Long have the tales of fairies circulated over the wide world. These tales have adhered especially well in the British isles. Norse mythology is well worth looking at if you are interested in further study, however this page will deal mostly with the fairy stories of Ireland. The tales varied greatly from place to place. But still, even today, there are stories about the “gentle folk” who “love wild nature” and should not be crossed (Mac Manus – EF 8). Here is written a brief overview of the fairy world – what they looked like, how they interacted with humans, and who the wee folk really were.

Most fairy stories involve humans interacting with the fairies, and this interaction could range broadly from good to destructive. Several kinds of places were associated with the fairies. Hills were mystical and often men would see a vision of a fairy woman on the hill (Wentz 296). It was believed that the musicians would go to the fairies and be taught to be the best (299). It was said that in the 16th Century Hugh O’Neil stopped at a rath to gain the help of spirits in battle (34). In the Taín Bó Cuailuge Cuchulainn comes under the influences of the war goddesses. There are three goddesses who act as fairy women, each having their own purpose. Neman delights in confusing men on the battlefield so that the kill each other. Macha “is a fury that riots and revels among the slain” (302). And Morrigu steadies Cuchulainn’s nerves and guides his spear. In the Book Of Leinster the Tuatha De Danann could make men more fearsome on the battlefield. It seems they could give the warriors their battle rage. At the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 AD the Irish were fighting against the Danes. The Irish heroes were visited on the eve of battle by a fairy woman. This woman foretold that they would die in the battle (305).             

Much of the fairy interaction is symbolic, or only implied. Fairies are thought to take the form of a crow. If a crow rests on a house it often means death or misfortune for a family member (Wentz 304). This same duty is assigned to the fairy woman, or banshee. Fairies also had their own trees. It is not unusual in Ireland to think of a single thorn bush as being “under fairy protection” (MacManus – MK 51). The earthen folk also liked the hazel, black thorn, bourtree, twisted mountain oak, Scots fur, and especially the white thorn – to name a few. If these trees grew in or near a fairy fort, they were definitely enchanted (52). If three thorn trees would grow in an “L” or “V” pattern they were very dangerous places where the fairies wielded much power (61).             

The island in the Western Ocean, commonly associated with the Otherworld, was also a place for fairies. It was said that Manannan MacLir had his palace on this island and could travel between the island and Ireland. The fairy women from the island would also come in boats to steal human men away (Wentz 333). It was also believed that the Fairy Queen of the Otherworld could give a silver apple branch to those she wanted to come with her to the island before death had taken them (336). The idea of this Western Island corresponds nicely with the Undying Lands of the Elves - of Tolkein’s design. This shows how important fairy lore has been, even in the 20th Century.            

Fairies did not only torment humans, however. They had kings and queens and waged their own wars against each other. This can be seen in the tale of the Battle of Moytura. Here the Tuatha de Dannan (who are commonly thought to be fairies [Wentz 27] ) are seen as good, and the Formorians as bad. The battle raged and ended, but humans were never mentioned. The fairies also had the ability to assume other forms, and were subject to enchantments. They are supposed to posses eternal youth, and have their own music and feasts (305). The fairies could even interbreed with humans. One example of this is the seal folk. The woman ( today popularly called a mermaid) could remove her seal skin or fish tale and come ashore. Here she could have children and often the story tells of her seeing this seal skin again and having an undeniable urge to return to the sea (Mac Manus – MK 21). In the old folklore the Sidhe (hill people) controlled the spirits of the air, and the “gods of light” could control nature (307). This seems to set a hierarchy of fairy and earthen folk. Mac Manus states that originally “the Great Ones of Irish paganism lived in high places… they were earth-free” as opposed to earth bound. The minor spirits lived in the earth, and these creatures are now called fairies (MK 23). There are different kinds of fairies in folklore. One kind is the heroic fairy – which is human sized. They inhabit various archeological sites. It was also said that in their Fairyland time passed differently than in the human world (Packer 21). There were also trooping fairies. These were the rulers and were generally helpful to humans. However, they still had a mischievous side. They could “use elf-shot against cattle” and steal babies. The were kept at bay with fairy stones or iron (22). And there were the humble fairies – the brownies and hobgoblins. They wore ragged clothes and could perform simple household tasks (23).             

There are several theories on who the fairies were. One theory is that the fairies are the souls of the dead, and Fairyland is where they wait for the “Last Judgement” (Packer 30). In Cornwall it is believed that they were pre-Christian souls who wander the earth, getting smaller and smaller until they disappear(31). In Ireland it is widely believed that the fairies are fallen angels. They were cast out of Heaven, but not evil enough to be confined to Hell. They are often said to envy mankind because humans may enter Heaven again someday, while the fairies see no possible way back for themselves (Mac Manus – MK 24). MacRitchie’s theory states that the fairy spirits may be an actual race of pigmies which were driven into hiding in caves and earthen mounds (32). However, fairies are often described as being quite tall as well as short, so this theory does not hold much water. Another theory is that these stories were simply a way for the ancients to explain the unexplainable. Or perhaps they were the old pagan gods slowly being phased out (33). Some believe that stories about dwarfs were actually about real Picts. Combining these Picts with nature spirits created fairy folktales (Wentz 235). Fairy stories have come a long way - from the battlefield and raging fairy women, to Tinkerbell. The old fairy stories have survived for centuries, and hopefully will last for many more to come. These once powerful spirits who were respected and feared in medieval times should not be reduced to girly sprites flitting about the flowers. They are a great part of the heritage of the British Isles.
             Works Cited
Bunce, John Thackray. Fairy Tales : Their Origin and Meaning. Macmillan and Co. London 1878
Mac Manus, Diarmuid. Irish Earth Folk. The Devin-Adair Comp. NY 1959.
Mac Manus, Diarmuid. The Middle Kingdom. Colin Smythe, Buckinghamshire, 1973. Call # GR550.m24 1973
Ó hEochaide, Seán. Fairy Legends from Donegal. University College, Dublin, 1977. Call # GR153.6.d66 F34
Packer, Alison. Fairies in Legend and the Arts. Cameron and Tayleur Limited, London, 1980.
Wentz, W.Y. Evans. The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries. M.A. Stanford Univ. CA, USA, 1911 Call # 900.w44 1981