Come fairies, take me of this dull world for I would ride with you upon the wind and dance upon the mountains. – W.B. Yeats
The fae folk are familiar to all of us from the tales, dreams, and of course Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night Dream. Here is a short account of what I believe the faerie and elven sacred forest folk represent, their culture, their incredible lives. I believe intuition is the best way to familiarize yourself with the faerie world, which according to me exists somewhere over the rainbow.
The origin of the word fairy or fay is from the Latin fata – the fate. By the way, it could also come from the Old French form faerie, which means “enchantress.” This speaks of the powers ascribed to these supernatural beings. Whether we call them fairies, fays, weise Frauen (German for wise women), little people, or good folk – they share certain traits. They are all incredibly beautiful and with potential for tenderness, powerful as little gods, and very pleasant to the senses.
Fairies were real once…
Only two hundred years ago, people took fairies really seriously and they populated their stories and beliefs. Today, our knowledge of the fae folk is scarce, but we still love them dearly, thanks to Walt Disney. The actual belief in fairies has been with us on Earth for thousands of years. We celebrate fairies in folklore, songs, stories, drama and poems.
What then is a fairy?
A fairy is a supernatural being in possession of unbounded magical powers. It resembles a small human, mischievous and whimsical like a child. It can render itself invisible to humanity and possesses knowledge of natural forces. We call them the “good folk” and the “fair folk,” or simply the fae. They bear offspring and they fight each other, they have the ability to shape-shift. Also, we are envious for they have got magic caps, cloaks and use certain herbs for concoctions and they are immortal. The fairy folk is also famous as “dangerously amorous” and has got an inclination for practical jokes. They are slightly misbehaving, but they bring good luck. All of them are described as being intensely enamored with dancing, singing, music, feasting and revelry, and they are notorious thieves, patronized by Greek Hermes. They live in blossoms and run wild.
Fairies can bring a feeling of magic, playfulness, and romance in our lives. Any form of creativity allures them.. Lovers, artists, poets, writers, sculptors, weavers, musicians, their world is full of charming beauty, with spirit, joy, and inspiration, of laughter and love.
Elves
The male fairies are also familiar as elves. They have pointed shoes and often wear pointed hats like witches, but theirs are in green. They are extremely handsome, small beings, merry and bright the entire time, capricious and impish. Those who live in mushrooms and love gifting gems are the leprechauns. You can tell an elf by his ears – he is a miniature of a very handsome human.
Fairy Aristocrats
The fairies were aristocratic and had monarchs: knights, ladies, and royal courts, which threw feasts and balls, as well as a King and Queen. Shakespeare calls them Oberon and Titania – the Queen’s name Titania comes from the Roman Diana. People believe that fairy aristocrats are elf descendants from ancient, vanquished gods. Shakespeare describes Titania’s chariot as an empty hazelnut shell, in which she gallops night and day through lovers’ brains and then they dream of love, over the fingers of lawyers, who dream of fees, over the lips of ladies who dream of kisses
Aristocratic fairy folk lives in a parallel world, in palaces and they are the most powerful and most beautiful of fairies. They are gregarious, they love making music and dancing. They dance on moonlit nights on the velvety grass, wearing robes of blue, white, green and scarlet and we call them “the shining ones.” These beings are compassionate and kind and have the highest regard for life and nature. Though they are ancient, they have the innocence of a child. As long as they live, they celebrate the magic and beauty of the Earth. Their keen senses see each nuance of life and delight in the miracle of creation every second of every day.
On Midsummer’s Eve the fairies are at their merriest.
Fairies are spirits of Mother Nature, their religion is pagan and they worship and live near to all kinds of deities. In union with Nature, they possess keen intuition and psychic senses. They became identified with witches in the 16th century. King James I of England in his book about witches, called Diana the goddess of witches and the “Queen of Fairies.”
What do Fairies do?
We know some of their occupations and ways of amusement. Fairies ride, dance, play games, hold markets, make their crafts and grow their food of which they most love butter and saffron. They have their own animals: small horses, cattle and dogs. Among their crafts are weaving, spinning, leather-working, tailoring, shoe-making and boat building.
Their special powers?
Fairies levitate and they fly and have some control over the weather and seasons. One of their abilities is to change time in a mystical way. Patrons of fertility, they are really sexy creatures. Their amorousness is legendary. They also love kindness, chastity, virtue and cleanliness and often help humans. Fairies can make your garden the best in the neighborhood if they bless it with their presence. If you say your wish out loud they can grant it for you. But they do not share their magic with everyone, they are picky. If they like you, they might shower you with their silent blessings. Benevolent fae bring joy and laughter to the world.
How to Attract Fairies in Your Garden?
If you want to communicate with them, there are certain things that attract them. They like mirrors – they like watching their reflection, so a murmuring fountain, a bowl of water, or a small pond with swans will do. If you want to offer them something let it be roses, berries, or nectar flowers. They like small, shiny things, especially crystals – quartz or agate, amethyst or moon stone. There is a sacred flower for them of the name of foxglove, and they use pansies in their love potions. They are also very fond of baby’s breath flower. Honey or sweet cookies, strawberries and raspberries, any sort of colorful food or ribbons also tempt the fae. They enjoy music, bells, and wind chimes. You can make a fairy house for them, using natural materials – that would be much appreciated.
Flowers are their cities, their homes and their communities; therefore they are really tender creatures. If you see mushroom circles, know that fairies reside there, especially if the place smells strong of apple, grass or wild violets. Do not trespass, leave them their space.
Gifts
Fairies give the finest gifts – that is to say, they give up their most precious belongings and gift them to their beloveds. They are ready to give up on their art, or hard work, or nice memory, or their breakfast bun – just to make their beloveds happy. Giving half of your golden coins to somebody you love is hard to understand. Until you get an exquisite gift in return – half the golden coins of your best friend, who thought about you. Fairies love sending packages to each other – small boxes with all kinds of random objects: toys, cards, milk chocolate. They pretty much remind of the contemporary presents in jars – although they come in little boxes with a ribbon. Hence we pack our gifts nicely because the fairies have kissed us.
Pets
The Faerie folk’s pets are unicorns and dragons. Amazing and flying creatures – they are also regular means of transportation – when they tire from flying. They also ride little rabbits, snails, dragonflies, cats and birds. Most mythological animals really exist and fairies are in contact with them. The unicorn, for instance, has beauty and many magical qualities – it has got a golden horn on the forehead, it lives in dense forests, it can become invisible. Unicorns are the most celebrated animals on the planet.
Fairies in Mythologies
“Fairy” is one of the most beautiful mythological concepts. They are often compared to the nymphs in Greek Mythology.
In Ireland, there is a fairy tribe of the Tuathe De Danann – which translates to “Tribe of the Goddess (D)Ana.” The Fairy Queen is according to the Ancient Celts the Goddess Danu, whose name comes from the ancient verb “to run, to flow,” and may also lie behind the ancient name for the river Danube, and it may also mean “aristocratic.” Danu was a mother goddess, the root “Dan” in ancient Irish means art, skill, poetry, knowledge, and wisdom. She was clearly a very powerful and basic earth goddess, a wisdom goddess of inspiration and intellect, she was also a teacher.
From Persian mythology, we learn that fairies are magical creatures, descended from angels.
Flower Fairies
Flower Fairies look like beautiful human children, but with pointy elfin ears, dreamy eyes and wings like that of a butterfly. They are amongst the smallest of fairies. They are spirits of nature who care for flowers, plants, and trees. Flowers are their homes, their cities, their society. A four-leafed clover may break the spell of a faerie. Pansy is the flower that Oberon, the fairy king used as a love potion. There is a fairy to every flower, which has got different virtues: aesthetic, mood and character. The lily fairy brings great spirituality and purity. She communicates with the angels, who are the Messengers of God. In particular, she relates to the Archangel Gabriel, because artists often depict him as holding a lily.
Fairy Dreams
“To dream that you see a fairy” – says an ancient astrologer, “is a very favorable dream. Beggars have had this dream and after that became very rich. Swains and maidens have related this dream, and I have said: “Happy man! A noble wife for thee and a rich dowry too! Happy woman! Thou shalt find a husband, indeed! The laboring man who dreams this dream shall rapidly rise into independence. And the bearing woman shall be safely delivered.”
Just like the Knights have chivalric virtues, the Fairies have their own Code:
- Be Cheerful
- Neat
- Polite
- Friendly
- Work Hard
- Be Generous
- Be Honest
- Keep Secrets
- Be Kind
- Be Humorous
Their world is sizzling with magic. They have the power of “glamor” – which is their ability to shape-shift, and change size and render themselves invisible and visible. Moreover, they are clair-feeling creatures, which means that they have great emotional and physical connection and feel their companion on many levels. They are practically able to read your thoughts, and you can converse with them silently – they understand you perfectly well. Except for the fact that they communicate with each other telepathically, they can also help clean the human aura from negative emotions.
Fairies are psychedelic. Absinthe is also known as La Fee Verte (The Green Fairy) It became highly popular in the Bohemian Paris and was embraced by poets, writers, and artists. It could induce insanity. I believe fairies are to blame for the existence of ballet as well, because they are so delicate and mysterious, like small ballerinas floating in the air. The fae folk also step lightly and both in the ballet hall and in the woods one can expect magic.
They are natural entertainers – they sing jovial songs and they dance on the surface of spring waters, and they bathe in pollen and from all this – they feel like laughing – so much – that one wonders what they’ve been drinking. There is adventure and love in their world and fun, and very little drama.
