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Faerie Encyclopedia
Aine - She is a faerie goddess, sister to Fennine, daughter to Egogabal who was a king of the Tuatha de Danann. The Earl of Desmond fell in love with her when he saw her sitting by Lough Gur. He captured and married her. Their son was Earl Fitzgerald. The Earl of Desmond's taboo was that he could never show that he was surprised by anything his sone did. Unfortunately he couldn't hold to it when he saw his son jump in and out of a bottle. His son fled in the form of a wild goose and Aine disappeared into Knock Aine. Angiaks - children of the living dead of Eskimo lore. In hard times, unwanted babies were taken out into the snow by tribal elders to die of exposure. Unless the tribe would move to a new hunting ground, they would often find themselves haunted by this small, miserable ghost. Arkan Sonney - Fairy pigs on the Isle of Man, they're also known as "Lucky Piggy." Fairy pigs are supposed to bring good luck if one is to capture it. Asparas - Usually female, also known as sky-dancers. They bless humans at important stages in their lives, and are often seen at weddings. They live in fig trees and sometimes appear to scholars or scientists, seduce and exhaust them, making sure they don't venture into areas that the spirit world deems unfit. The Asrai - small, delicate female faeries who melt into a pool of water when captured or exposed to sunlight Aughisky - pronounced " Agh-iski "; They are the Irish version of the Each-Uisge. Awd Goggie - A type of Bogie (see this page ). He haunts forests and orchards, and kidnap children. Wise children will stay away from orchards when unsupervised lest Awd Goggie get them. Banshee - actually should be spelled Bean Si . The Scots call her Bean-Nighe (see below ). She's an Irish death spirit. Their keening fortells a death. They have very long, flowing hair and wear green dresses with grey cloaks. Their eyes are bright red because of their continuous weeping. Barguest - A kind of Bogie. It has horns, dangerous teeth and claws, and fiery eyes. It can take many forms, but usually is a shaggy black dog. Upon the death of a prominent figure, it rounds up all the dogs in the community and leads them on a procession through the streets, howling. Bauchan - also Bogan. A type of Hobgoblin. Like most faeries, they are fond of tricks, sometimes are dangerous, and sometimes are helpful. The Bean-Nighe - pronounced " ben-neeyah "; type of Banshee around streams in Scotland and Ireland. She washed bloodstained clothing of people who will soon die. 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. Bendith y Mamau - pronounced " ben-dith uh momay "; Carmarthenshire (Wales) name for fairies, translates to "Mother's Blessing". Phrase is used as a prayer to protect from evil. Black Annis - She is a Hag; however she is unique in that she is a cannibal. Blue Men of the Minch - They dwell in the strait between Long Island and the Shiant Islands. They are responsible for sudden thunderstorms and shipwrecks, but their ship-sinking attempts may be thwarted if you are an adept rhymer. Some think they may be fallen angels. Bodach - also Bugbear or Bug-A-Boo. They slide down chimneys to kidnap naughty children. Boggart - Brownies that have turned evil. Bogie - This is the generic name for some different types of Goblins. Their temperments range the spectrum from benign to malevolent. Bogles - They are a form of Goblin and are generally nasty in temperment. However, they prefer to inflict their evil deeds upon liars and murderers. Bokwus - A fearsome spirit in the great northwestern American spruce forests. He is only seen in glimpses, but has been seen wearing totemic face paints. Hunters are very aware of his presence. He likes to push fishermen off the banks to drown, taking teh victim's soul to his home in the forest. Brahmadaityas - the benign ghosts of Brahmin priests; they ahve four faces and four hands. They guard their master against Shiva, the destroyer, and although they are kind toward humans, should one chop down the palm tree in which one of them lives, the offender's neck will be snapped like a twig. The Brown Man of the Muirs - He is the protector of wild animals. The Brownie - They are typically a tiny, shaggy-looking man with wrinkled brown skin. They are approximately 25 inches tall. They are usually either naked or their brown clothing is in extremely bad condition. Brownies like to adopt houses which they look after. They come out at night to finish small chores, look over the cattle. If there is a lazy servant in the home, he might choose to plague him for it. All Brownies expect in return is a bowl of cream or good milk and a honey cake. Never leave clothes and never leave too much food. They find this offensive and will leave. Care should be taken not to criticize their work. When one farmer criticized the mowing job, the Brownie responsible threw the entire crop over a cliff. The Bwca - They are the Welsh version of the Brownie (see above). They have slightly nastier tempers and are prone to tantrums if their work is criticized. They also despise tattletales and people with long noses. Cluricaun - He's a Leprechaun after he's finished work for the day. Cluricauns raid wine cellars and torture sheep and dogs by riding them like horses in the moonlight. Coblynau - (also Koblernigh) They are Welsh mine faeries, similar to Knockers. They are considered good omens since the location of their mining usually precedes the discovery of ore there. CORRIGAN Cururipur - A powerful South American spirit who owned the jungle and tortures tortoise hunters since the tortoises are his friends. DAOINE MAITHE Daoine Sidhe - This is the name assumed by the Tuatha de Danann when the Milesians drove them underground. Their King is Finvarra, who to this day hold court in his palace beneath the faerie hill of Knockma. They are skilled chess players, and no human has ever beaten Finvarra in a game. Finvarra is a womanizer, frequently kidnapping human women. The Daoine Sidhe are also quite fond of hurling. (Hurling is an odd cross between field hockey and lacrosse, as many of you have told me. Thanks!) DEVAS Duergar - These are a malicious form of Dwarf (see below) from Northern England. They revel in tricking people into dying. Dwarfs - They are short, usually bearded and appear to be very old. Their aged appearance seems to be caused by the fact that they reach maturity at age three. They exist mainly in the mountains of Scandinavia and in mines in Germany. They are sensitive about showing their feet since they are usually deformed in some way. If you are curious of their feet, the only way to get an idea is to put flour, ash, or something of that sort in their path and to look at their footprints. Dwarves can't be above ground during the day since sunlight turns them to stone. Some say they exist as toads during the day and assume their familiar dwarvish form at night. Each-Uisge - pronounced " Ech-ooshkya "; They are similar to the Kelpie, but far more dangerous. They inhabit lochs and seas and will eat their victims after tearing them into pieces, except for the liver, which they leave. If they are ridden inland, they are safe to ride, but if they catch the slightest whiff of the sea air... Ekimmu - One of the uttuku, evil or vengeful spirits of the ancient Assyrians, the ekimmu appeared wailing and crying outside a home to signal an impending death, much like a Banshee. ELEMENTALS Ellyllon - Welsh Elves who feed on toadstools. Their queen is Mab. They are smaller than the Tylwyth Teg. Elves - They're the Scandinavian version of faeries, complete with two classes, light and dark, like the Seelie and Unseelie. The Danish elves are beautiful from the front, but hollow when seen from behind. The Danish elves also like stealing dough other human foods. In Scotland, elves were faeries of human size. England called trooping faeries elves, especially small faerie boys.
The Fachan - Faeries from the Western Highlands of Scotland. I have not found any other information, but the artist's rendition in the Froud and Lee book shows a creature with only one eye, hand, and leg. (Two ears, though.) Feeorin - This word can be used as a collective word for faeries. It usually indicates small green faeries, almost always with red caps. They love dancing and music. They are thought to be more or less friendly to humans, and have given warnings to them. The Fenoderee - He is a type of Brownie from the Isle of Man. He is enthusiastic about helping the farmers, but isn't all that bright. The Fenoderee once was tricked into trying to fetch water with a sieve. The Fenoderee was at one time a handsome member of the Ferrishyn (the faerie tribe of Man), but he was exiled and his good looks taken when he missed the Autumn festival to court a human girl. FETES Fir Darrig - pronounced " fear dearg "; They like fairly gruesome practical jokes. Be nice to them or you may be on the receiving end of one. Foawr - They are Manx stone-throwing giants. They often ravish cattle. Nasty beings, they are... Gans - Apache Indian shamen offer prayers to the Gans, asking them to drive evil spirits away and to attract good fortune. Ghillie Dhu - He is a solitary Scottish faerie who can be found amongst birch thickets. He is clothed with leaves and moss. The Glaistig - She is a water faerie, a beautiful seductress with the body of a goat which she hides under a long billowy green dress. She lures men to dance with her, then feeds like a vampire on their blood. She can be benign as well, often tending children and the elderly or herding cattle for farmers. Goblins - They are somewhat malicious little creatures. They can appear as animals. They are thieves and villains and count the dead among their companions. They like to tempt people with faerie fruits. They're not truly completely evil, however. Mine goblins make knocking noises where they know there are rich deposits of ore. To avoid the Knockers' wrath, a pastie (traditional miner meal) should be left for them. The Green Lady of Caerphilly - She haunts ruined castles, and often appears as ivy. GUILLYN VEGGEY Gwragedd Annwn - pronounced " Gwrageth anoon "; They are beautiful Welsh water faerie maidens who sometimes marry humans. Gwyllion - The Gwyllion are one of my favorite types of faeries. They are Welsh mountain faeries whose only known occupation in to sit amongst the rocks along mountain paths and stare evilly at those passing by, creeping the travellers out. For some reason I find that incredibly cool. Hags - They are the personification of winter in the British Isles, and are thought to be the remnants of the most ancient godesses. Some hags turn from hideously ugly (their usual state) to breathtakingly beautiful at the turn of winter to spring. Hathors - Nature spirits of Egyptian mythology. When a child is born, seven Hathors gather to plan the life of the child. The Hathors are often portrayed as the sky-goddess Hathor, goddess of beauty, love, marriage, and childbirth. She often takes the form of a gigantic cow. Hobgoblin - They have a bad reputation since the Puritans used their name to refer to wicked Goblin spirits, but they're really a sort of friendly Brownie. They are helpful at times, but like practical jokes. But don't annoy them or they can become nasty. Huacas - Incan myth speaks of Huacas, stone forms of sprits or divine beings who watched over fields. Hyter Sprites - They are faeries from East Anglia. They are able to appear as sand martins (a type of bird). Jack-In-Irons - He is a giant from Yorkshire who haunts lonely roads. Jenny Greenteeth - She is the Yorkshire River version of Peg Powler. (More information there.) Jimmy Squarefoot - His appearance is said to be frightening, but he is actually harmless. Jungle Spirits - The Amazons believed in an amazing variety of ogres, demons, and powerful spirits, often shaped like animals. Some were ghosts of the dead. They also regarded birds as demonic spirits who battled with dead spirits. Kachina - Ancestor spirits of the Pueblo Indians in North America. The Hopi also believed in kachinas, believing them to be the souls of virtuous dead people. The Kelpie - They are Scottish water faeries. Usually they are seen as young horses, but sometimes they appear as hairy men. They haunt rivers and streams, letting men mount them and then riding off into the water, dunking them. (See also Each-Uisge.) The Killmoulis - He is an ugly Brownie who haunts mills. He has an enormous nose and a missing mouth. He eats by stuffing the food into his nostrils. He works for the miller but he plays pranks so often he is often more of a nuisance than a help. Knockers - see Goblins Koblernigh - see Coblynau. Kobolds - These are the German version of Knockers. They are known for causing problems for the miners and undoing their progress. To keep the miners guessing, they occasionally help them. Kubera - King of the Yakshas, the god of wealth. Usually depicted as a dwarfish figure with a paunch, bearing a money bag or pomegranate and seated on a man. Kul - A water spirit of the Eskimos in the Arctic, Kul may be malevolent but generally helps the Northern peoples with their fishing. As a show of gratitude, it is customary to offer him some of the fish caughts at the beginning of the season. The Lady of the Lake - She is a faerie whose palace is hidden by the illusion of a lake. Lamas - Kind, protective spirits of ancient Chaldea, the lamas supervised the welfare of mortals and were usually femalw. Most ofetn, a winged, hybrid creature. Leanan-Sidhe - Leprechauns - This Irish faerie is always seen alone. He can be found happily working on a single shoe under a dock leaf or a hedge. They are very cunning, an it is difficult to get them to let on to the location of their amazingly well-hidden pots of gold, since to do so you must see the Leprechaun before he sees you. Leprechauns usually wear a three-cornered hat, and have been seen spinning on them like tops. The Little People of the Passamaquoddy Indians - There are two kinds: the Nagumwasuck and the Mekumwasuck. They're both two to three feet tall and ugly. The Passamaquody Indians live close to teh Canadian border, by the way. The Nagumwasuck are closely involved with their humans, often singing sadly when there is a death in the tribe, and they dance at weddings. They are self-conscious of their ugliness, and it is near fatal to laugh at them. The Mekumwasuck live in the woods and dress outlandishly. Their faces are covered with hair. They are the guardians of the Catholic Church. If a Mekumwasuck looks directly at you, you either die or acquire a contagious disease of some sort. Lunantishess or Lunantishee - They are the tribe which guards blackthorn bushes. They will never allow a stick to be cut on Noverber 11th or May 11th. If you manage to cut a stick on those days, you will experience misfortune. Mab - She is the traditional queen of the faeries. I have a poem about her. Mazikeen - also known as the shideem or shehireem, these Jewish faeries know much of magic and enchantment. They were born when Adam and Eve were excommunicated for 130 years for eating of the tree of knowledge. Female spirits lay with Adam, and male spirits with Eve, and of these unions were born the Mazikeen. They are a rank between men and angels. They have wings and canfly, tell the future, and like to feast and drink, marry and have children. They can also shapeshift.
Merrows - They are the Irish merpeople. They wear red feather caps. If their caps are stolen, they can't return to the depths of the sea where they live. Female merrows are beautiful and to see one is an omen of a storm, but they are benevolent and often fall in love with fishermen, probably because the male merrows are so repulsive. Males are, however, generally friendly. They often come ashore in the form of small hornless cattle. Mumiai - best known for persecuting peasants, especially those of the lowest castes, who had stolen from their neighbors or demonstrated their dirty habits. The Mumiai toss their belongings in the air, break their pottery and trample on their gardens, finally forcing them to move out of their villages. Muryans - It's the Cornish word for "ant" - strange, I know. They are the souls of those sent to Purgatory. Their souls dwindle in size until they are the size of ants. Then they disappear, and no one knows where they go after that. So never step on ants. You could be stepping on your Great-Great-Great Aunt Wanda. Nagas - Nagas are human from the waist up and snake from the waist down and are often seen wearing hooded canopies or with seven or more heads. Both sexes are extraordinarily beautiful and several royal Indian families claim to be descended from them. They bite humans who are evil or destined to die prematurely. Buddhists regard them as minor deities and door guardians. Nuckelavee - He is a horrible Scottish sea faerie who appears as a gigantic horse with legs that are part flipper, a gigantic mouth and blazing, evil eyes. Rising from its back is a hideous torso with arms that nearly reach the ground and it appears that its neck is too weak to support its monstrous head. It has no skin, exposing black blood in yellow veins, white sinews, and strong red muscles. He hates fresh running water, so if you are ever chased by him, just find a stream and cross it. Oannes - Fish-headed beings from another world, these were considered to be sea-gods by the ancient Chaldeans. Oannes lived among men by day, building the great Sumerian civilization and teaching art, science, and religion, while at night they returned to the Persian Gulf to swim in the ocean. Ohdows - a race of small, well-formed people with the features of the Native Americans who live underground in North America. They use their magic to subdue the earth spirits who cause earthquakes.
Peg Powler
- She inhabits the River Trees. She is a green water Hag with long hair and
sharp teeth. She is fond of grabbing the ankles of those who stand too close to
or wade into the water and pulling them underwater to drown. Fear of her was
written into a popular Mother Goose rhyme:
The People of the Hills - English faeries who live under green mounds. Phooka - This is an Irish Goblin who appears as a variety of beasts. Sometimes he appears as a dog, a bull, a horse, or an eagle and he is almost always black with blazing eyes. He is fond of offering rides to weary travellers, appearing to be a kind, docile pony, but then takes them for the wildest ride of their lives once they have mounted and soon after dumps them headfirst into an undesirable locale. Pixies - Green faeries who often take the form of hedgehogs. They are also known as urchins, pisgies, piskies, and pigseys. They originated in Cornwall. They like to dance in the shadows of stones. Their bells are often heard on the moor. They like to steal horses and torture them to get them to run faster. They delight in throwing pots and pans at kitchen girls. They usually mean no harm, however. Beware of doing pixies favors, for they have a tendency to backfire. Plant Rhys Dwfen - They're a tribe of faeries who inhabit a small invisible land. It is invisible because of a certain herb that grows on it. They are beautiful people, quite short, and they are fond of outbidding at Cardigan auctions. They are honest in their dealings, and kind to people who are kind to them. POOKA Portunes - They are small agricultural faeries who work on human farms by day, and spit-roast frogs by night. They are generally very old men with wrinkled faces and patched coats. However kind they are, they have a weakness for grabbing the bridles of horses whom men are riding alone at night and leading them into ponds, laughing. Puck - He is a mischievous, shape-shifting Hobgoblin, made famous by Shakespeare. He is also associated with the Pwca (maybe a/k/a Pooka) and the Phooka. Rakshasas - shapeshifting demon-goblins. They can appear as mosters, animals, or beautiful women to seduce holy men and then eat them. They have side tusks, ugly eyes, curling awkward brows, bull's heads, bloated bellies, tangled hair, and nackward pointing hands. They can cause leprosy, raise the dead, and regenerate severed limbs. Ravana - the ten-headed, twenty-armed king of the Rakshasas, Ravan ruled in the kingdom of Lanka (possibly Sri Lanka) until he was killed by Rama. He was once imprisoned in a mountain for a thousand years, but he can only be destroyed by a mortal. He was finally killed after kidnapping Sita, Rama's wife, when Rama and his army of Indian faeries stormed his castle. Redcap - He is one of the most evil Goblins. He inhabits ruined towers, especially those that have a history of evil. His red cap is dyed with human blood. Unseelie Court - Hails from Scotland. They are the opposite of the Seelie Court, being malicious and completely evil. Usually seen around twilight fly around kidnapping people who happen to be in their way. The victims are dragged, beaten and forced to help them in their path of destruction. Urisk - He is a solitary Scottish faerie who haunts pools. He's very lonely and tries to find a friend among the humans, but they run from him since he looks somewhat frightening. Virikas - Never more than eighteen inches tall, these unpleasant spectral entities can be recognized by their flaming red color and their horribly pointed, bloodstained teeth. They gather outside the homes of men soon to die and jabber excitedly. To prevent this, people can erect a small shrine in their honor and burn daily gifts of flowers and spices for them. The Water Leaper - They prey on Welsh fishermen. (Artist drew it to look somewhat like a toad with bat's wings and a snake-like, barb-ended tail.) The White Ladies - Many explanations for White Ladies exist. One is that they are the direct descendants of the Tuatha de Danann. Another is that they are merely ghosts. The name "Guinevere" means "white phantom". Wichtlein - This is a Southern German faerie who announces the death of a miner by tapping three times. Digging and other miner imitations are warning of pending disaster. Will O' the Wisp - No one is quite sure what these distant floating balls of flame are, but they are generally associated with and are sometimes thought of as faeries in the British Isles. They are sometimes thought to be the souls of children who have died and like to cause mischief. Yakshas - Benevolent nature spirits; they are the guardians of tresures hidden in the earth and the roots of trees. Their ruler is Kubera, who lives on a mountain in the Himalayas. They are deities of cities, districts, lakes, and wells, and are thought to have originated from a cult of the ancient Dravidians. Yumboes - Located on Goree Island, south of the Cape Verde Peninsula in Senegal, West Africa. They are two feet tall with pearly skin and silver hair. They are also called the "Bakhna Rakhna" which translates to "The Good People." They enjoy dancing and feasting by moonlight and live in magnificent subterranean dwellings in the Paps, groups of hills about three miles from the coast. Guests to their homes report lavishly decorated tables and sevants invisible except for their hands and feet. They like to eat fish.
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"Mother, may I go out to swim?"
