Fairies
Ah, the wee folk, little people, elves, dwarfs, pixies, gnomes and the like. They are
everywhere and by all different names do have the same effect on people.
Faires, feys, have been traced back for centuries. What is amazing to me
is that they have been seen throughout the world and this occurs as
I write this.
Examples follow:
| Russia |
| Cherokee |
| France |
| Scandinavia |
| Germany |
| Switzerland |
| Ireland |
| Iceland |
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These are just a few-although living conditions are so different, the myth or fact of
a spirit, wee person, faith in the unseen, DOES exist.
Much of the information gathered here is from the book: CELTIC MAGIC BY D.J.COWAY
The earlier name was Fays. The term fairy now covers Anglo-Saxon elves, the Daoine Sidhe of the
Highlands, the Tuatha De Danann of Ireland, the Tylwyth Teg of Wales, the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, the Wee Folk, Good Neighbors, and many more. Some fairies are friendly, others wild and alien
to humans. The subterranean fairies are those who live in locks, lakes, streams, or the sea.
While many fairies prefer to live in bands, large and small, there are also individual fairies who live alone. These individual fairies usually do not dress as grandly as those of the bands. The lone fairies wear different outfits of fox skins, leaves, green moss, flowers, moleskins, or cobwebs.
Fairies vary in size from diminutive to 18 inches. Others are 3 or 4 feet tall, while some are of human
size or larger size.
In Ireland, the men of the Trooping Fairies, the Daoine Sidh and the Shefrom wear green coats and red
caps, while the women were green gowns and red shoes. Fairies love finery; they add feathers to their
caps, decorate their gowns with gold spangles and wear small coronets, sometimes of pearls. Some of the men wear yellow breeches. Elves traditionally wear green, while the fairies of Manx like blue. White is another color that occasionally appears in fairy descriptions. Whatever their preference in clothing, they tend to dress in the costumes of the country in which they live.
Fairies require food and sleep, are liable to disease and can be killed. They spin and weave within
their communities. Fairies have their fairs, hunts, markets, processional rides, games, inter-clan
warefare (in Ireland) and revels. Hurling is a particular sport of the Irish fairies. Their horses are often
speckled grey and shaggy. Fairies distinctly do not like humans spying on them...JG Campbell in his book Superstitions of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, they have banquets of roots of silverweed,
stalks of heather, milk or red deer and goats, barley meals, bread, mushrooms, honey and dew.
Fairies are quite fond of music and dancing. Among their musical instruments are the panpipes,
bagpipes, cymbals, tambourines, harps, whistles, and drums. The music of Londonderry Air is said
to have been learned from fairies.
Fairies tend to guard their real names, instead giving false ones to humans. Some are also capable of shape-shifting into birds to escape capture. Fairies often use glamour (spells) when encountering humans; in Ireland these spells are called pishogue(pish-ogue)
There are a number of ways to protect yourself from unfriendly fairies. All prairies have a dislike of cold
iron. Jumping over running water will stop their pursuit. Using bread and salt, bells, iron horseshoes,
whistling, snapping the fingers, or turning the clothes will also deter them. Herbs they do not like
are St. Johnswort, red verbena, daisies, rowan or mountain ash. The the strongest plant against them is the four-leaf clover. This protects against fairy glamour. It is said that one can see fairies readily
by looking through a stone with a natural hole in it.
Fairies value neatness, the ability to keep secrets and generosity among humans. They also like humans to leave out fresh water for washing their babies, and enjoy an offering of milk, bread and cheese.
Elphame is a Scottish version of the Norse word Alfheim, country of the elves, or Fairyland. It is said that those who are phychic can see fairies travel abroad and change their residences at Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnassadh, and Samhain. In Scottish witchcraft, the high priestess of the coven was called the Queen of Elphame.
Both the Welsh and Irish called the fairies The Mothers and considered Fairyland the Land of Women.
This may harken back to the fact that the Celtic peoples were originally a matriarchal society.
In the Book of the Dun Cow, a fairy queen describes her realm under the earth. Although most Celtic fairies tend to live in hills, brughs, or barrows, some live in the deep woods and in lakes. Their favorite
hour is twilight, between day and night. It is said that one can open a door into a fairy hill be
walking around it three times counterclockwise.
Green is the favorite fairy color in Celtic countries with red next. Because of this preference, green came to be associated with death among the Celts. Fairies have been described as having hair of
red, brown, black or blonde. The women wear it long.
Many of these countries referred to the wee folk as she. They can range
in size from 7" up until 7 feet tall or more.
Some of these fairies are green and so forth, while others
seem to have their feet twisted on backwards.
Some are beautiful and some grotesque.
All are said to bring good fortune unless, treated in an
unkind fashion or like ourselves-cornered.
The Cherokee believed that the little people were spirits from
before the beginning of man himself. They show much respect for them.
Many times, speaking and seeing the tiny footprints in the snow but
never to follow for fear of being pelted with stones or worse
fall under a spell.
Living quarters differ as to the nature of the enviroment.
Some little elves live in the trunks of trees.
Some in the mountains and some in the valleys.
Others still lived under the rocks..
Some lived in the kitchens behind the hearth.
This would be similar to the household brownie a
giver of household spirit.
I believe in mystery and miracles and the magic of a new day.
I believe in angels and natural wonders and beauty inside people.
I believe in rainbows and happy endings
and dreams-come-true.
I believe in a bright and shining tomorrow ahead for you.
I BELIEVE IN THE WEE FOLKS.
Lets jump right in here with the fairiies from D.J.Conways
book.
BEAN SIDHE/BEAN-SIDHE
(ban-shee) Ireland Women Fairy; not actually a deity, but a spirit attached to certain families. When
a member's death approaches, the family will hear the banshee crying. Not always terrifying.
Remember Darby O'Gill and the Little People? The banshee came for Darby and he was not
ready to go? Cute movie for kids and adults alike.
BROWINIE: BWCA or BWBACHOD in Wales, Bodach (budagh) in the Scottish Highlands, Fenodoree in Manx; Pixies or Pisgies in the West Country of England. They are about three feet tall and dress
in brown clothes. They have brown faces and shaggy hair. Brownies make themselves responsible for
the house where they live by coming out at night to complete unfinished work. Any offer of reward will
drive them away. But, they expect a bowl of milk or cream and cake to be left out. Tradition says they
do not like teetotallers and ministers. If offended, brownies will create malicious mischief.
BWCA (booka)/BWRACHOD Wales, A type of brownie
CAONEAG (konyack) Scotland. "Weeper" a banshee.
COBLYNAU
(koblernigh) Wales. Mine spirits, similiar to Knockers. About 18 inches high, they dress like
miners.....They are good humored but very ugly. They will knock where rich ore is to be found.
CYHRAETH (kerherrighth) Wales. A form of banshee. It usually cries or groans before multiple
deaths by epidemic or accident.
DAOINE SIDHE (theena shee): Ireland. A name for the fairy people.
DRYADS: All Celtic countries. Spirits that dwell in trees, oaks in particular. The Druids contacted them for inspiration. Oak galls were known as Serpent Eggs by the Druids and used in many of their
charms.
ELLYLLON (ethlertholon): Wales. Fairies whose queen is Mab. Their food is toadstools and fairy butter,
a fungus found on the roots of old trees.
ELVES; Another name for the Trooping Fairies of Britain. In Scotland they are divided into the Seelie and the Unseelie Courts. The name is also applied to small fairy boys. Elf-shot describes an illness or
disability supposedly causes by their arrows.
FENODEREE/PHYNNODDEREE (fin-ord-er-ree) Manx. Brownies who are large,
ugly and hairy.
FERRISHYN (fin-var a) Fionnbharr (FYUNN-VARR)indabair (FINNAVAR) Ireland.
The Fairy King of Ulster, sometimes called king of the dead. Although he
was married
to a fairy lady, he still courted beautiful mortal women.
THE GENTRY: An Irish name for fairies.
GNOMES: Earth Elementals. They live underground and guard the treasures of
the
earth. Gnomes are wonderful metal workers, especially of swords and
breastplates.
GOBLINS/HOBGOBLINS: Originally a general name for small, grotesque but
friendly brownie-type creatures.
GWARTHEG Y LLYN (gwarrthey er thlin): Wales. Fairy cattle
GWARGEDD ANNWN (gwargeth anoon): Wales. Lake fairies.
KNOCKERS: Cornwall. Mine spirits who are friendly to miners. They knock
where rich
ore can be found. They are also called Buccas.
LEPRACAUN: (lep-ra-chawn): Ireland. A solitary fairy who makes shoes and
generally
gueards a pot of gold.
MER-PEOPLE: Mermaids: water dwellers who are human from the waist up but
with the tail of a fish. They are irresistible singers who sometimes lure
fishermen to their
deaths. The Irish equivalent of the mermaid is the Murdhuacha (muroo-cha)
or Merrows.
OLD PEOPLE: Cornish name for fairies.
OONAGH: (oona) Ireland. Wife of Fin Bheara.
PEOPLE OF PEACE; Ireland. Scotland. Another name for the Daoine Sidhe.
PEOPLE OF THE HILLS; Britain. Fairies who live under green mounds,
subterranean
fairies.
PHOUKA (pooka) Ireland. It can take various animal forms and is considered
dangerous.
PIXIES/PISKIES/PISGIES; The name for fairies in Somerset, Devon and
Cornwall.
THE PLANT ANNWN (plant anoon) Wales.Fairies of the underworld. The entrance
to
their kingdom is through lakes. Their king is called Gwynn ap Nudd.
Gwragen Annwn is the Welsh name for their women...Their speckled cattle are
Gwartheg Y Llyn and
their white hounds are Cwn Annwn.
l.The Sheoques: Lived in sacred thorn bushes. Thief fairy music lead humans astray.Sometimes they
switched a child with a fairy child to create a changeling which they caused to die in one year.
2.The Merrows:Seen as little hornless cows but really they have fishes tails and wear a red
cap(cohuleen driuth).The men have green teeth.green hair,pigs eyes and red noses-women are
beautiful and prefer human mates.
RITUAL: HOW TO MEET A FAERIE
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Don't take this lightly. The Fey Folk are wild, and their integrity so strong and unusual that you must
be careful with them. However, if you approach one correctly, he\she can be an honorable, powerful
and delightful friend and ally.
If you find you cannot handle the power of this rite, courteously end the visit. If an evil entity arrives
by accident, end the visit, either with courtesy or rudeness, whichever is safest and most effective.
Do each numbered step before going onto the next.
1. Focus on the darkness of the mind's eye, the darkness that's automatically there when your eyes
are closed.
2. See that darkness filled with a glowing green, a Faerie green, a magic glow.
3. Feel that magic, green, Fey glow start swirling around you, bathing you in its beauty, bathing you
in its magic.
4. Enjoy drinking in that magic for a minute.
5. Let that Fey power feed you, cleanse you, and give you things you need. Let it work its magic on
you.
6. Into that green mist, call out for a Faerie friend. Don't demand a visit, for we do not control the
Fey Folk. Invite with warmth, courtesy, good will and good cheer.
7. Greet and welcome your visitor with dignity and courtesy. Ask his\her name and his\her need of
you. If no name is given you, usually you should end the visit. When you meet someone on the
physical plane who will not tell you their name, there is usually something awry, right?
8. Never lightly make an agreement with a Faerie. They take commitments seriously. And are
tricksters, who often have an unusual view as to what life should be like. You may not want the same
goals as they.
9. Visit. Then do the following steps. If you fall asleep, your visit might be happening on an
unconscious level so you wouls still need the following steps upon awakening.
10. If you would like, ask your visitor for something you need.
11. Make thanks for the visit, and for any help you were given. At this point it may be appropriate to
give or promise a gift, EG a bit of food and drink left out at night.
12. Perhaps this spirit will become your friend for a while or even a lifetime. You can use this ritual to
visit with him\her again. But for now say "Farewell."
13. After doing something like this ritual, one might be in an altered state without realizing it. If you
then do something like drive, walk at night along a city street, or cook, you could possibly go
through a red light, get mugged, or burn yourself, all because you were off in another world! So,
after you finish step 12, do the following two steps:
A. Spend some time consciously focusing on the embodied, mundane plane by making your mind
concentrate on physical things.
B. Then continue this focusing by looking both ways carefully when crossing streets or paying
special, conscientious attention to kitchen safety or whatever focus is appropriate to the activity in
which you become involved. Use these two steps until you are well focused onto the embodied
plane.
You may feel very sharp and alert, so think there is no need for step 13. Please do it anyway. For
one thing, alert as you are, you might be alert only to the SPIRIT plane! Take the time to become
alert to the physical realm. If you're feeling really spacy or "out there" add body stretches or do some
other very physical but safe activity that will focus you onto your own body.
by Francesca De Grandis, copyright 1994.
The "Little Ones"
This celebration for the Little Ones does not need a cast circle. You will need powdered ginger and a small spoon. Set out candles at the compass directions: yellow in the East; red in the South; blue in the West; green in the North. Place a crystal or other stone beside each candle. Stand in the center of the room and send out thoughts of welcome to the Little Ones.
Chant:
O spirits of plants and Earth and trees,
O Little Ones of every form,
Show yourselves to me, I ask.
From me shall come no harm.
Join me in friendship and in love.
Rejoice with me in magick old,
For together with the Ancient Gods
We can re-create all things in gold.
Guardian spirits, watchers fair,
Our lives are joined. All things we share.
Go to the East. Sprinkle a little ginger by the candle, and say:
All you Nature spirits and faeries,
Hear my call.
Enter this magick circle.
Welcome, all.
Go to the South, sprinkle ginger, and say:
All you little ones of the sunbeams,
Hear my call.
Enter this magick circle.
Welcome, all.
Go to the West, sprinkle the ginger, and say:
All you nymphs and water sprites,
Hear my call.
Enter this magick circle.
Welcome, all.
Finish by going to the North.
Sprinkle ginger and say:
All you little ones of the moonbeams,
Hear my call.
Enter this magick circle.
Welcome, all.
Sit quietly for a time, thinking about the Little Ones. Be aware of their featherlight touches on your body. Listen for their musical voices in your mind. Talk to them if you wish. When your communication is finished, stand in the center of the room. Raise your arms high, saying:
All thanks and blessings be,
To those of air, Earth, sky and sea.
Click on the crystal ball
