FAIRY and OTHER SPIRITS - DEFINITIONS

Definition from "Funk & Wagnalls Multimedia Encyclopedia"-- "a diminutive supernatural creature,
generally in human form, dwelling in an imaginary region called fairyland; and the stories of its
interventions through magic in mortal affairs. The term fairy is also loosely applied to such beings as
brownies, gnomes, elves, nixies, goblins, trolls, dwarfs, pixies, kobolds, banshees, sylphs, sprites, and
undines. The folk imagination not only conceives of fairyland as a distinct domain, but also imagines fairies
as living in everyday surroundings such as hills, trees, and streams and sees fairy rings, fairy tables, and
fairy steeds in natural objects. The belief in fairies was an almost universal attribute of early folk
culture. In ancient Greek literature the sirens in Homers Odyssey are fairies, and a number of the heroes
in his Iliad have fairy lovers in the form of nymphs. The Gandharvas (celestial singers and musicians), who
figure in Sanskrit poetry, were fairies, as were the Hathors, or female genii, of ancient Egypt, who
appeared at the birth of a child and predicted the childs future."

Definition from "Encyclopaedia Britannica"-- "also spelled faerie or faery; a mythical being of folklore and
romance usually having magic powers and dwelling on earth in close relationship with humans. It can appear
as a dwarf creature typically having green clothes and hair, living underground or in stone heaps, and
characteristically exercising magic powers to benevolent ends; as a diminutive sprite commonly in the
shape of a delicate, beautiful, ageless winged woman dressed in diaphanous white clothing, inhabiting
fairyland, but making usually well-intentioned intervention in personal human affairs; or as a tiny,
mischievous, and protective creature generally associated with a household hearth."

In ancient Greek literature, the sirens in Homer's Odyssey are fairies, and a number of the heroes in his
Iliad have fairy lovers in the form of nymphs.

The Gandharvas (celestial singers and musicians), who figure in Sanskrit poetry, were fairies, as were the
Hathors, or female genii, of ancient Egypt, who appeared at the birth of a child and predicted the child's
future.

******
Aibell - An Irish 'fairy' goddess.

Aine - a fairy queen in County Limerick.

Aeval - Among the Celts of Ireland, Aeval was the Fairy Queen of Munster. She held a midnight court to
determine if husbands were satisfying their wives' sexual needs, or not, as the women charged.

Alfheim - in Scandinavian mythology, a celestial city inhabited by the elves and fairies.

Anjanas - Las Anjanas are typical faeries of Cantabria, there are small and nice females who sometimes
appear to people like part human and part animal (usually, it's bird or fish, but it's not always fifty-fifty).
Good-willing and peaceful, they can be found in woods, near small streams and that sort of quiet places.

Ati - A Maori chief who caught a lovely fairy in a net and married her.

Banshee or Benshee - an Irish fairy attached to a house. Common name for the Irish Bean Sidhe (see
below). In Scotland the banshee is known as caoineag (wailing woman) and, although seldom seen, she often
heard in the hills and glens, by lakes or running water.

Bean Sidhe - In Irish folklore, the Bean Sidhe (woman of the hills) is a spirit or fairy who presage a death
by wailing. She is popularly known as the Banshee. She visits a household and by wailing she warns them
that a member of their family is about to die. When a Banshee is caught, she is obliged to tell the name of
the doomed. The antiquity of this concept is vouched for by the fact that the Morrigan, in a poem from
the 8th century, is described as washing spoils and entrails. It was believed in County Clare that Richard
the Clare, the Norman leader of the 12th century, had met a horrible beldame, washing armor and rich
robes "until the red gore churned in her hands", who warned him of the destruction of his host. The Bean
Sidhe has long streaming hair and is dressed in a gray cloak over a green dress. Her eyes are fiery red
from the constant weeping. When multiple Banshees wail together, it will herald the death of someone
very great or holy. The Scottish version of the Banshee is the Bean Nighe. Aiobhill is the banshee of the
Dalcassians of North Munster, and Cliodna is the banshee of the MacCarthys and other families of South
Munster.

Bendith Y Mamau - The Bendith Y Mamau ("The Mothers' Blessing") is a rather unpleasant clan of Welsh
fairies. They are ugly creatures, and sometimes regarded as the result of interbreeding between goblins
and fairies. They steal children and substitute them for their own ugly ones, called Crimbils. Through the
intervention of a witch, the parents can regain the stolen child, who will remember nothing of its time with
the Bendith Y Mamau, except for a vague recollection of sweet music.

Brownie - a Scottish domestic fairy; the servants friend if well treated. Brownies are brown or tawny
spirits, in opposition to fairies, which are fair or elegant ones; a legendary good-natured elf that performs
helpful services at night.

Bukura e dheut - A beautiful fairy among the ancient Albanians who is always very helpful. The supreme
god Tomor is her lover. She is sometimes connected with the underworld and shows some demonical
aspects. Her name means "the beauty of the earth". Her sister is Bukura e detit, and her name means "the
beauty of the sea".

Bug, Bugbear or Bugaboo, any imaginary thing that frightens a person; something that causes fear or
distress out of proportion to its importance.
Changeling - an ill, sickly child. It was said that the fairies would take a healthy human child, and leave in
its place one of their sickly elves.

Cliodhna - The Irish goddess of beauty. She later became a fairy queen in the area of Carraig Cliodhna in
County Cork.

Colt-pixy - A mischievous fairy. A pixy, puck, or fairy. To colt-pixy is to take what belongs to the pixies,
and is specially applied to the gleaning of apples after the crop has been gathered in; these apples were
the privilege of the pixies, and to colt-pixy is to deprive the pixies of their perquisites.

Corrigan - In Brittany folklore, a female fairy. She is said to have been one of the ancient druidesses, and
therefore malicious towards Christian priests. Corrigan is fond of pretty human children, and is usually
blamed for all changeling substitutions.

Dagda - king of the fairy race of the Tuatha de Danann in Irish mythology. He was celebrated not only for
his prowess with a battle club, magic harp and cauldron, but was also known for his greed and cruelty.

Daoine maite - Literally, the good people. They are the fairies of contemporary Irish folklore.

Dones d'aigua - Dones d'aigua (Maids of the Water) are typical beings of Catalua, and they appear in
many myths. They live in any place where they can find clean water (wells, springs, fountains, lakes), but
they can also be found in woods and caves. They appear as women of incredible beauty, although half of
their body can be fish- or bird-like (as for many other faeries of Spanish folklore and Indo-European
myths). Dones d'aigua often guard wonderful treasures. They are always good and kind to humans.

Duende - a Spanish house-spirit.

Dwarf - a diminutive being human or superhuman.

Dwerger, Dwergugh or Duergar - Gotho-German dwarfs, dwelling in rocks and hills

Earthmen, The - gnomes and fairies of the mines. They are a solemn race, but they can laugh and dance
most merrily

Elf - fairies of diminutive size, found mainly in Teutonic and Norse folklore, the elves were originally the
spirits of the dead who brought fertility. Later they became supernatural beings, shaped as humans, who
are either very beautiful (elves of light) or extremely ugly (dark / black elves). They were worshipped in
trees, mountains and waterfalls. The Danish elves are beautiful creatures, but they have hollow backs. The
Celtic elves are the size of humans. They were supposed to be fond of practical jokes.

Erreka-Mari - A chieftain among the faeries, this is a Mari siren (Erreka means creek) that lives near
small streams. Her name changes according to toponymia, and she's also known as Mari-Arroka or Mari-
Muruko.

Esprit Follet - the house-spirit of France. A bogle which delights in misleading and tormenting mortals.

Fair Family/Fair Folk - Welsh nickname

Fairy or Faerie - a super-natural being, fond of pranks, but generally pleasing. Of nursery mythology they
are the personification of Providence. The good ones are called fairies, elves, elle-folks, and fays; the evil
ones are urchins, ouphes, ell-maids, and ell-women. Alternate spellings include: Faerie, Fai, Faierie, Faiery,
Fair, Fairye, Farie, Fary, Fay, Fayerie, Fayery, Fayry, Fee, Feiri, Fery, Fey, Feyrie, Feyrye, Phairie, Pharie,
Pherie (from the Latin: Fata "Fates").

Fairyland - the imaginary land where fairies are supposed to dwell; a charming, enchanting place;
dreamland; a place of great delight and happiness.

Familiar - an evil spirit attendant on witches, etc; a spirit often embodied in an animal and held to attend
and serve or guard a person.

Fand - In Celtic myth Fand is a faery queen, who was once married to the sea god Manannan. After he left
her she was preyed upon by three Fomorian warriors in a battle for control of the Irish Sea. Her only
hope in winning the battle was to send for the hero Cuchulainn who would only agree to come, if she would
marry him. She reluctantly acquiesced to his wishes, though when she met him, she fell as deeply in love
with him as he was with her. Manannan knew that the relationship between the human world and the world
of the faery could not continue without in eventually destroying the faeries. He erased the memory of one
from the other by drawing his magical mantle between the two lovers. Fand was also a minor sea goddess
who made her home both in the Otherworld and on the Islands of Man. With her sister, Liban, she was one
of the twin goddesses of health and earthly pleasures. She was also known as "Pearl of Beauty". Some
scholars believe she was a native Manx deity who was absorbed in the Irish mythology.

Fata - an Italian fay, or white lady.

Fates - the three spirits (Clotho, Lachsis, and Atrpos) which preside over the destiny of every individual.

Fay - same as a Fairy. Early form of the word. The word could be derived from fae, faie, fata (plural), the
Fates.

Feeorin - type of diminutive fairy in the folklore of England. It is also the collective word for fairies who
are usually friendly towards mankind, or at least neutral. They are depicted as small creatures with a
green skin and wearing red hats. They enjoy singing and dancing.

Finvarra - king of the Connaught Fairies. Onagh is his consort, supreme King and Queen of the Sidhe. He
was famed for his benevolence toward humans.

Folk - fairies, also called people, neighbours, wights. The Germans have their kleine volk (little folk),
the Swiss their hill people and earth people.

Frau Welt - In European folk believe, the name that was given to the female fairy mistress by medieval
church people; and according to them, the Devil.

Fylgiar - sprite formed from the caul or membrane born with some children, attendant spirit, controlled
by human master, takes form of masters totem animal or acts as his/her double, shadows, seen only by
their masters of those with second sight.

Gan Ceanach - word means "Love Talker", a debonair little man who appeared in lonely glens smoking his
clay pipe or dudeen. He had no shadow, the birds stopped singing and a mist unfurled about him. Would
seduce young mortal maidens with his twinkling black eyes and enchanting gentle voice. Only if they kissed
him they were doomed, for he would disappear as quickly as he had come, leaving them to pine to death.
Gnome - the guardian of mines, quarries, etc.

Good Folk - the Brownies or house-spirits.

Good Neighbors - Scottish and Irish nickname

Good People - Irish reference to the Sidhe

The Green Children - Faerie reference used in medieval literature

Gwragedd Annwn - lake fairies of Ladies of the Lake from the folklore of Wales. Described as being
beautiful maidens with long golden hair. They are said to be gentle and live harmoniously in families under
the lakes and sometimes marry mortals.

Gyre-Carlin - queen of the fairies in Fyfe area of Scotland.

Habonde - Fairy in English folklore who was said to be the consort of Hobany. Described as a beautiful
young woman with dark plaited hair, wearing on her head a golden circlet on which there is a star. This
signifies that she is queen of the fairies, possibly the French fairies.

Habundia - queen of the White Ladies.

Habonde - Fairy in English folklore who was said to be the consort of Hobany. Described as a beautiful
young woman with dark plaited hair, wearing on her head a golden circlet on which there is a star. This
signifies that she is queen of the fairies, possibly the French fairies.

Hag - The hag is a fairy from the British Isles. She is said to be the traces of the most ancient
goddesses. The hag is regarded as the personification of winter. In the winter months she is usually old
and very ugly looking. As the season changes though she becomes more and more beautiful, and younger.
Tangles in the manes of horses and ponies are called hag-knots, supposed to be used witches as stirrups.

Hamadryad - a wood-nymph. Each tree has its own wood-nymph, who dies when the tree dies.

Jinnee (s) or Jinn (p) - fairies in Arabian mythology, the offspring of fire. They reproduce like human
beings, and are lead by a race of kings named Suleyman, one of whom built the pyramids. Their chief
abode is the mountain Kf, and they appear to men under the forms of serpents, dogs, cats, monsters, or
even human beings, and become invisible at pleasure. The evil jinn are hideously ugly, but the good are
exquisitely beautiful. According to fable, they were created from fire two thousand years before Adam
was made of earth.

Kelpie - in Scotland, an imaginary spirit of the waters in the form of a horse.

Keplers Fairy - the fairy which guides the planets. Kepler said that each planet was guided in its elliptical
orbit by a resident angel.

Kobold - according to German folklore, kobolds are spirits who dwell in mines and who like to torment
humans. They are tricksters and not inherently evil. In the 16th and the 17th century, they were usually
depicted on paintings as little devils with a conical hat, pointy shoes, a hairy tail, and bald feet instead of
hands. They are considered to be the most dangerous and most ugly of all the fairy-like beings. Some
sources suggest that kobolds are related to the Brownies
Laminak - Basque fairies, related to the Celtic little people. The Laminak live underground in beautiful
castles.

Lamias - Lamias are evil faeries of the Pas Vasco. They live in the woods and in the shores of streams
and rivers. They usually appear as women (they can also appear as men, but that is rare). The only means to
distinguish them from normal people is to see that part of their body which is fish or bird. Of course,
usually it is easy because it is fifty-fifty, but the animal detail can sometimes be as small as a goat leg or a
chicken foot.

Leprechaun - Very small sprites who sometimes live in farmhouses or wine cellars. They are known to aid
humans and perform small labors for them. Sometimes they ask humans for supplies and furniture, for
which in return they give objects which bring luck and fortune. Leprechauns are called fairy cobblers, for
they make shoes for elves (Irish leith-bhrogan, from leith-brog, one-shoe maker, so called because he is
always seen working at a single shoe). They are seen quite often by humans and are described as merry
little fellows gaily dressed in old-fashioned clothes; green, with a red cap, leather apron, and buckled
shoes. When they finish their daily tasks, leprechauns like to organize wild feast, during which time they
are referred to as cluricauns. These (often drunk) cluricauns can then be seen riding in moonlight on the
back of a dog or a sheep. According to popular belief, a leprechaun possesses a treasure (usually a pot of
gold) which a human may obtain if he succeeds in capturing one, which is extremely difficult. Even after
capture, a person may not take his eyes off of him for an instant, for then he will vanish. Leprechauns are
mainly found in Irish folklore.

Lliannan-She - In the Isle of Man, a spirit friend, a female fairy who waited to encounter men. If one
spoke to her she followed him always, but remained invisible to everyone else.

Lorelei - in German legend a fairy similar to the Greek Sirens who lived on the rock high on the bank of
the Rhine River and by her singing lured the sailors to their death.

Lunantishee - The Lunantishee, or Lunantishess, are a tribe of fairies who guard blackthorn bushes (one
of the Fairy Trees). They will not allow that a blackthorn stick is cut on May 11th (originally May Day) or
November 11 (originally All Hallows Eve). Should on person manage to cut a stick, some misfortune will
surely befall him or her.

Mab, the farles midwife. Queen Mab refers to as the queen of the fairies (see below).

Mab, Queen - Mab is the Queen of the Faeries. She is often portrayed as a trickster who robs dairies
and steals babies. Mab first appeared in post-sixteenth century English literature, in the poems
Nimphidia, and Entertainment at Althorpe by Ben Jonson. The origin of Queen Mab is most likely Celtic,
either from Mabb of Welsh Mythology or Maeve (Maebhe) of the Cuchullain tales.

Mermaid - a sea-spirit, the upper part a woman and the lower half a fish.

Merrow - both male and female, are spirits of the sea, of human shape from the waist upwards, but from
the waist downwards are like a fish. The females are attractive, but the males have green teeth, green
hair, pigs eyes, and red noses. Fishermen dread to meet them.

Naiad - water-nymphs.

Nis or Nisse - a Kobold or Brownie. A Scandinavian fairy friendly to farmhouses.

Nix or Nixie - a water-spirit. The nix has green teeth, and wears a green hat: the nicie is very beautiful.

Oaf - a foolish child thought to be a changeling, left by the fairies in the place of the stolen one.

Oberon - the king of the fairies, husband of Titania, queen of the fairies, in medieval folklore.
Shakespeare introduces both Oberon and Titania, in his play "Midsummer Nights Dream". Described as
being a dwarf with a beautiful face and kingly deportment. He is capable of playing pranks and working
mischief both with fairies as well as with humans. He haunts the English woods and forests with his
sprites led by Puck.

Onagh - consort of Finvarra. They were the supreme King and Queen of the Sidhe.

Oseron - king of the fairies.

Ogre - an inhabitant of fairyland said to feed on infant children.

Orends - mountain nymphs.

Ouphe - a fairy or goblin. A changeling or elf child, that is, one left by fairies; a deformed or foolish child;
a simpleton; an oaf.

Peri - a Persian fairy. Evil peris are called Deevs

Perit - In Albanian folklore, they are female mountain deities of great beauty. They are dressed entirely
in white and are regarded as good fairies. They can become very angry towards those who spill bread, and
will give these sinners a hump.

Pigwidgeon - a fairy of very diminutive size or dwarf; anything very small.

Pixy or Pixie - a Devonshire fairy, same as Puck. Pixies have been described as "small mischeivious beings
without wings. They hop! They have spingy feet and long legs."

Plant Rhys Dwfen - The Plant Rhys Dwfen ("children of Deep Rhys") are a tribe of fairies who inhabit a
small land which is invisible because of a special herb that grows there. They are handsome, less than
average in height, and grateful to those who treat them fairly. They often visit markets in Cardigan where
they pay such high prices for goods that ordinary buyers can not compete with them. When visiting the
main land, they assume human form.

Portunes - Portunes are tiny medieval fairies, described by Gervase of Tilbury as being the size of a
finger. They are very old men with wrinkled faces who work on human farms. Friendly and helpful they may
be, at night they cannot resist grabbing the bridle of a horse and leading the horse and its rider into
ponds.

Puck - a merry little fairy spirit, full of fun and harmless mischief; (and from "Encyclopaedia Britannica")--
medieval English folklore, a malicious fairy or demon. In Elizabethan lore he was a mischievous, brownielike
fairy also called Robin Goodfellow, or Hobgoblin. As one of the leading characters in William
Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, Puck boasts of his pranks of changing shapes, misleading
travelers at night, spoiling milk, frightening young girls, and tripping venerable old dames. The Irish pooka,
or pca, and the Welsh pwcca are similar household spirits.
Raja Jinn Peri - The King of Fairies in Malay mythology.

Rod - In Slavic mythology, the Rod are the spirits of deceased female ancestors and are considered to be
goddesses of fate and fairies. As three women they appear at the cradle of a newborn child and decide
the child's fate. In invisible letters they write on the child's forehead the life span and the way he or she
will die. They also decide whether the child will live a poor or rich life, and the measure of poverty or
wealth. They can be compared with the Norns, the Norse goddesses of fate, and the Greek Moirae.

Ryme - the Frost giant, the enemy of the elves and fairies. At the end of the world this giant is to be the
pilot of the ship Naglefar.

Salamander - a spirit which lives in fire.

Seelie Court - The Court of the kind and benign fairy host, usually seen around twilight in long solemn
processions. These fairies help the poor with gifts of corn and bread. The opposite of the Seelie Court
("Blessed Court") is the evil Unseelie Court.

Sidhe - (pronounced 'shee') fairy people in the folklore of Ireland. Name comes from the mounds or
ancient barrows known as sidh where they are said to live and means "people of the (fairy) hills". These
faeries are described as being aristocrats, beautiful, great size, great age, great power, beautiful
musicians, domestic, malevolent if harmed / disturbed, thin , up to six feet in height, handsome, youthful,
shadowy, soft-skinned, long flowing hair, and if clothed - blindingly white, and live under faerie hills or on
floating islands. Usually these fairies are attracted to those who are beautiful as well as wealthy.

Slaugh, The - name of the Unseelie Court or the evil fairies in the folklore of Scotland. The name means
the Host, which is a euphemism to avoid invoking them with the mention of their name and deter them
from inflicting harm. They are believed to be the Fallen Angels that roam the midnight skies of the earth
searching for lost souls. The Slaugh are also believed to be responsible for causing sickness and death
among domestic animals and to lead humans astray.

Sluag - Pronounced 'sloo-ah'. Sluag was the Pictish/Scottish fairy of the Highlands and Host of the
Unforgiven Dead. Related to the Irish/Celtic Sluagh.

Snow Queen - fairy queen in the folklore of Denmark. She is described as dazzling in her loveliness and as
beautiful as the ice crystals themselves. She is the Spirit queen of the ice realm, who travels in the
blizzards blown from the Arctic wastes. The Snow Queen will entice mortal men to follow her, but to be
loved by her means instant death.

Sprite - A sprite is a kind of fairy or elf. Sprite comes from the Latin word spiritus or spirit and once
meant soul or ghost. Sprites are used in many folktales. Sprites are creatures of the element water.
They are found only in places where it is serene and cool. They like to play with nymphs or torment
butterflies, but the butterflies dont really mind. Sprites have one very important job, which is going
around and changing the colors of a trees leaves in Autumn. They have many cans of bright paint in every
shade between red and yellow. This makes sure they dont run out. Sprites are very creative. They are
muses, artists, and poets. They are some of the most creative fairies. Some even decide to bond or marry
a human or elf and stay with them their whole lives.

Stromkarl - a Norwegian musical spirit, like Neck.

Sylph - Sylph comes from the Greek word silphe meaning a butterfly or moth. They were first named by
the Rosicrucians and Cabalists in their folklore. The sylph is a female spirit of the element of air. These
were like invisible angels whose voice could be heard in the wind. Sylphs defend the high mountain peaks
and wilderness mountains that are home to them. Sylphs look like tall, lithe humans with huge, feathered
wings sprouting from their backs. These wings are almost two times its body length, but they fold up
behind the sylph. They have large, hawk-like eyes and sharp, angular faces. A sylph can live to be hundreds
of years old, often reaching one thousand, but never seeming to grow old. The smaller sylph are sometimes
called cherubs or fairies. Sylphs are loners, and are content to fly with the birds.

Tangotango - A fairy of the heavenly race in Maori myth. When she heard of the handsome young god
Tawhaki, she looked for him and found him one night while he was sleeping in the woods. She lay with him
night after night until she became pregnant. Then she left and later had a daughter called Arahuta.

Tennin - In Japanese Buddhism, an angel or fairy, a heavenly, beautiful person who may appear on a
mountain. To meet one, the pilgrim has to climb to the summit.

Titania - the queen of the fairies, wife of Oberon, king of the fairies, in medieval folklore. Shakespeare
introduces both Oberon and Titania, in his play "Midsummer Nights Dream".

Troll - a hill-spirit, which is why Trolls are called Hill-people or Hill-folk, supposed to be immensely rich,
and especially dislike noise.

Tuatha D Danaan - (Tribe of Dana) the pre-Christian gods of Ireland, sometimes represented as heroes
or fairies.

Turehu - A race of fair-haired fairies.

Tylwyth Teg - The Tylwyth Teg ("the fair people") are Welsh fairies who live in lakes or streams or in
hollows of the hills. The females are called y mamau (the mothers), a title which links them to the pagan
Celtic deities, the Matres. Associated with them are the usual traditions of moonlight dance, the
supernatural passage of time, the stealing of children, and the substitution of changelings. They are
especially interested in children with golden hair. Their favorites they enrich with precious gifts, which
disappear when these gifts are spoken of.

Un'Dine - a water-nymph.

Unseelie Court - The evil counterpart of the Seelie Court is always unfavorable towards mankind. The part
which flies through the sky at night is called the 'Horde'. Mortals unfortunate enough to cross the
Horde's path are taken along for a hell-ride. These poor victims are beaten and pinched and forced to
participate in the bizarre nocturnal activities of these creatures. The Unseelie Court ("Unholy Court")
solely consists of those of the fairy-like beings which are the most ugly and evil.

Urgan - born and christened a mortal, but stolen by the king of the fairies and brought up in elf-land
(English folklore).

Wee Folk - Scottish and Irish nickname for faeries

White Lady - of the royal family of Prussia. A spirit said to appear before the death of one of the
family.
White Lady of Ireland - the banshee or domestic spirit of a family.

White Merle - of the old Basques. A white fairy bird, which, by its singing, restored sight to the blind.

Wight - any human creature, as a Highland wight. Dwarfs and all other fairy creatures.

Will-O'-The-Wisp - a spirit of the bogs, whose delight is to mislead belated travellers.

Wraith - the ghost of a person shortly about to die or just dead, which appears to survivors, sometimes at
a great distance off.

Yosei - Japanese fairies. They are most often seen as birds, cranes or swans.

Yumboes - fairies of African mythology. They stand about two feet high and are white in color. Their
favourite haunt is the range of hills called The Paps.

Xanas - A kind of nymphs or faeries of Asturias, they are derived from Celtic mythology. They live near
streams, and spend their day singing beautiful tunes and combing their wonderful hair.

--Encyclopedia Mythica - http://www.pantheon.org

--Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 1898

-- Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns and Goblins, an Encyclopedia, 1996

--The Columbia Encyclopedia: Sixth Edition. 2000

 FAIRY TRIVIA

* According to medieval romance, fairies and all the tribes of elves of every description are converted
into hideous animals on Friday, and remain so till Monday.

* The wild Irish peasantry believe that dust is raised on roads by fairies on a journey, and raise their hats
to it, saying, God speed you, gentlemen. The Arabs think the whirlwind and waterspout are caused by evil
jinns.

* Fairies inhabit kingdoms and palaces either underground or in Fairyland.

* Since fairy time does not correspond to human time, humans who spend the night with fairies often
return to see their great-grandchildren who are unknown to them.

* Fairies love music and dancing. They dance in fairy rings by moonlight or in the mist.

* Fairy Rings are circles of rank or withered grass, often seen in lawns, meadows, and grass-plots. They
are said to be produced by the fairies dancing on the spot. In reality, these rings are simply a fungus
below the surface, which has seeded in a circular range, as many plants do.

* A human caught in the fairy ring has to dance for a year and a day but to him it only seem likes minutes.

* Once inside a faerie ring, a human cannot escape unless a human chain from the outside is formed to pull
him/her out.

* If inside a faery ring, humans should never eat or drink anything that is offered to them.

* Fairy gold can float in Fairyland.

* Fairies possess unpredictable and humorous mischief.

* Smaller fairies are more beautiful and virtuous.

* Taller fairies are more dishonest and steal butter, milk, cows, goats and babies which they leave ugly
changelings in their place.

* Whenever you enter a fairy dwelling you should always remember to stick a piece of steel, such as a
knife, a needle, or a fish-hook, in the door; for then the elves will not be able to shut the door till you
come out again.

* Bells are used as protection against faeries and evil spirits.

* Many trees are sacred to faeries.

* Acorns from the oak tree can be made into faerie talismans if found and gathered by the light of the
full moon.

* Roses are said to attract faeries.

* Faeries despise iron and it is said that it can harm or even kill a faery.

* To guard against mischievious spirits, it is best to use flint.

* Whenever when you have shot a deer and are bringing it home at night, be sure to thrust a knife into the
carcase, for that keeps the fairies from laying their weight on it.

* A knife or nail in your pocket is enough to prevent the fairies from lifting you up at night.

* Nails in the front of a bed ward off elves from women in the straw and from their babes; but to make
quite sure it is better to put the smoothing-iron under the bed, and the reaping-hook in the window.

* If a bull has fallen over a rock and been killed, a nail stuck into it will preserve the flesh from the
fairies.

* Fairies do not like the idea of having their names known

* Some believe that if fairies know a person's name, they will do them an injury; but so long as they do not
know their name, these mischievous sprites are powerless

* Fairy Darts are flint arrow-heads, supposed at one time to have been thrown by fairies in their pranks

* Fairy Hillocks are little knolls of grass, like mole-hills, said in the good old times to be the homes of
fairies

* Fairy Loaves or Fairy Stones are fossil sea-urchins, said to be made by the fairies

* Faeries are attracted to laughter.

* Faeries seem to gather where there are children playing.

* Faeries love nature, woodland animals and tending to flowers.

* Faeries love shiny stones, like marbles.

* According to farmers, faeries love to play in straw.

* Green is the faeries favorite color. Second favorite color is red.

* Faeries love musical instruments. Their favorites are panpipes, cymbals, harps, whistles and drums.

* If you place your shoes with the toes pointing away from the bed, you can protect yourself against fairy
pranks while you sleep.

* A four leaf clover can give a person the ability to see a faerie even if they are in their invisible state.

* People born in the morning can't see spirits or the fairy world. Those born at night can see the spirits of
the dead.

* Eggshells are favorite fairy homes

* Ancient arrowheads, called elf stones, are used as a charm to guard cattle.

* Fairies never eat salt and humans who even taste unsalted faerie food have the spell put upon them
making them forgetful of their past life. If a human carried just a pinch of salt at all times, he would be
guaranteed a good meal, and a good story to tell when he returned home.

* Fairies love milk and honey and drink flower nectar as their fairy wine.

* Fairies can assume any form and can make horses out of straw.

*Everytime a fairy changes shapes he/she loses size.

* Fairies don't like humans who break taboos (known as geasas) imposed by faeries. Often a faery gift is
given with a magickally imposed prohibition attached to it. If the taboo is broken, the gift or power is
often taken away.

*The tangles we get in our hair at night are caused by fairies.

*If you dance with fairies until dawn you will never stop.

*If you step on a fairies toes while dancing you will turn to stone

* Fairies don't like the sound of bells, especially church bells. (The one exception are those bells that they
hang on their horses' harnesses.)

* Fairies really like hunting, riding in procession, and spots such as hurling. Often the faeries must bring a
mortal man to join their side in a hurling match, to give them strength.

* Fairies love playing chess, long considered a game fit for kings.
* Hawthorn trees, holly, foxglove and ragwort are dear to faeries, and they punish people who abuse them.
(They use a ragwort stalk to fly through the air.) In Northern Ireland in 1907, a farmer who had swept his
chimney with a holly bough was troubled with flying stones in his house.

* Fairies don't like being intruded upon or spied upon (they punish this severly).

* Fairies don't like theft of faery possessions by humans. Though they think it perfectly acceptable to
steal from people, they are furious if people steal from them. Similarly, they have no sense of humor if
one of their tricks gets played back on them.

* Fairies like order, tidyness, and neatness. It used to be said that a housewife who did not keep a neat
home would be pinched by the faeries in punishment.

* Fairies use dishes or buckets of clear, clean water to wash their babies. They don't like empty pails or
those filled with dirty water.

* Fairies love cake, especially if served with dishes of milk or cream.

* Fairies enjoy warm hospitality, generosity, good manners, and cheerfulness, honesty, and sincerity.
They don't like rudeness, selfishness, lack of generosity, or people who are moody or melancholy.

* Fairies like "borrowing" items from humans such as food, tools, fire, etc.

* Fairies like golden hair, particularly on beautiful young women.

* Fairies prefer bright colored clothing.

* Fairies love the sound of the crowing of a rooster.

* Fairies don't like iron. Long ago, those fearful of meeting faeries would carry a piece of iron (or steel)
with them, especially a cross or a horseshoe.

* Rue, St. Johns wort and yarrow are said to be anti-faery herbs.

* Fairies don't like lies or deceptions by humans. Even evil faeries do not lie, although they may seriously
mislead or deceive.

* Fairies don't like nagging wives or husband/wife beaters.

* Fairies don't like humans who boast of faery gifts they've recieved.

--Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 1898

--Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 1898

--The Golden Bough, 1922.