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Fairy
Lore
An introduction to the world of little people, the fae race,
and European folklore
James Matthew Barrie
(Peter, in Peter Pan, act 1)--"When the first baby laughed for the first time,
the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about, and
that was the beginning of fairies. And now when every new baby is born its first
laugh becomes a fairy. So there ought to be one fairy for every boy or girl."
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 In spite of
the fact that nature has been devastated by man, and that fairies and other
elemental spirits were compelled to hide in the jungle or in the woods, many of
them live with human beings and are willing to serve them. To communicate with
them, we should love everything that surrounds us. They may appear under certain
circumstances and on special occasions without us ever knowing it because
they have the ability to choose the form they shall appear under - which may be
similar to the very nature either as a stone, a tree, an animal, a plant or even
a human being. These beings talk, laugh, are cautious, poor, rich, wise and
crazy, just like all of us. They are the rough image of humankind, virtuous or
vicious, pure or impure, better or worse.
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Ankou(a.k.a. Death, The Grim Reaper, Father Time)
The ankou of Brittany in France but it also originates in the lore of
Cornwall and Wales and is deeply a part of Irish mythology. This fairy gets to
be part of all the elements including the fifth element spirit. This fairy is
the personification of death and so he is male, dark and has on a black robe
pulled high above his head. According to some lore, this fairy has a black cart
drawn by four black horses in which he comes by to collect the souls of the
dead. Some say the horses appear headless. They appear at dusk, and their
footsteps make no sound on the ground as they pass. Seeing them means that
either he/she or someone they love will soon die. No one ever has seen his face,
and those who have are dead. He really doesn't have in interest in humans; he
pretty much does his job. He is most active throughout the entire year therefore
he's rather busy. In some places he's not an actual fairy, in others that's all
he is. Don't go looking for him and don't try to contact him. He so busy you
can't know where to find him anyway.
http://www.efairies.com/fairy_lore.htm
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 Attracting
Faeries to your Garden
So you want to attract some faery folk to your garden or home, but
how? There are several ways to attract the wee folk to your home. First you need
to decide what type of faery you hope to attract. If you hope to attract flower
and garden faeries you need to have some of their favorite plants around. Some
of these are: Foxgloves Fairy like to make their clothing from them. Ferns these
make nice soft beds for the little guys. Apple and or Oak trees Fae often
inhabit these trees. The oak is held sacred by many of them. Tulips the faery
like to use the tulip bloom to put their babies to bed. Rosemary, heartsease,
forget-me-nots are some others. While there are many others that fairy like
these are some of their favorites. You can also build a little faery house from
twigs, stones, crystals or other items found in nature. Put a crystal on the
house to attract the faery to it. Place it in your garden and soon a faery may
make it home. Faery are attracted to bright and beautiful things. Oh and very
important, if you want to keep the wee folk around keep the cat out of the
garden!
http://www.efairies.com/fairy_lore.htm
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Attracting Faeries to Your House
How to attract a house fairy? Fairy love honey cakes, honeyed milk or
plain milk and sweet butter. Put some of the above in a bowl or plate and put
outside on a stoop or in your kitchen. Don't be dismayed should you wake in the
morning and find it still there. Though it may appear untouched, the fairy may
have taken nourishment from the food's essence. They will often leave the food
for their animal friends to enjoy. Most house fairy (elves, pixies, brownies)
are very fussy about the homes they live in. It is important to keep your home
clean and clutter free (sometimes they will lend a helping hand). They won't
stick around long if you are a foul tempered person or unpleasant to animals and
children. Most Fairies are offended by a spoken thank you. Leave them food or
trinkets as thanks. One you've offended one of the wee folk they will leave and
never return. Enjoy your small house guests. Most can be helpful and often
playful. Some are quite fond of playing pranks. A happy home is a home with
Fairy.
http://www.efairies.com/fairy_lore.htm
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 A common
feature of the fairies is the use of magic to disguise appearance. Fairy gold
is notoriously unreliable, appearing as gold when paid, but soon thereafter
revealing itself to be leaves, or gingerbread cakes, or a variety of other
useless things.
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Fairy Food
When it comes to
fairy food, we read stories to discover that mallow fruits are fairy cheeses,
and dogwood fruits are pixie pears. Little cakes are another favorite fairy
food, and if they are made with saffron, they are especially cherished since
saffron is highly valued by fairies.
http://www.efairies.com/fairy_lore.htm
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Fairy Pastimes
The most popular
pastimes of fairies are music and dancing. At night the fairies would rise from
their homes and come out to dance away the hours of darkness. They especially
love to dance in the evening of the full moon. When the morning sun begins to
rise, the fairies vanish.
Many mortals were enticed by the beauty of dancing fairies and sought to watch
them dance at night. But this was very dangerous, because if the fairies lured
and trapped a mortal, the mortal could be forced to dance all night until they
collapsed from exhaustion.
Fairy music is more melodious than human music and there are many songs and
tunes which are said to have originated from the fairies. Many pipers and
fiddlers of Europe learned their songs from the fairies.
http://www.efairies.com/fairy_lore.htm
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 Fairy
Plants
Bluebells: Fairies are summoned to their midnight revels and dances by the
ringing of these tiny flowers.
Primroses: Primroses are one key into fairyland. There is a German legend about
a little girl who found a doorway covered in flowers, and when she touched it
with a primrose, the door opened up, leading into an enchanted fairy castle.
Fern: Pixie fairies are especially fond of ferns. One story tells of a young
woman who accidentally sat on a fern, and instantly a fairy man appeared and
forced her to promise to watch over his fairy son and remain in fairyland for a
year and a day.
Foxglove: The name "foxglove" came from the words "folk's glove." Folks referred
to little people, or fairies. One legend says that fairies gave the blossoms to
foxes to wear as gloves so they would not get caught raiding the chicken coop.
According to another legend, if you picked foxglove, you would offend the
fairies. And if the fairies stole your baby, the juice of the foxglove would
help to get it back. In some stories, foxglove appears as a fairy's hat.
Foxglove can sometimes heal and sometimes hurt. It is a poisonous plant, but it
is also used as medicine to treat heart disease.
Mushrooms: Used by fairies as tables and stools.The species Amanita is the red
and white mushrooms very poisonous....
Ragwort, cabbage stalks, grass and straw: all of these were used by fairies for
transportation in the same manner as a witch uses a broom.
Saffron Crocus: The stamens from this fall flowering crocus constitute the herb
saffron. Any food prepared with saffron is a favorite fairy food. Saffron used
as a dye will turn cloth a royal gold. Such cloth is very valuable to fairies.
For example, Fairy like to make their clothing from Foxgloves. Ferns these
make nice soft beds for the little guys. Apple and or Oak trees Fae often
inhabit these trees. The oak is held sacred by many of them. The faery like to
use the tulip bloom to put their babies to bed. Rosemary, heartsease,
forgetmenots are some others.
http://www.efairies.com/fairy_lore.htm
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Faery Homes
Spring is upon us and the flowers
are blooming. Below you will find an easy faery home to make. Place it in your
garden to give your faery friends a place to reside. I like to replace the faery
home each Spring.
Making a faery house: When at all possible us all parts from nature. You can
make the house from wood or stone and as big or small as you like. If you have
access to shale, flat river stones or other flat stones, find some in the proper
scale to the house you want. Look for pebbles, acorns, pinecones, dried
grasses, leaves, sticks, twigs, etc.; anything that would look nice in building
and decorating your faery abode. You may also want a crystal; I like to use
amethyst, however, use what you like.
If you make your faery house with wood, gather twigs, sticks, moss, etc. for
floor, sides and roofing. Wrap your sticks and twigs together with green stems
or long leaves. Be sure to leave a door opening for the faery to enter. When
you have the sides of your house done, put on your roof. I like to use twigs
than place moss on top of that. (If you used glue, give the house a day or two
to set and loose its smell, for glue can be offensive to faeries.) Do not use
paint on the house! Ideal faery houses should look so natural that they are
almost hidden and a location close to the ground is best.
After you get this done start decorating the house with the acorns, pinecones,
pebbles etc in a pleasing manner. You can place some items inside the house if
you like. I attach the crystal above the door. You can use use floral wire
wrapped around a section and than attach it to one of the roof twigs. Sometimes
I will even place a trinket (faery love bright and shining things) in the house.
Do not use Iron or nickel as this repels faery.
When ready place the little faery home somewhere in your garden or flowerbeds.
Be sure and plant around some of the faery favorite flowers and plants. Call
out and let the faery know that this is a place for them. I like to place some
milk or honey cakes near the home, but don't place food if your concerned about
attracting animals.
Now you have a special place for your faery friends to visit. You can put as
many of these around as you like. I usually keep two or three around.
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Sprite Trap
A sprite trap is a
magical device used to capture troublesome or
harmful
spirits and
ghosts. These devices refer to a sprite as a
preternatural creature.
The sprite trap is created from a
blackthorn stave and copper wire that has never
carried electricity. During a
ritual process, the copper wire is bound to the
stave with red thread and the stave is marked with a Dag (or D)
rune.
Sprite traps are used at night, when the trap is set at the entrance to a
home, church, graveyard, or other location where disturbances are taking place.
To attract the troublesome entity, a cleft blackthorn stave with a lighted
candle is placed in front of the trap.
After the sprite trap has captured a spirit, it is removed from the
location and the red thread is cut with a
consecrated knife; the thread is then placed
into a prepared
witch bottle. If the bottle has been prepared
to imprison the spirit, a
spell is recited while the thread is placed in
it. Finally, the bottle is corked and sealed with red wax before being buried. A
thorn bush will be planted on the site.
It is said that if a witch's bottle containing a spirit is opened, a very
angry spirit will escape.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprite_%28creature%29
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 Fairy Ring
A fairy ring, also known as a
pixie ring, is a naturally occurring ring or arc of
mushrooms. The rings may grow over ten meters
in diameter and become stable over time as the fungus grows and seeks food
underground.
In
English folklore, fairy rings were said to be
caused by
fairies or
pixies dancing in a circle, wearing down the
grass beneath their feet.
Toads would then sit on the basidia, poisoning
them, hence the name toadstool.
In
Scandinavian folklore, these circles were
attributed to the elves and were called älvdanser, i.e. elf dances.
In
German-speaking Europe, fairy rings are known
as Hexenringe, or "witches rings", stemming from an old mediaeval belief
that the rings represented places where
witches would have their gatherings.
Another myth states that fairy rings are doors into the fairies world,
transporting people to other places, or make people appear in the same place in
a different time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy_ring
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Practical beliefs and protection
When considered as beings that a person might actually encounter, fairies
were noted for their mischief and malice. For instance, "elf-locks" are tangles
that are put in the hair of sleepers. As a consequence, practical considerations
of fairies have normally been advice on averting them. In terms or protective
charms,
Cold iron is the most familiar, but other
things are regarded as detrimental to the fairies: wearing clothing inside out,
running water, bells (especially church bells),
St. John's wort, and
four-leaf clovers, among others. In
Newfoundland folklore, the most popular type of
fairy protection is bread, varying from stale bread to
hard tack or a slice of fresh home-made bread.
The belief that bread has some sort of special power is an ancient one. Bread is
associated with the home and the hearth, as well as with industry and the taming
of nature, and as such, seems to be disliked by some types of fairies.
“The prototype of food, and therefore a symbol of life, bread was one of
the commonest protections against fairies. Before going out into a
fairy-haunted place, it was customary to put a piece of dry bread in one’s
pocket.”
In
County Wexford,
Ireland, in 1882, it was reported that “if an
infant is carried out after dark a piece of bread is wrapped in its bib or
dress, and this protects it from any witchcraft or evil.”
[2]
While many fairies will confuse travelers on the path, the
will o' the wisp can be avoided by not
following it. Certain locations, known to be haunts of fairies, are to be
avoided;
C. S. Lewis reported hearing of a cottage more
feared for its reported fairies than its reported ghost. In particular, digging
in fairy hills was unwise. Paths that the fairies travel are also wise to avoid.
Home-owners have knocked corners from houses because the corner blocked the
fairy path, and cottages have been built with the front and back doors in line,
so that the owners could, in need, leave them both open and let the fairies
troop through all night. Good house-keeping could keep
brownies from spiteful actions, and such water
hags as
Peg Powler and
Jenny Greenteeth, prone to drowning people,
could be avoided with the body of water they inhabit. It was believed that
fairies could be made visible by bending a grass leaf into a circle and 'by
looking through nature one could see into the world of nature'.
A considerable amount of lore about fairies revolves about
changelings and preventing a baby from being
thus abducted.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy
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James Matthew Barrie (Peter, in Peter Pan, act
1)--"Every time a child says, 'I don't believe in fairies,' there is a fairy
somewhere that falls down dead."
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Field Guide to
Spirits, Elements, Goblins, & Fairies
And Other
Mythical Creatures
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 Air
Spirits: Silfides
The air element, featured by intelligence, represented by Spring and Dawn
is inhabited by Sylphs in the form of butterflies. They control winds, help
birds in their migrations and flowers in their pollination. Their light yellow-
toned translucent appearance is present in the scent of wet herb threatening to
rain.
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Brownie s
A brownie, brounie/Urisk (Lowland
Scots) or ùruisg/brùnaidh/gruagach (Scottish
Gaelic) is a legendary kind of
elf popular in
folklore around
Scotland and
England (especially the north). He is the
Scottish counterpart of the
Scandinavian
tomte, the
Russian
domovoi or the
German
Heinzelmännchen. Customarily they are said to
inhabit houses and aid in tasks around the house. However, brownies do not like
to be seen and will only work at night, perhaps in exchange for small gifts or
food. They usually abandon the house if their gifts are called payments, or if
they are offered gifts of clothes (no matter how shabby their own clothes are).
In some stories, brownies have no noses.
The ùruisg had the qualities of man and spirit curiously
commingled. He had a peculiar fondness for solitude at certain seasons of the
year. About the end of
Harvest he became more sociable, and hovered
about
farmyards,
stables and cattle-houses. He had a particular
fondness for the products of the
dairy, and was a fearful intruder on
milkmaids, who made regular
libations of
milk or
cream to charm him off, or to procure his
favour. He could be seen supposedly only by those who had the
second sight, though instances where he made
himself visible to people not so gifted have been rumoured. He is said to have
been a jolly personable being with a broad blue
bonnet, flowing
yellow hair, and a long
walking staff.
Every
manor house had its ùruisg, and in the
kitchen, close by the fire was a seat, which
was left unoccupied for him. The house of a proprietor on the banks of the
River Tay was even at the beginning of the
twentieth century believed to have been haunted by this sprite, and a particular
apartment therein has been for centuries called "Seòmar Bhrùnaidh"
(Brownie’s room). When irritated through neglect or disrespectful treatment he
would not hesitate to become wantonly mischievous. He was notwithstanding,
rather gainly and good-natured rather that formidable. Though, on the whole, a
lazy, lounging
hobgoblin, he would often bestir himself on
behalf of those who understood his humours, and suited themselves thereto. When
in this mood, he was known to perform many arduous exploits in kitchen, barn and
stable, with marvellous precision and rapidity. These kind turns were done
without bribe, fee or reward, for the offer of any one of these would banish him
forever. Kind treatment was all he ever wished for, and it never failed to
procure his favour.
The brownies seldom discoursed with
man, but they held frequent and affectionate
converse with one another. They had their general assemblies too, and on those
occasions they commonly selected for their rendezvous the rocky recesses of some
remote torrent, whence their loud voices, mingling with the water’s roar,
carried to the ears of some wondering superstition detached parts of their
unearthly colloquies. In a certain district of the
Scottish Highlands, "Peallaidh an Spùit" (Peallaidh
of the Spout), "Stochdail a’ Chùirt", and "Brùnaidh an Easain" (Brownie of the
little waterfall) were names of note at those congresses, and they still live in
legends which continue to amuse old age and infancy. Every stream in
Breadalbane had an ùruisg once according
to Watson the Scottish place name expert, and their king was Peallaidh. (Peallaidh's
name is preserved in "Obair Pheallaidh", known in
English as "Aberfeldy".)
It may be the case, that ùruisg was conflated with some water sprite, or
that ùruisg were originally water sprites conflated with brownies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownie_%28elf%29
This article incorporates text from “Dwelly’s [Scottish] Gaelic
Dictionary” (1911) (Ùruisg) with corrections and additions
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 Butterfly
Faery
(Sometimes called the moss people.) They originated in Switzerland and
possibly Germany. Some are even known to have come from the Islands and Africa.
These lovely creatures have butterfly wings attached to their bodies. They come
in both female and male forms that are slender and human like. They are very
shy. Human sightings are very rare especially as more woodland areas disappear
to development. They are leery of us and avoid us when possible. They are often
mistaken for butterflies especially the Monarch. They are experts at hiding and
like to hide in mossy, dark areas. They generally don't aid humans but if they
come to trust you are good luck to have around. Should you happen upon a
butterfly faery move slowly and make no attempt to capture them. Let them know
you are a friend and mean them no harm. Look carefully the next time butterflies
visit your garden for it just may be the shy and timid butterfly faery. To have
them around is very good fortune for you.
http://www.efairies.com/fairy_lore.htm
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 Earth
Spirits
The Earth element is the most dense. It is
represented by Winter and the night. It is inhabited by Ladies, goblins, gnomes,
and trolls. They are mostly green, and have a receptive energy. Fairies or
ladies are characterized by their kindness and for being the oldest inhabitants
of the plant. They may either be imposing or tiny; their powers, however, are
incredible and dominate in nature.
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ELVES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elves
An elf is a mythical creature of Germanic
mythology/paganism which still survives in northern
European
folklore. In Norse mythology they were
originally a race of minor
gods of nature and fertility. Elves are often
pictured as youthful-seeming men and women of great beauty living in
forests and other natural places, underground,
or in wells and springs. They have been portrayed to be long-lived or
immortal and they have
magical powers attributed to them. Following
the success of
J. R. R. Tolkien's epic work
The Lord of the Rings—wherein a wise,
angelic people named
Elves play a significant role—they have
become
staple characters of modern
fantasy
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 GENERAL
FEATURES OF ELFS
All these beings are very ancient, small and according
to some, ugly. When they are standing, they have arms so long that they past
beyond their ankles. They have abundant and entangled hair, and a special talent
for evil, though there are also benevolent Elfs. They love larch roots, do not
like rain, but are fond of tempests. They have pointing ears and legs like wire.
Elfs are
huge magical beings divided into two big categories:
The
Ljsalfar, or Light Elfs;
The Dopkalfar, or Darkness
Elfs.
LIGHT ELFS
They dominate the change in
appearance, have an etereous beauty, are one of the best disposition elfs. They
are translucent and blue coloured.
There are other light elfs with
the ability to move over fire or inside wood and stone. They are called Ellefolk;
can foretell the future, sing and compose a fascinating and enraptured music.
DARKNESS ELFS
Like lobsters, they build their homes beneath
the earth. They are frequently found in houses where they prefer dark corners,
only visible at night. They may be of grey, brown, red or black colours. If a
house has locks with no keys or small cracks in the wood, Elfs shall come in
through those tiny spaces. They have many names, such as Cauchemar, Qaalruter,
Nachtmannle.
GLOOM ELFS
They are the most numerous. They may be found in trees, plants, brooks or
ponds. They are quite cautious and protected from the interference of strangers.
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Fairies
A fairy (sometimes seen as faery, faerie, or even
fae; collectively wee folk) is a
spirit or
supernatural being that is found in the
legends,
folklore, and
mythology of many different
cultures. They are generally portrayed as
humanoid in their appearance and have
supernatural abilities such as the ability to
fly, cast
spells and to influence or foresee the future.
Although in modern culture they are often depicted as young, sometimes winged,
females of small stature, they originally were
of a much different image: tall, angelic beings and short, wizened trolls being
some of the commonly mentioned fay. The small, gauzy-winged fairies that are
commonly depicted today did not appear until the 1800s.
Fairies are often depicted enchanting humans,
casting illusions to alter emotions and perceptions so as to make themselves at
times alluring, frightening, or invisible. Modern English inherited the two
terms "fae" and "fairy," along with all the associations attached to them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy
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FAE
Strictly, there should be distinctions between
the usage of the two words "fae" and "faerie." "Fae" is a noun that refers to
the specific group of otherworldly beings with mystical abilities (either the
elves (or
equivalent) in mythology or their insect-winged, floral descendants in English
folklore), while "faerie" is an adjective meaning "of, like, or associated with
fays, their otherworldly home, their activities, and their produced goods and
effects." Thus, a leprechaun and a ring of mushrooms are both faerie things (a
fairy leprechaun and a
fairy ring.),
although in modern usage fairy has come to be used as a noun.
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FAMILIAR IMPS
These are some little devil looking- goblins, not
linked to a house, but to a person to whom they assist and make him their owner.
They are linked to witchcraft.
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Fire Spirits: Salamanders
The Fire element
features both creation and destruction. It is represented by Summer, and
daylight. It is inhabited by Salamanders, Farralis and Ra-Arus, appearing as
reddish salamanders and dragons. They give the idea that with courage and
imagination everything can be done. They send forth projective energy, and
dominate the element. No fire would be ignited without their intervention.
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Gargoyles
The word "Gargoyle" shares a common root
with the word "Gargle"; which comes from "gargouille", an French
word for "Throat". A true gargoyle is a waterspout. The word “gargoyle”
is also a derivative from the Latin word, “gurgulio”, which had a double
meaning, “throat”, and the “gurgling” sound water makes as it passes through a
gargoyle. A carved creature that does not serve the purpose of a drain pipe is
frequently referred to as a "Grotesque". legend has it, that a fierce
dragon named La Gargouille described as having a long, reptilian neck, a slender
snout and membranous wings lived in a cave near the river Seine. The dragon
caused much fear and destruction with its fiery breath, spouting water and the
devouring of ships and men. Each year, the residents of Rouen would placate
Gargouille with an offering of a victim, usually a criminal, though it was said
the dragon preferred maidens. Around 600, the village was saved by St. Romanis,
who promised to deal with the dragon if the townspeople agreed to be baptized
and to build a church. Romanus subdued the dragon by making the sign of the
cross and then led the now docile beast back to town on a leash made from his
priest's robe. La Gargouille was then burned at the stake, it is said that his
head and neck were so well tempered by the heat of his fiery breath, that they
would not burn. These remnants were then mounted on the town wall and became the
model
for gargoyles for centuries to come.
http://northstargallery.com/gargoyles/aboutgargoyles.htm
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 Gnomes
Since these
elementary beings are earth spirits, they preferably work the soil and tree
roots, to which they grant power. They look like funny little old men, as they
belong to a race coming from the beginning of times. It is said that they
inhabited the lost Atlantis. These tiny creatures build their homes under aging
trees. They only go out at night and their home is lively after sunset. They are
friends of animals, they speak their same language and protect them from danger.
The best feasts are when the freezing winds blow over the woods dancing and
playing, they start to run and some prefer rain for their dances.
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GOBLINS
BEDROOM GOBLINS
 They
belong to a strange family of aggresive and individualist goblins. They cause
nightmares and choose women and children as their victims.
 DOMESTIC
GOBLINS
They live inside houses or in the surroundings. For centuries they inhabited
wild, woody, and mountainous areas, living inside caves or caverns until one of
them approached the places where human beings lived, firstly for the sake of
curiosity, then with the single objective of having fun. They appear preferably
at night. They are about 50 cm- high and resemble man. They go out at night and
love to have fun by dint of those sleeping. Even though most of them like to
bother or frighten human beings, some of them, however, love to help men in
domestic households. According to some experts, their names come from the Arabig
word duar, meaning the one who inhabites or the inhabitant.
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Green Man
A Green Man is a
sculpture,
drawing or other representation of a face
surrounded by (or made from)
leaves. Branches or
vines may sprout from the nose, mouth, nostrils
or other parts of the face, and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit. Commonly
used as a decorative
architectural ornament, Green Men are
frequently found on
carvings in
churches and other buildings (both secular and
ecclesiastical). "The Green Man" is also a
popular name for British
public houses and various interpretations of
the name appear on inn signs, which sometimes show a full figure rather than
just the head.
The Green Man
motif has many different faces and variations.
Found in many cultures around
the world, the Green Man is often related to natural vegetative deities
springing up in different cultures throughout the ages. Primarily it is
interpreted as a
symbol of rebirth, or "renaissance",
representing the cycle of growth being reborn anew each
spring. Speculatively, the
mythology of the Green Man developed
independently in the traditions of separate ancient cultures and evolved into
the wide variety of examples found throughout history.
The face is almost always male: green women are rare; green
cats,
lions and
demons are also found. On
gravestones and other
memorials, human
skulls are sometimes shown sprouting
grape vines or other vegetation, presumably as
a symbol of
resurrection (see
Shebbear, England).
Although the Green Man appears in many forms, the three most common types
have been categorised as follows:
- the Foliate Head — completely covered in leaves
- the Disgorging Head — spews vegetation from its mouth
- the Bloodsucker Head — sprouts vegetation from all facial orifices.
Superficially the Green Man would appear to be
pagan, perhaps a fertility figure or a nature
spirit, similar to the
woodwose (the wild man of the woods), and yet
he frequently appears, carved in
wood or
stone, in
churches,
chapels,
abbeys and
cathedrals, where examples can be found dating
from the
11th century through to the
20th century.
To the modern observer the earlier (Romanesque
and
medieval) carvings often have an unnervingly
eerie or numinous quality. This is sometimes said to indicate the vitality of
the Green Man, who was able to survive as a symbol of pre-Christian traditions
despite, and at the same time complementary to, the influence of
Christianity. (Rather than alienate their new
converts, early Christian
missionaries would often adopt and adapt local
gods, sometimes turning them into obscure
saints.)
Whatever his original significance may have been, many modern churchgoers
characterise the Green Man as "the
archetype of our oneness with the earth". The
symbol is also popular with modern
Wiccans and other
Neopagans because it depicts an earth-centered
concept of male divinity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_man
Many believe the greenman is related to the
pre-Christian Celtic deity
Cernunnos; others that it is simply an
expression of the forces of nature, or even a reminder that we, too, are part of
the cycle of life. There is no real evidence linking the images to any
particular philosophy, cult, or belief, although the faces are strikingly
uniform through time.
The greenman is not a strictly European phenomenon- similar images appear
in Asian, Indian, and Arabic architecture and art as well.
Whatever his origin, the Green Man is now an unmistakable mascot of the
Neopagan religious movement, where he serves as the embodiment of untamed
nature, an emblem of the male principal, and a symbol of fertility and vibrant
life energy.
http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/symbols/bldefsgreenman.htm
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Hobgoblins
Hobgoblin is a term typically applied in
folktales to a friendly or amusing
goblin.
Traditional local
fairy tales of Britain say hobgoblins were 1 or
2 feet tall, hairy, and naked or wearing brownish clothing. They lived by the
flames of the fire and rarely went outside. They were described as friendly,
impish, ugly, mischievous, good-humored, helpful, mean, grotesque, and fond of
practical jokes. If annoyed, they would turn nasty.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobgoblin
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 Hobbits
In
J. R. R. Tolkien's
legendarium, a Hobbit is an individual member
of one of the races that inhabit the lands of
Arda. According to the author, Hobbits are a
"variety"[1]
or separate "branch"[2]
of the
race of
Men, but they consider themselves a separate
race. They first appear in the book
The Hobbit, and also play a major role in
The Lord of the Rings. They are briefly
mentioned in
The Silmarillion, the work concerning
itself more with
Elves and Men.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit
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 Little
People
Little people have been part of the folklore of many
cultures in
human history, including
Ireland, the
Philippines, the
Hawaiian Islands,
Flores Island,
Indonesia, and
Native Americans.
The Native peoples of North America told legends of a race of "little
people" who lived in the woods near sandy hills and sometimes near large bodies
of water such as the Great Lakes.
Native Legends often talk of the little people playing pranks on people
such as singing and then hiding when an inquisitive person searches for the
music. It is often said that the little people love children and would take them
away from bad/abusive parents or if the child was without parents and left in
the woods to fend for themselves.
Other legends say the little people if seen by an adult human would beg
them not to say anything of their existence and would reward those who kept
their word by helping them and their family out in times of need.
From tribe to tribe there are variations of what the little people's
mannerisms were like, and whether they were good or evil may be different.
Many of the Elders still have a belief in these beings, but younger
generations tend not to believe in these stories.
One of the common beliefs is that the little people create distractions to
cause mischief. They were believed to be gods by some. One North American Native
Tribe believed that they lived in nearby caves. The caves were never entered for
fear of disturbing the little people. Another belief is that the little people's
purpose is to make humans wonder about their purpose. They were believed to feed
off of the brain waves devoted to them and in order to exist they needed a
certain amount of thought dedicated to them. They remained mysterious so people
would wonder about them. Ceremonies and feasts were held in honor of the little
people.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_people
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Sprites
The term sprite is a broad term referring to a number of
legendary creatures
such as
elves,
fairies,
dwarves, and various
spiritual beings, including
ghosts. The term is chiefly used in regard to
elves and fairies in
European folklore, and in
modern English is rarely used in reference to
spirits or other
mythical creatures. The word "sprite" is
derived from the
Latin "spiritus" (spirit). Variations on the
term include "spright" (the origin of the adjective "sprightly", meaning
"spirited" or "lively") and the
Celtic "spriggan".
The belief in diminutive beings such as
elves,
fairies,
pixies,
gnomes, Japanese
yōkai and various
Slavic fairies has been common in many parts of
the world, and might to some extent still be found within
Neo spiritual and religious movements such as "Druidry"
and
Ásatrú. The belief in spiritual beings,
particularly
ghosts, is almost universal to human culture.
Also in some elemental magics, the sprite is believed to be the Elemental
of air.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprite_%28creature%29
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Trooping fairies
These are fairies who appear in groups and might form settlements. In this
definition, fairy is usually understood in a wider sense, as the term can
also include various kinds of
mythical creatures mainly of
native British origin; however, the term might
also be used for similar beings such as
dwarves from
German folklore or
elves from
Scandinavian folklore.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy
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Water Spirits
Nymphs, Mermaids, Nereids, Naiads, Undines,and
Water Goblins. The water element featured by love and cures, represented by
Autumn and Sunset, is inhabited by nymphs, mermaids, nereids, and undines. They
appear as mythological creatures in all liquids, such as seas, rivers, fresh
water brooks, falls, and clouds. Their aspect vary depending on their habitat.
Nereids rule the seas; undines called Naiads by the Greek, are found in lakes.
They are mostly blue and a receptive energy. Like mermaids, they attract any
sailor with their songs until they wreck. They are the ones channeling natural
river beds.
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