ROSTER OF FAIRIES
Taken From 'The Real World of Fairies'
By Dora Van Gelder
AIR FAIRIES:
Are of 3 general types. First are the sylph-type beings who inhabit
the clouds and work with them.these are the sculpters of the fairy
world. Next,there are the air fairies who are associated with the wind
and storms. These air fairies are generally some 4 or 5 feet high,
very shapely and beautiful. And last, there are the immense air
spirits who live at high altitudes,who resemble great dragons with
huge heads,long bodies and a long tail. They are centers of energy and
power of some sort.
ANGEL OR DEVA:
These great angelic or radiant beings have markedly great
intelligence. angels or devas help guide nature by their understanding
of the divine plan. They direct the energies of nature and oversee the
lesser faries under their care,such as those who might be in charge of
wind or clouds, or of tree sprits, etc.
EARTH FAIRIES:
consist of four main types. Earth fairies are both on the surface and
underground, which further divides the groups. On the surface, these
fairies range from the physically embodied tree spirits to the small
common garden or woods fairies. Rock fairies, or gnomes, are one of
the types of underground fairy.
ELEMENTALS:
Are, literally, spirits of the elements. The creatures evolved in the
kingdoms of elements-air, earth, fire and water-according to the
kabbalists. They are called gnomes (of the earth), sylphs (of the
air), salamanders(of fire), and undines (of water). h.p. blavatsky,in
the theosophical glossary, explains that all the lower invisible
beings generated on the 5th, 6th and 7th planes of our terrestrial
atmosphere are called "elementals" including fairies, elves,
leprechauns, dwarfs, trolls, kobolds, peris, devas, djins ,sylvans,
satyrs, fauns, brownies, nixies and pixies, goblins, moss people,
mannikins, and others who belong to this classification.
FAIRIES:
Are of four major divisions-air, earth, fire and water. there are
those of the mineral kingdomes as well, such as the gnomes or rock
fairies which would actually be classified as earth spirits or
fairies. Fairies range in size from the tiny butterfly-size to 12 inch
and 2 foot ones, up to the great sylphs and tree spirits and all sizes
in between.
FIRE FAIRIES: see salamanders.
GARDEN FAIRIES: a most common kind of earth fairy.
GNOME: an earth fairy, such as one who inhabits rocks.
NATURE SPIRITS:
Those creatures of the devic kingdom who care for the different
categories in nature such as the air and wind,the growing plants, the
landscape features, the water and the fire.
ROCK FAIRIES:
Sometimes called gnomes. Such fairies are to be found both above and
below ground. The great rock fairies of the grand canyon are found no
where else in the world.
SALAMANDERS:
are the form known as fire fairies. Some salamanders inhabit the
underground volcanic regions as well as being involved in lightning
and fires above ground.
SYLPHS:
Are a form of air fairies or beings who inhabit the air. They are
large in size though not as evolved as those other great beings-devas.
Cloud sylphs are involved with hurricanes.
TREE SPIRITS:
Are larger than woods fairies; tree spirits have a more physical body.
UNDINES:
The more classical or kabbalistic name for water spirits or fairies.
WATER BABIES:
Is a nickname for those small, happy creatures who are found near the
shore and in the surf; water fairy, but different from those that live
further out in the deep ocean, as well as those who dwell near
streams, lakes or ponds.
Fairy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A fairy (sometimes seen as fairie or faerie) is a spirit or supernatural being that is found in the legends, folklore, and mythology of many different cultures. They are generally humanoid in their appearance and have supernatural abilities such as the ability to fly, cast spells and to influence or foresee the future. Although in modern culture they are often depicted as young, sometimes winged, females of small stature, they originally were of a much different image: tall, angelic beings and short, wizened trolls being some of the commonly mentioned fay. The small, gauzy-winged fairies that are commonly depicted today did not appear until the 1800s.
Fairy tales and legends
Some of the most well-known tales in the English and French traditions were collected in the "colored" fairy books of Scottish man of letters Andrew Lang between 1889 and 1910. These stories depict fairies in somewhat contradictory ways — kindly and dangerous, steadfast and fickle, loving and aloof, simple and unknowable — when, indeed, they depict fairies at all, as fairy tales need not involve any fairies at all. J. R. R. Tolkien described these tales as taking place in the land of Faerie. Additionally, any stories that feature faires are not generally categorized as fairy tales.
In many legends, the fairies are prone to kidnapping humans, either as babies, leaving changelings in their place, or as young men and women. This can be for a time or forever, and may be more or less dangerous to the kidnapped. In Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight Child Ballad #4, the elf-knight is a Bluebeard figure, and Isabel must trick and kill him to preserve her life. Tam Lin reveals that the title character, though living among the fairies and having fairy powers, was in fact an "earthly knight" and, though his life was pleasant now, he feared that the fairies would pay him as their tiend to hell. Sir Orfeo tells how Sir Orfeo's wife was kidnapped by the King of Faerie and only by trickery and excellent harping ability was he able to win her back. Thomas the Rhymer shows Thomas escaping with less difficulty, but he spends seven years in Faerie. OisÃn is harmed not by his stay in Faerie but by his return; when he dismounts, the three centuries that have passed catch up with him, reducing him to an aged man.
A common feature of the fairies is the use of magic to disguise appearance. Fairy gold is notoriously unreliable, appearing as gold when paid, but soon thereafter revealing itself to be leaves, or gingerbread cakes, or a variety of other useless things.
These illusions are also implicit in the tales of fairy ointment. Many tales from the British islands tell of a mortal woman summoned to attend a fairy birth — sometimes attending a mortal, kidnapped woman's childbed. Invariably, the woman is given something for the child's eyes, usually an ointment; though mischance, or sometimes curiosity, she uses it on one or both of her own eyes. At that point, she sees where she is; one midwife realizes that she was not attending a great lady in a fine house but her own runaway maid-servant in a wretched cave. She escapes without making her ability known, but sooner or later betrays that she can see the fairies. She is invariably blinded in the eye where she can, or in both if she used the ointment on both.
Cottingley Fairies
The Cottingley Fairies refers to a series of five photographs taken by Frances Griffiths and Elsie Wright, two young cousins living in Cottingley, near Bradford, England.
The first two photos were taken in 1917. They were publicized in 1920 when The Strand published a piece by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle showing the first two photographs and describing them. Griffiths and Wright were then given 24 photographic plates and took three more photos in August 1920. They blamed constant rainfall, but rainfall was at the lowest point in the year during August. This is now seen as proof that they had to discard several failed attempts. The photos showed the fairies as small humans with period style haircuts, dressed in filmy gowns, and with large wings on their backs. One picture is of a gnome, about 12 inches tall, dressed in a somewhat Elizabethan manner, and also with wings.
At the time, the photos were viewed by some as evidence of fairies, most notably Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Doyle wrote a book called The Coming of the Fairies, about the Cottingley Fairies and his belief in them.
In the pictures and prints available today, the fairies look flat, with lighting that does not match the rest of the photograph, as if they were paper cut-outs. It has been claimed that this is becuase the originals were of poor quality and needed retouching and that this is the reason the originals were first seen as convincing. Harold Snelling, a contemporary expert in fake photography, said "these dancing figures are not made of paper nor any fabric; they are not painted on a photographic background—but what gets me most is that all these figures have moved during the exposure." However in the long exposure (see waterfall in above photo), wind could have moved the faries' wings or bodies if they were made of paper or fabric. Doyle also dismissed the idea that the photographs could have been faked. It is now considered that he thought the girls too young and too inexperienced to have been able to create such a hoax.
In 1978, it was found the fairies were from the 1915 book Princess Mary's Gift Book by Arthur Shepperson.
The cousins remained evasive about the authenticity of the pictures for most of their lives, at times claiming they were forgeries, and at other times leaving it to the individual to decide. In 1981, in an interview by Joe Cooper for the magazine The Unexplained, the cousins confessed that the photos were fake and they held up cut-outs with tacks. Frances Griffiths, however, continued to maintain until her death that they did see fairies and that the fifth photograph, which showed fairies in a sunbath, was genuine.
Two 1997 films, Fairy Tale: A True Story, starring Peter O'Toole and Harvey Keitel, and Photographing Fairies with Ben Kingsley, were based on this event.
Foxglove - Name is derived from "Little Folks' Glove". They use the blossoms for hats and boots
Campanile- they use for drinking vessels
Bleeding Hearts - they use to store faerie dust and other treasures
Tulips - are used as cradles for their young
Monkshood -are worn as helmets by faerie guards and knights
Lily of the Valley - it said their little bells rings when faeries are singing
Ferns- make excellent privacy screens
Moss and thyme are favorites for bedding material.
Primroses--make the invisible visible. Eating them lets you see faeries. If one touches a faerie rock with the correct number of primroses in a posy, the way to faerieland and faerie gifts is made clear. The wrong number means certain doom.
Ragwort-used as makeshift horses by the faerie.
Wild Thyme--part of a recipe for a brew to make one see the faeries. The tops of the Wild Thyme must be gathered near the side of a faerie hill.
Cowslips--these are loved and protected by the faeries. They help one to find hidden faerie gold.
Pansies--the flower that was used as a love potion by Oberon, a faerie king thought to have been invented by Shakespeare.
Bluebell--one who hears a bluebell ring will soon die. A field of bluebells is especially dangerous, as it is intricately interwoven with faerie enchantments.
Clover--a four-leafed one may be used to break a faerie spell.
Hazel--celtic legend says it is the receptacle of knowledge; the hazelnut is a symbol of fertility in England.
Rowan--protects against bad spirits. Used in butter churns so that the butter would not be overlooked by faeries. Bewitched horses may be controlled by a rowan whip. Druids used rowan wood for fires with which they called up spirits whom could be forced to answer questions when rowan berries were spread over the flayed hides of bulls.
Fairy Ring Mushroom--marks the boundaries of faerie rings.
Basil- The Fae of the Basil help us awaken greater discipline and devotion
Buttercup- This flower and its Faerie bring healing energies, They help us rediscover our self worth
Carnation- Their energy is healing to the body, contact with them strengthens the aura
Clover- The clover Faeries assist in finding love and fidelity
Daisy- The daisy is a favorite of Dryads(wood nymphs) The Faeries help awaken creativity
Gardenia- This special Faerie stimulates feelings of peace, The Fae of this flower are VERY protective towards children
Heather-The Fae of this flower are drawn to humans who are shy
Jasmine- These Fae love to invoke pleasant dreams, They have also been known to help develop mental clarity
Lily- These Faeries help in the development of purity and humility
Rose- The Faerie of the rose can help in all aspects of love and fertility
Sage- They awaken a sense of wisdom in your life
Snapdragon- These bring humans great protection
Thyme- Thyme draws the wee Folk into your sleeping chambers
Other plants Fairies like:
Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)
Aster novi-belgii (New York aster)
Chrysanthemum maximum (shasta daisy)
Coreopsis grandiflora/verticillata (coreopsis)
Agastache occidentalis (western giant hyssop or horsemint)
Lavendula dentata (French lavender)
Rosemarinus officinalis (rosemary)
Thymus (thyme)
Buddleia alternifolia (fountain butterfly bush)
Buddleia davidii (orange-eye butterfly bush, summer lilac)
Potentilla fruitiosa (shrubby cinquefoil)
Petunia hybrida (common garden petunia)
Verbena (verbenas, vervains)
Scabiosa caucasica (pincushion flowers)
Cosmos bipinnatus (cosmos)
Zinnia elegans (common zinnia)