep or shepherd's dogs. The name cluricauns (kloor-a-kawns) is applied to
the dark members of the family. Cluricauns often favor red clothing to set
themselves apart from the seelie Leprechauns.
Brownies
The origin of this race
is traced to Scotland. Brownies currently residing in the United States and
Canada most likely arrived with Scottish immigrants. Among their names from
other human cultures are: Nis from Denmark, Domonvoi from Russia (where they
cry like Banshees when death is appraching a member of their chosen family,
and to warn of fires), Yumboes from North Africa, Choa Phum Phi from China and
Hobs from the English. They are still common to the Scottish Highlands and on
the Hebrides Islands, but are rarely heard of elsewhere.
Brownies are domestic
faeries, offering aid to mortals who are churning butter or grinding meal. For
their service, they expect rewards of milk and bread. (Brownies who are
displeased with their gifts often turn into the nasty Boggarts who harass the
inhabitants of their domicile.) As with other faeries, should a human
mistakenly offer them clothes in return for their labors, brownies will cease
their efforts and disappear forever. In addition to their labors in the home,
some brownies also guarded the corn yard during winter. Because of their
industrious and beneficial nature, the Girl Scouts have adopted the name
Brownies for their youngest members.
Resulting from their generous
nature, a hatred of misers and cheats is characteristic among the race.
Brownies will not tolerate lying and utterly detest pretentiousness.
They are nocturnal, although most are able to appear in the sunlight should
they wish. However, there are a few non-Scottish House brownies who will
perish if exposed to sunlight. Legends holds that it is for this reason that
the brownies' familar, the rooster, crows in the morning, warning his friends
that it is time for bed. (Some Scots even held that brownies could take the
form of roosters.)
Small and usually male,
brownies tend towards the hairy side and have slightly pointed ears, long
fingers and dress in blue, green or the most typical brown. Their size makes
them extremely cautious of cats and the humans they assist must not harbor the
beasts within their homes. Most are keenly intelligent, except the Dobie who
is a dull witt. He wishes to help, but always flubs the job because of his
lack of intelligence.
Gnomes
Orginiating in Scandinavia (though Scotland is the source for most North
Ameridcan lore), Gnomes later migrated to the 'low lands' some 1,500 years
ago. As a species, they are 7 times stronger than humans. Another of their
unique characteristics, Gnomes are always born as a set of twins. Leading
nocturnal lives, they rarely come into contact with humankind.
Gnomes are very widespread species, known to a number of human races. Germans
name them Erdmanleins, except in the Alpine areas, where they are called
Heinzemannchens. In Denmark and Norway the are Nisse; Nissen is Swedish
variation. In Brittany they are called Nains. Tontti to the Finns and
Foddenskkmaend is their name in Iceland. The Polish call they by the familar
Gnom. Bulgaria and Albania, however, use Dudje. In Hungary, Yugoslavia, and
Czechoslovakia, Gnomes are called Mano. The Dutch use Kabouter and the
Belgian, Skritek. Switzerland and Luxembourg use the same name, Kleinmanneken,
which means "littlemen." Domovoi Djedoes is used in western Russia,
translated it roughly means "earth faery."
Largely due to the her choice of garb, the domain of the female gnome is the
home and thus it is with the male that almost all human contact occurs.
Females wear either gray or khaki colored clothing consisiting of a blouse, an
ankle length skirt, knee socks and high shoes or slippers. (The color
combination results in a possibility that she may be mistaken for a mouse or
other small forest animal and be captured by an owl before he realized his
mistake.) Prior to marriage, the outfit is complemented by a green cap and
braids which later disappear under a scarf while the green cap is replaced by
more somber tones after she marries.
Male Gnomes wear red caps
and blue smocks complemented by green pants and footwear. They are fair of
face, though the boast rosy red cheeks. Long beards adorn their faces and turn
gray far sooner than their hair. Males are the guardians of animal kind and
show little preference for their animal friends, not withstanding their
aversion to cats both wild and domesticated. They are known for freeing
wildlife from man's traps and for operating on farm animals whose owners have
neglected them or who are simply to poor to afford a vetrinarian.
Gnomes consist of a number of different types. The most common is the Forest
Gnome who rarely comes into contact with man. The Garden Gnome lives in old
gardens and enjoys telling melancoly tales. Dune Gnomes are slightly larger
than their woodland breathren and choose remarkably drab clothing. House
Gnomes have the most knowledge of man, often speaking his language. It is from
this family that Gnome Kings are chosen. Farm Gnomes resemble their House
brethen, but are more conservative in manner and dress. Siberian Gnomes have
been more interbred than other Gnomes and associate freely with trolls. They
are much larger than the other types and have an infinately more nasty nature.
It is best never to evoke the ire of such Gnomes for they delight in revenge.
Will'o'Wisp
The Will-o-wisp is
among the most named faeries, travelling with countless aliases. Among the
Cornish names are Faery lights, St. Elmo's Fire, Jack-o-Lantern, Bob-A-Longs
and Jenny Burnt-Tail. The Shetland and Orkeny Islands use Teine Sith (meaning
Fire Faery), the Germans 'Huckpoten,' the Swedish Irrbloss, the French
Eclaireux, the Italians Candelas and the Russians Ruskaly.
They typically appear as a grouping of tiny flickering lights, almost like
fire flies. Flickering and wavering, the glowing orbs move through marshes,
meadows and grassy hills at the hours just after sundown.
Some believe the lights to be the glow of actual faeries, while others argue
they are merely torches and lamps carried by the fae as they revel. Whatever
they are, humans who glimpse and follow the lights experience something
likened to a game of tag as they disappear everytime the distance between the
pair closes too much. Those who follow them successfully, though, have claimed
to witness gatherings of faeries as they hold their nightly celebrations.
Green Man
Hordes of information
has been written on the Green Man, yet he still remains somewhat of a mystery.
The name typically applies to an ancient deity whose likeness has been carved
into older churches across much of the British Isles. Typically it is a
composite image of a face formed for a mask of leaves or a face devouring
vines and leaves. The image's meaning is typically one of life, renewal and
rebirth, and inspiration. He is a personification of the union between mankind
and nature. His association with churches is likely an instance of pagan gods
being absorbed into Christianity to entice converts or to make their worship
safe.
The Green Lady is sometimes named as female counterpart of the Green Man. Some
consider her a pagan worship form of the Virgin Mary. Others dispute her
existence. At the very least, the image is not as old as that of the Green
Man.
Robin Hood is considered by some scholars to be one of the many incarnations
of the Green Man. In this case, it is the ancient legend of the King of the
Wood whose lady was named Marion. It was to this older and more powerful
figure that the story of Robin of Locksley was eventually grafted. The Green
Man is also connected to Robin Goodfellow and Puck, as well as Jack the Green
who dances ahead of the May Queen in May Day parades.
Ballybogs
The Irish Ballybogs,
known as bogles among the Cornish and Welsh and Boggans among those residing
in Northern England, are also called Peat Faeries, Mudbogs, Boggies and
Bog-a-boos. The reoccurrence of the word bog in their name harkens to their
typical habitat: peat bogs and mudholes. They were most typically encountered
in Ireland, where people uesd peat as a main source of fuel because Ireland
lacks natural coal and oil deposits.
Their appearance of the very small creatures was decidedly odd.
Mud-covered, almost completely round bodies, supporting heads without the
benefit of a neck. Their arms and legs were long and spindly; apparently too
much so to support their weight. Ballybogs possess no language, but rather
communicate with grunts and slobbering.
While the Irish Ballybog was merely unpleasant, the English Bogle possesses a
nasty temper. The Bogle focuses the majority of its ill will upon those who
are lazy, incontinent, or guilty of crimes. Like many of the fae kind, both
manifestations enjoy leading unwary travelers astray.
It is believed that at one time, they were they guardian spirits of bogs. Some
have suggested that the preserved human remains found in the peat bogs of
northern Europe are evidence of ritual human sacrifices made to placate the
fae who dwelled within the bogs.
Boggart
Some legends say
Boggarts are brownies that have gone bad. Either because they are mischevious
in nature or because they were wronged through some interaction with humans.
Others tell that they are merely small dwarfish cousins of the brownies. Their
origin is traced to Scotland where they are also known as Hobgoblins, the
Boogey Man, Boogies, Padfoot, Boggans, Hobbers, Gobs and Blobs. The root of
the name, 'bog' may indicate a relation to the ballybogs as well.
They are always of the male persuasion (apparently female brownies have better
sense than to turn bad). Whatever their relation to the gentle brownies,
boggarts have vastly different intentions. They delight in playing tricks on
humans. Rather than adopting a home to help its human inhabitants, boggarts
will enter a home with one thing on their minds: destruction. The
favorite food of a boggart is smooth wood and a home they have chosen as their
residence provides not only shelter, but also their sustenance! Boggarts also
pose a threat to children, as they love to steal their food and try to smother
the young humans as they sleep at night. Should your home be infected with a
boggart a complete exorcism may be necessary to rid your abode of the pest.
Others are completely dim-witted and can be tricked into leaving a home. One
of the best ways to do this is to ask the boggart to leave the house and stay
out as long as 'the hollies are green'. It will mostly likely take at least
two seasons for him to remember that hollies are always green and that he's
been tricked. His resulting anger most likely needn't be feared as he will
never be able to enter the house again.
The moral here is that it is best to stop boggarts at their source: never
anger a brownie!
Fire Faeries
Salamanders
The strongest and
most powerful of the elementals, Salamanders are the spirit of fire. Without
them, fire cannot exist. Their assistance is required for creating even the
smallest bit of flame, even that on a match. Their help can be invited, but
they can be mischevious. A slighted Salamander may cause fires to burn out of
control, especially since they don't fully comprehend the results of
their actions.
Typically they are represented as lizards, though they are sometimes pictured
in a more typical fairy fashion or as small balls of light. Salamanders are
reported to possess the ability to change their size at will, either extending
or diminishing as they please.
Fire Drakes
Drakes are typically
described as smallish cousins to dragons. Like some of the bigger animals,
they breathe fire. This trait, in turn, results in their odiforous quality
which has been described as a cross between a chicken coop and rotten eggs.
They
are benevolent creatures, who, when residing in a human domicile, will keep
the firewood dry and bless the hearth. Drakes expect their kindness to be
returned and react negatively to human mistreatment. When not residing with a
human, they are usually found in wood piles or deep in an ancient forest.
Typically they are nocturnal, being most active from nightfall until shortly
after dawn.
Great info and grimoires at http://groups.msn.com/TheBabblingBrook/_homepage.msnw?pgmarket=en-us
