People’s fascination with fairies starts at a young age and never really goes away. Grownups are as smitten as the children are with the tiny, winged creatures that are believed to inhabit the forests and enchanted trees. In fact, almost all parents have a favorite fairy story from their childhood, which they love to recount to their own children with the same dramatic flair as when they first heard it. We like fairies because they excite our imagination and make us feel young again. We buy fairy statues, fairy sculptures and fairy paintings and prominently display them in our homes or gardens. We give them to others as gifts.

The fairy folklore exists worldwide in every culture, which makes one wonder if they could indeed be true. Descriptions of the little characters vary but they share a common trait-they are creatures of magic, possessing supernatural powers, which can make your wishes come true. They can tell if you have a good heart, but you should never accept their invitation to enter their world or you may never return to your loved ones.

Origins

Fairies have roots in the ancient pagan traditions of the Celtic peoples who worshipped them as gods and goddesses. It was in Wales, a matriarchal society, where fairies were called ‘Mothers’ after the Mother Goddess that the Welsh worshipped. Since then, fairyland was seen as populated by female beings and the imagery has endured until today.

The Irish believe that fairies reside in the ‘sidh,’ or ancient burial mounds that are scattered all over Ireland. From these “fairy hills”‘ the beings are said to come out during Halloween. Other accounts claim that fairies live in the land of Tir Na Nog, the Land of Eternal Youth, which can be found in the woodlands. While it is difficult to see the creatures, one must hide and wait patiently during twilight because it is possible to get a glimpse of them during the crack of the worlds as day turns into night.

In 1920, two photographs from a set of five were published which showed fairies with butterfly-like wings interacting with Frances Griffiths, who took the pictures with her cousin Elsie Wright. “The Fairies of Cottingley Glen,” as the photographs came to be known, were taken in 1917 and immediately triggered a debate among believers and detractors. Arthur Conan Doyle, the famous author of the Sherlock Holmes thrillers, was convinced of the authenticity of the photographs and even wrote a book, ‘The Coming of the Fairies,’ to chronicle them. Frances Griffiths vouched for the authenticity of her encounters until her death. There were many, however, who examined the photographs and concluded that they were fake.

Types of Fairies

Despite the stereotypical depiction of fairies as miniature yet beautiful females with wings, the term ‘fairy’ actually refers to a variety of supernatural creatures of different genders and physical manifestations. Here are the most common types:

Brownies — They are said to inhabit an unused part of the house and help in household tasks at night without showing themselves. They enjoy small gifts of porridge or honey but will abandon the house if the owner calls the gifts as payments.

Asrais — Small female fairies who melt like ice when caught or exposed to sunlight

Dryads — Tree nymphs who look after the health of groves and forests

Gwageth Anoon — In Welsh folklore, they are water fairies who take a fancy for human men and take them as husbands.

Pixies — Mischievous fairies who love to play practical jokes on humans and steal their horses for a ride. They can also manifest in the form of a hedgehog.

Urisk – This solitary creature loves to hang around lonely pools. They would sometimes try to approach humans but scare them away because of their grotesque appearance.

Shefro – A male fairy that loves to dress in a smart green coat and red cap

Banshee – In Irish mythology, a female spirit whose cries bring an omen of death in the family

Fir Darrig — For a bottle of whisky, this Irish fairy with a blue nose and a red coat will give you antidotes to spells and curses, or help you escape in case you’ve been trapped in Fairyland.

Gwyllion — This hideous-looking Welsh fairy sits on either side of a mountain trail to mislead you on your journey.

Sprites — A race of elf-like fairies with green skin and wings

Bogles — A folkloric being who loves to bring harm to liars and murderers. They are also referred to as scarecrows because they hide in farm fields and attack humans or cause blight in the plantation.

Our fascination with fairies is reflected in the numerous representations of them in paintings and statues. Some artists spend their careers imagining different types of fairies and painting them or creating sculptures or statues of them. Some of these works are very elaborate and are displayed outside as garden art or inside as unique home decor.

Author Bio: More information on fairy statues and other unique gifts is available from Unique Gifts and Decor where you will also find other fabulous gift ideas.

Category: Recreation
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