List of beings referred to as fairies

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The term fairy is peculiar to the English language and to English folklore, reflecting the conflation of Germanic, Celtic and Romance folklore and legend since the Middle English period (it is a Romance word which has been given the associations of fair by folk etymology secondarily). Nevertheless, "fairy" has come to be used as a kind of umbrella term in folklore studies, grouping comparable types of supernatural creatures since at least the 1970s. [1] The following list is a collection of individual traditions which have been grouped under the "fairy" moniker in the citation given.

Contents

Africa

Asia

European folklore (and European colonies in the New World)

The Americas

Oceania

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairy</span> Mythical being or legendary creature in European folklore

A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature found in the folklore of multiple European cultures, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural, or preternatural.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pixie</span> Mythical creature of British folklore

A pixie is a mythical creature of British folklore. Pixies are speculated to be particularly concentrated in the high moorland areas around Devon and Cornwall, suggesting some Celtic origin for the belief and name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Púca</span> Mythological creature

The púca, pucapwca, pooka, phouka, puck is a creature of Celtic, English, and Channel Islands folklore. Considered to be bringers both of good and bad fortune, they could help or hinder rural and marine communities. Púcaí can have dark or white fur or hair. The creatures were said to be shape-changers that could take the appearance of horses, goats, cats, dogs, and hares. They may also take a human form, which includes various animal features, such as ears or a tail.

Fairies, particularly those of Irish, English, Scottish and Welsh folklore, have been classified in a variety of ways. Classifications – which most often come from scholarly analysis, and may not always accurately reflect local traditions – typically focus on behavior or physical characteristics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imp</span> Mythological being similar to a demon or fairy

An imp is a European mythological being similar to a fairy or demon, frequently described in folklore and superstition. The word may perhaps derive from the term ympe, used to denote a young grafted tree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peri</span> A winged spirit in Persian culture

In Persian mythology, peris are exquisite, winged spirits renowned for their beauty. Peris were later adopted by other cultures. They are described in one reference work as mischievous beings that have been denied entry to paradise until they have completed penance for atonement. Under Islamic influence, peris became benevolent spirits, in contrast to the mischievous jinn and evil divs (demons). Scholar Ulrich Marzolph indicates an Indo-Iranian origin for peris, which were later integrated into the Arab houri-tale tradition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supernatural beings in Slavic religion</span> Slavic mythology

Other than the many gods and goddesses of the Slavs, the ancient Slavs believed in and revered many supernatural beings that existed in nature. These supernatural beings in Slavic religion come in various forms, and the same name of any single being can be spelled or transliterated differently according to language and transliteration system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vættir</span> Nature spirits in Norse folklore

The vættir are spirits in Norse mythology. The term can be used to refer to the full cosmos of supernatural beings, including the álfar (elves), dvergar (dwarves), jötnar (giants), and gods. Vættir can also refer more specifically to landvættir, fjallvættir, sjóvættir, skogvættir, vatnavættir, or húsvættir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yōsei</span> Spiritlike creature from Japanese folklore

Yōsei is a Japanese word that is generally synonymous with the English term fairy (フェアリー). Today, this word usually refers to spirits from Western legends, but occasionally it may also denote a creature from native Japanese folklore. For example, according to an old folk belief from Iwate Prefecture, it was once feared that the yōsei could resurrect the dead. It is also mentioned that the people of Mt. Hōrai are small fairies that have no knowledge of great evil and so their hearts never grow old. The Ainu also tell of a race of small people known as the Koro-pok-guru in their folklore. Another fairy-like being from Japan is the Kijimuna, tree sprites told in the Ryukyuan religion of Okinawa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folklore of the Low Countries</span>

Folklore of the Low Countries, often just referred to as Dutch folklore, includes the epics, legends, fairy tales and oral traditions of the people of Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg. Traditionally this folklore is written or spoken in Dutch or in one of the regional languages of these countries.

Mythic humanoids are legendary, folkloric, or mythological creatures that are part human, or that resemble humans through appearance or character. Each culture has different mythical creatures that come from many different origins, and many of these creatures are humanoids. They are often able to talk and in many stories they guide the hero on their journey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goblin</span> Mythical creature

A goblin is a small, grotesque, monstrous creature that appears in the folklore of multiple European cultures. First attested in stories from the Middle Ages, they are ascribed conflicting abilities, temperaments, and appearances depending on the story and country of origin, ranging from mischievous household spirits to malicious, bestial thieves. They often have magical abilities similar to a fairy or demon, such as the ability to shapeshift.

A water spirit is a kind of supernatural being found in the folklore of many cultures:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malay folklore</span>

Malay folklore refers to a series of knowledge, traditions and taboos that have been passed down through many generations in oral, written and symbolic forms among the indigenous populations of Maritime Southeast Asia (Nusantara). They include among others, themes and subject matter related to the indigenous knowledge of the ethnic Malays and related ethnic groups within the region.

An Irshi is a type of mythical being or legendary fairy-like creature in Turkic folklore, a form of spirit, often described as supernatural or preternatural.

Lower mythology is a sphere of mythological representations relating to characters who have no divine status, demons and spirits, as opposed to higher gods and the official cult. This opposition is particularly pronounced in world religions.

References

  1. Katharine Mary Briggs, An Encyclopedia of Fairies (Pantheon Books, 1976) p. xi. ISBN   0-394-73467-X
  2. Florence, Mason & Jealous, Virginia (2003). Lonely Planet Vietnam (Lonely Planet Vietnam) . Hawthorn, Vic., Australia: Lonely Planet Publications. ISBN   1-74059-355-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. "Chaneque". medicinatradicionalmexicana.unam.mx.