Monstrous

Faeries, The Fay & The Hidden => Faeries & The Fay => Topic started by: Dark Lord M on July 08, 2006, 07:19:42 PM

Title: Michael's Everthing Faeries of the British Isles updated 07/30/06 11:03 AM
Post by: Dark Lord M on July 08, 2006, 07:19:42 PM
I decided to make to make a thread talking about the Faeries of the British Isles. The information may have some bumps in it so feel free to smooth it out; also you can PM me and give me some information, or correct my false information and I will add/fix when ever I can. Just remember that my information is NOT PERFECT because it comes from different websites, stories, and other folklore information sites and books. Remember the Fay are very hard to study, due to how they have changed from present beliefs, false stories, etc. This will start small and grow bigger the more I read, so be patient, thanks!
(I will site my sources as I go along.)

The Seelie Court

The Seelie Court or the Blessed Court (Seelie is the old Saxon word for 'blessed'.) is considered the neutral and benevolent of the Faeries. They help, and spread good fortune wherever they go. They help the poor by giving them food, and will lead the lonely traveler to safety. The Unseelie and Seelie are in constant battles of rivalry, as the Seelie represents good and the Unseelie evil, they will always have a different outlook on all subjects never come into an agreement with each other. But be warned, though the Seelie is of good nature, they are still of Faerie nature and will punish those who give them grief. Be thankful of them and you will have good luck as long as they are there to help you.

The Unseelie Court

The Unseelie Court or the Unblessed Court is pretty much the opposite of the Seelie. In mortal eyes they are considered the “bad” Faery Folk, who kidnap there children and wives and take them to the Twilight realm and hold them as slaves, torture, or take them as wives and have children. The Unseelie Court has the nastiest of the Faeries and monsters to horrible to describe, they, like the Seelie ride the winds to get around. They do mischief to mortals the run into. The ‘Host’ or the Slaugh takes the form of a swarm of black birds and flies the winds and goes into houses to steal the soles of the dieing to bring back to their realm to do who knows what.  Though they seem evil, the Unseelie look to the future and try to break old traditions of the Seelie and wish to bring change to the world. This is why they are rivals of the Seelie, and are in constant battle with them, for one wish to keep things as they are in peace, while the other wants change by force. But remember; avoid the Unseelie by all means, for you do not even have to offend them to suffer their wrath.

Thus ends my summary and details about the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, this will be updated if I am missing something or I discover more information.

Sources

http://members.tripod.com/~waterdragon/courts.html

http://www.geocities.com/roseandcompass/kithain/courts.html

http://faerie.monstrous.com/
Title: Re: Michael's Everything About Faeries of the British Isles Page
Post by: Dark Lord M on July 09, 2006, 10:11:08 AM
The Trooping Faeries

The Trooping Faeries are happy-go-lucky faeries that travel together in groups during twilight and the dead of night, these faeries may create settlements, and then move on, they are commonly described as short, red caped, green cloths, and have a feather with them somewhere on their cloths. The Irish song “King of the Fairies” sings about Trooping Faeries. Like all faeries they are very mischievous and will bring bad luck to those that do bad, spy on their meetings, and just about anything else you can think of.

Solitary Faeries

The Solitary Faeries are the opposite of Trooping. They will try to avoid other content with other Faeries and will make homes in out of the way places, but they will move out to do mischief like all other Faeries. While the Trooping wear red caps and green shirt, the solitary wear red shirts and a cocked hat. A good example of the Solitary Faeries is the Leprechaun and Cluricaun, who tend to stay in one spot (Like a small hut in the woods for the Leprechaun and your wine cellar for the Cluricaun.)

Thus ends my summary on Trooping and Solitary Faeries

Sources

http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/yeats/fip/fip84.htm

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~bj333/faries.html

http://faerie.monstrous.com/

http://sniff.numachi.com/~rickheit/dtrad/pages/tiKINGFAER.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trooping_fairies

"King of the Faeries"

Up the airy mountain,
  Down the rushy glen,
We daren't go a-hunting
  For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,
  Trooping all together;
Green jacket, red cap,
  And white owl's feather!

p. 4

Down along the rocky shore
  Some make their home,
They live on crispy pancakes
  Of yellow tide-foam;
Some in the reeds
  Of the black mountain lake,
With frogs for their watch-dogs,
  All night awake.

High on the hill-top
  The old King sits;
He is now so old and grey
  He's nigh lost his wits.
With a bridge of white mist
  Columbkill he crosses,
On his stately journeys
  From Slieveleague to Rosses;
Or going up with music
  On cold starry nights,
To sup with the Queen
  Of the gay Northern Lights.

They stole little Bridget
  For seven years long;
When she came down again
  Her friends were all gone.
They took her lightly back,
  Between the night and morrow,
They thought that she was fast asleep,
  But she was dead with sorrow.
They have kept her ever since
  Deep within the lake,
On a bed of flag-leaves,
  Watching till she wake.

By the craggy hill-side,
  Through the mosses bare,
They have planted thorn-trees
  For pleasure here and there. p. 5
Is any man so daring
  As dig them up in spite,
He shall find their sharpest thorns
  In his bed at night.

Up the airy mountain,
  Down the rushy glen,
We daren't go a-hunting
  For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,
  Trooping all together;
Green jacket, red cap,
  And white owl's feather!

Trad. Irish
CH

If you wish to hear the tune for this song I have uploaded two versions in the Fairy gallery in midi format, enjoy!
Title: Re: Michael's Everthing Faeries of the British Isles
Post by: Dark Lord M on July 09, 2006, 10:55:32 AM
Here are some Faery Figures from legends, these are the only ones I could think of now and will probably be updated.

Important Faery Figures

Morgan Le’ Fay

Morgan in Aurthian Legend is the ‘fairy’ half sister of the famous King Arthur. (Daughter of Arthur’s mother, and fathered by Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall.) She has two older Elaine and Morgause. Morgauses is sometimes confused with Morgan due to the different pronunciations of Morgan's name. Morgan is thought to be of Faery blood, or is a sorceress and is respected by these creatures. In the story by T.H. White “Sword in the Stone.” Young Arthur and Kay go on a quest and meet up with Robin Hood and his marry band of thieves. They must join together and brake into Morgan Le’ Fay’s Faery Keep made up entirely of food and sweets. In other legends of King Arthur, Morgan is a villain, others she is helpful, and in others she is the mother of Mordred the knight whom betrayed Arthur and killed him. But in the real legends she is one of the 3 mysterious maidens who take the dieing Arthur to the Lake. In many legends she is always plotting to bring Arthur’s plots to failure. Morgan is also confused with the Irish deity Mórrígan.

Lady of the Lake

In Aurthian Legends she is the one who gave Arthur his legendary sword Excalibur. She poses as a Water Faery or an Enchantress who lives in the Lake, in the Celtic mythology Merlyn falls for her, but seals his own fate. She raps her veil around him forming an invisible column and leaves him, where he must stay… Forever.

Oberon

In mythology Oberon is the King of the Faeries, he is famous for his part in William Shakespeare’s famous play a Midsummer’s Dream. Titania is his queen. He is King of the Elves in Merovingian legend.

Titania

Oberon’s wife, Queen of the Faeries

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_of_the_Lake

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oberon_%28mythology%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_Le_Fay

"The Once and Future King" By T.H. White

"The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology" By Arthur Cotterell & Rachel Strom
Title: Re: Michael's Everthing Faeries of the British Isles
Post by: Dark Lord M on July 09, 2006, 01:15:29 PM
Faery Types and Creatures similar to Faeries.

The Leperchaun

A famous symbol for all things Irish, common belief says he’s on the other side of a rainbow with a pot of gold, they are really shoemakers of the Faery realm. They will brake into mortal homes, and mend shoes and help shoe makers. Though be caught by the mortal eye and taken hold of by mortal arms, they cannot get away unless the human takes their eyes off them. Since they are legendary for their skills with the needle and earn much gold, they are often intargiated by their captor on where their gold. They may tell you and take their captor to their gold, but be warned they are very crafty. They may take you to a false location and dissapear when the human looks about. Or they will give them their gold and go on their way, but the gold will end to be fools gold, or turn into leeeves.

Cu Sith

(Pronounced coo shee) Cu Sith was a phantom hound that haunted the Scottish Highlands and parts of Ireland said to be owned by faeries. He would cross the realm of the Faery to ours to seek out mortal victims. Men would hear his blood curtling barks from the hills and hide their wives for they knew what he had come to take. The Cu Sith would come and steal mortal women to use their milk for Faery children. The beast was normally the size of a cow or calf and was dark green or black.

Cat Sídhe

Is a Scottish and Irish Faery that inhabits the Highlands. It is supposed to be a large cat (Bigger than a house cat smaller than a big cat.) that has a white spot on its breast. Some think its not a faery, but a witch.

The Dullahan

 It is headless, usually seen riding a headless black horse and carrying his head under one arm. The myth may have inspired The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. When he stops riding, a mortal dies. His face is the color and texture of molding cheese; his head has a large mouth and huge eyes that dart around like flies. And in some of the stories his horse has a head too. Its head is longer than its body by 6 yards and has flaming eyes and short ears. The Dullahan throws buckets of blood at people he passes. In other legends he sides with the legendary ghost, the Banshee, and they drive a black cart (called the Coiste Bodhar) drawn by six black horses and whips them with his whip made of a human spinal cord . (which he sometimes has on his own which he whips the eyes out of the mortals foolish enough to spy on him during his nightly runs, for he hates those with sharp eyesight.) The only fear it has is gold, which any lonely traveler at night would be wise to have to ward off him off.
(Taken by MY own words from Monstropedia.)

Pixie

The mischivious Pixies are similar to Faeries but not totally the same thing. They steal the horses from mortals and return them later, the brake things around the house, they lead people asstray at night, they will spoil food and drinks, scare the cats, and cause all sorts of trouble. Pixies can be avoided if one keeps their cloths inside out.

Earth Faeries (small folk)

Earth faeries are split into two groups, surface and underground. Some of the well known are the Gnomes, Elves, and Ents. Their physical characteristics small (normally about a foot and a half.) and earthish in color with their cloths colored with what season it is. Like brown and deep red during the Fall and bright and deep greens during the summer and spring. They live in the hills and trees, and are normally rarely seen due to their cloths blending into to the the enviroment.
(Taken by MY own words from Monstropedia.)

Water Faeries

Some live in the sea and others live in ponds. Examples are the Mellows of Irish folklore, they are like or are mermaids who come onto land to ask for help from mortals if they need it or they will come and take a mortal partner. Most that are encountered are female, but some have been male. Others are the Scottish Kelpie who are said to lurk in the Lochs and river who acted similiar to the Phooka who took the form of a horse and would dive into the lake with the mortal on its' back. This is one of the nasty kinds of Faeries that try to harm humans. Some Water Faeries can come from their bodies of water while others cannot, so it would be wise not to play in strange ponds and rivers, you never know what will befall you.

Air Faeries

These Faeries are the kind that control the weather, blow the wind, and can cause any kind of distrubants in nature. This class consist of Storm, Cloud, and even the Dragon.

Fire Faeries

These faeries control and even create fire. Some are completely made up of fire and others have fire around them. Two kinds of these creatures are the Flame Spirits and the Salamanders.

Phooka

A solitary Faery by nature, the Phooka is a very mischievous type of Faery. Its’ true from is an ugly goblin like creature, but it takes the form of many animals. Such a horse, rabbit, goat, dog, and eagle. The Phooka can be easily picked out because of its’ sleek black hair. When taking the form of a horse it will stand in the open hoping for a mortal to think of it as a wild pony, as the human comes apon its back it will shoot off bringing the poor man for a hell of a ride. Eventually the Phooka will dump the mortal into a bog, pond, or ditch, laugh and gallop away. Like all Faeries the Phooka is very active during dusk and twilight. So be warned travellers of the night, do not hop onto a stray pony’s back!

Goblin

Goblins are hideous and grotesque Faery Folk, they are normally short, but can be as tall as a human or taller. Though they look rather stupid and dull they are very wise. But seek no guidence from them for they hate the human race and will not cause the harmless faery mischief. They will bring plagues of misfortune apon their unfornunate victims. The can create nightmares, they will take your pets and eat them, replace children with their goblin changleings. They also will change sign post to make people get lost, they laugh sour milk, bring out the worste in everything. They steal horses to make them tired at night. They are said to be totally invisible to the human eye, so animals will yell at something that cannot be seen, things will fall over on their own, and voices will come from no where. Best be warned, they don’t only eat animals…

Clurichaun

A faery similar to the Leperchaun, but lives and gaurds your wine cellar. You should always offer it food, or it will leave and not guard your wine ever again.

Brownie

A Brownie is a small faery the cleans your house, it is friendly, but can turn into a Boggart if not given food.

Boggart

The oppisite of a Brownie, it will cause mayhem around and in your house until you respect it, and it will change back to a Brownie.

Troll

The Troll is very similar to the goblin, only bigger. They live in caves, under water in ponds and shallow lakes, bridges, and anywhere dark. They too, like the faery, kidnap humans and take them away to their layers. They also leave changeling children in place of mortal ones. The trolls must remain in dark places because if they come out of the light they will “turn to stone”. Though many believe trolls are stupid creatures they are actually clever, smart creatures who enjoy playing games. Where the troll legends started it was dark most of the year. Leaving trolls able to walk around longer than they should, causing more harm than good. They would set off borders on roads and bridges asking for tolls to cross, and if the person did not pay, they would be eaten.

Elves

Elves are seperated into two groups; Light and Dark. The Light Elves live in nature untouched by the curropting man, they sing songs, dance, and celebrate. They live in peace and harmony and judge no one. Some of the smaller types of elves will go out and and pull small pranks on mortals, like the normal kind of Faery, though Elves are not of the Faery kind. The Dark Elves are not evil, but little is known of them forthey live in the deepest caverns of the Earth.

Dwarves

Dwarves are like short men with beards, they live underground and hardly ever see the light of day. In some legends they cannot go outside because they will turn to stone like trolls. In Aurthian legend they are like humans only shorter, though there is a kingdom suggesting a separate race. Dwarves weapon of choice is an axe or a hammer. They are very stubborn and is best not to get on their nerves.

Gnomes

Gnomes are elemental spirits and are similar to the Fay because of their appearnce and height. The alchamist Paracelus they are the most important of the  earth elemental spirits. In some legends they are small, bearded, shy folk that get turned to stone by the suns rays. In others they are similar to goblins, pulling mischief wherever they go. They say that they sped the days as toads and by not they become their true form. Gnome meens ‘knowledge’ because they knew many things, and they hoarded great ammounts of treasure. Though gnomes have been respected throughout the years, they have enspired ugly lawn ordiments.
I’m waiting for some links for Elemental Faeries, alls I have right now are the Earth Faeries, so just be patient for these.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnomes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elves

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarves

Arthur Spiderwicks Field Guide to the Fantasitcal World Around You

http://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Earth_fairy

http://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Dullahan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goblin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~bj333/faries.html

http://faerie.monstrous.com/index.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cu_Sith

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Sidhe

http://www.angelfire.com/realm2/amethystbt/faeriesfire.html

http://www.angelfire.com/realm2/amethystbt/faeriesair.html

http://www.angelfire.com/realm2/amethystbt/faerieswater.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelpie

http://www.irelandseye.com/animation/explorer/merrows.html
Title: Re: Michael's Everthing Faeries of the British Isles
Post by: Dark Lord M on July 09, 2006, 04:27:11 PM
Misc Faeries

Here I’m going to talk about some things that can’t really be placed in categories, so this will just be random things and probably won’t be uber big like my other post.

Faery Rings

Also called pixie rings, fairy circles occur when fungus spread their spores in a circular manner, when they grow they come up as a circle of toadstools. Though science has proven these are nothing special, folklore says otherwise. They were said that this is where faeries would come and dance and have their little parties leaving their magical properties on the ground creating the mushrooms and grass to appear in a circle.

Pics

http://www.forestryimages.org/images/768x512/1436165.jpg

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles1000/images/fairy_rings.jpg

http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/plantsci/landscap/pp950-15.gif

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/Turfgrass/Turf011/Figure4.jpg

How to repel Faeries

Iron, anything iron will do the job. The Dullahan can be stopped with gold.

Toadstools

Toadstools have always had something to do with faeries in folklore. They were seats for Gnomes, and shade for the small folk to lay under. Some were even said to house them. Others said witches and the Fay turned into toads to sit on them.

How to summon a Faery according to Aurthian Legend

In ‘The Once and Future King’ they say you can summon a Faery if you say an animals names without pointing towards it. Such as “dog”, “pig”, “horse”, “bird”, etc. (See my post ‘Aurthian Legend- How to Summon a Faery’ to get the full back ground story.)

Countries with Faery Lore in their Mythology
Most of Europe has some kind of Faery Lore. The British Isles like England, Scotland, Isle of Man, Ireland, and Wales were rich with belief. Russia, Germany, France, and Norse had similar tales.

Faeries, gone? What I say...

Okay, it was the Encyclopedia of the Celts they had information wrong?  :|

Anyway, he also said that the Two Courts and Faeries have taken their leave of our lands because of us stop believing in them. But that’s not true; people still see them and Faeries as long as we believe in them they will stay. Monstrous Faery section says that they have left Scotland, but that does not mean they have moved somewhere else... Every living thing’s major thought is to survive wherever they can, in our world or theirs. So they could have moved to other parts of the world. From what I understand Faeries need us to believe in them so they can stay in this world so that is why people still see them so that Faeries may coexist with us. But from what many folklorists believe (and so do I...) That the Twilight Realm and Earths ties are beginning to thin and that may be another reason why we don't see them as much. And I think soon the bind between the two worlds will brake once technology will take over and humans will only depend on it and everyone will forget the beliefs of old and Science Fiction will rule the minds of fiction... People will forget of the Wee Folk who spoiled our milk and stole our horses, and that is when they will truly take leave of us. So I must disagree with him saying that they have truly left us. They are still among us for now, just for now…
Quoted from what I said in the topic "unseelie (http://monstrous.com/forum/index.php?topic=3085.0)".

Faeries now, faeries then...

Now (http://images.google.com/url?q=http://www.artdolls.com/images/gallery/fullsize/AidamarisRoman-Fairy.jpg)

Then (http://www.cielidirlanda.it/Cultura/ilpopolofatato/leprecauno2.jpg)

Michael's Faery Slideshow. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXDZ66STewM)
Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy_rings

The Once and Future King- By T.H. White

http://faerie.monstrous.com/index.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy

Devious Viper- thanks for backing me up!(http://www.phpbbplanet.com/bricksandbantha/images/smiles/icon_thumright.gif)
Bloody Angel- thanks for the links!(http://www.phpbbplanet.com/bricksandbantha/images/smiles/icon_thumright.gif)

And other assorted books (I can’t recall them because I don’t have them.)

This concludes my information on all things that I have learned, thanks for reading and help me expand it by sending me PMs! And again, thanks for reading!