Faery_types

There are so many different types of faeries. This little section is only an overview of a few of the different types and names of faeries that I've come across.

Asrai - They are small, delicate water faeries. Sometimes a fisherman might find one with his catch and tales are told of fishermen who chose to take the small faery with them, despite it's cries to be set free. One bound an asrai in the bottom of his boat but when it touched him the cold of it's hands marked him for life. By the time he reached the shore, the Asrai had vanished, leaving only a puddle of water behind.

Banshee - Also bean si. Irish banshees are attached to old families. If several join thier voices then someone very great can be expected to die. A banshee has long hair and a gray cloak. Her eyes are red from weeping. In Scotland the bean-nighe washes the grave clothes of those about to die, and is said to be the ghost of a woman who died prematurley.

Boggarts - Mischievous brownies, often those who have been wronged by humans. They enjoy playing tricks on humans and often cause a great deal of trouble. A farmer and his family once prepared to leave thier home because they had been so tormented by a boggart. Upon learning that the boggoart intended to leave with them, they decided to stay, feeling that it was better to suffer it's tricks in thier own home than in a new one. Eventually it grew tired of it's mischief about that farm and moved on.

Brownies - Known also as the Welsh Bwca, and the Highland Bodach, one of the most well known of the fearie folk. A Brownie is generally a small man no more than a yard high, dressed in brown clothes, who often come out at night to attend to work that is left unfinished. They can become quite devoted to thier household, performing a variety of chores about the farm and providing good counsel if needed. Thier devotion to thier master might also make them unpopular with the servants, whom they might punish for wrongdoing. In return for thier help they expect only a bowl of cream and a cake for them. And offer of reward or clothing will drive the brownie away.

Changelings - One of the most enduring habits of the faeries has been thier desire for human children. Sometimes after stealing a child they would leave a stock of wood, given the likeness of the child with faery glamour. The illusion would soon go away and the "child" would be buried with no-one left the wiser. Most frequently it was a faery child, or an ancient faery willing to be fed and cared for by a human "foster mother" whom replaced the child. Sometimes parents could recover thier children by tricking the changeling into revealing it's age by setting up empty eggshells and pretending to brew in them. This would surprise the old faery so that he would reveal his true nature.

Coblynau - Welsh mine goblins. Small, grotesque creatures about eighteen inches tall, otherwise dressed much as miners. Unlike some faeries they are good natured, and it is very fortunate to see or hear one as thier knocking in the mines will show where a rich load of ore might be found. Although the coblynau seem to be quite busy with thier work, they are only going through the motions, accomplishing nothing.:(

Daoine Sidhe - The heroic faery race of Ireland, sometimes known as the Gentry or the Good People. They are the faery of medieval romance, of human size and shining beauty who spent thier time pursuing the pastimes of the medieval nobility. Thier homes were made under the hills and lakes, in the land of Tir Nan Og. Among the Faery Kings was Finvarra, who is sometimes thought to be the Kind of the Dead.

Ellyllon - Tiny Welsh faeries, who are fond of toadstools and faery butter. Often they will perform helpful tasks around the house much like the brownies.

Elves - Generally refers to the Scandinavian faery folk, divided into light Elves and dark elves. In Scotland, faeries of human size were often known as elves, and thier land is Elfame. In England, the people referred to small faeries as elves, although the name was not felt to be flattering by the faeries themselves.

*Pixies - Pixies (Pigsies or Pikies) are faeries from Northren England. They are said to be small, winged faeries with large heads, pointed ears, and noses, and arched eyebrows. They wear hats made from the tops of toadstools or foxglove plants, and are attracted to gardens in bloom. They also love coming together for gatherings where they play and dance. They do not seek out humans normally but when they take a liking to someone, they help them with their home and/or farm. They do, hoever, enjoy playing pranks on people and are especially fond of misleading ravlers. When you become "Pixie-led" the spell can be broken by turning your coat inside out.

*Leprechauns - Come to be the term used for all Irish faeries, it origianlly seems to have been reserved for solitary faeries, who are often seen working on one shoe. They are tricksters who like to play pranks on humans. They are fond of dancing, whiskey, and Irish folk music. Some of the folklore associated with them is well known such as the pot o' gold which one can obtain by tricking him. Various methods, such as an unblinking stare, are supposed to give one power over them.

*Dwarfs - Generally refers to the Scandinavian faery folk, divided into light Elves and dark elves. In Scotland, faeries of human size were often known as elves, and thier land is Elfame. In England, the people referred to small faeries as elves, although the name was not felt to be flattering by the faeries themselves.

*Gremlins - Gremlins are technological faeries and they are associated, though not exclusively, with airplanes. Traditional faeries, who are usually though of as nature spirits, are said to dislike technology, but Gremlins seem to have adapted do the modern age. Some say they are air spirits, others say that they live underground around airfields. While the descriptions vary, they are ususally pictured being a foot tall, green in color, and having large, fuzzy ears and webbed feet (to cling to airplane wings). They sometimes go about naked, while at other times, they are clothed like aviators, with suction cups on the bottoms of thier boots.