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| Mallow and Honeysuckle fairy, by Cecily Mary Barker, found more on : http://www.flowerfairies.com/ |
The term fairy
is generically used to refer together all sorts of spirits, including Celtic
“sidhe”, or Slavic “Vila”. Esscentialy,
when we say “fairy” we refer to
enchanting, volatile, magickally gifted, powerful, and elusive
nature spirits, particularly of a female gender. So the same word is used for Banshee ( Baoban
sidhe ) , or the Forest mother ( Mama Pudri ) or even Rusalka, even though they
are all very different, and have their distant, respective characteristics .
What unites all
the spirits reffered to as “fairies” is : “association with wild nature and
interest in human life circles, especially birth” [1] Most of the time, also, they all symbolize or
embody concepts of virility, wildness, power,
and sometimes curiosity.
Opposed to the
popular belief, they are not just some tiny, insect-size spirits, that are
either benevolent, or just tad bit
noxious and annoying. They can be rather nasty and vindictive, and some
are plainly evil. Alternative spellings include faerie , fairy, faery [2] and fae, which is used to both refer to
singular and plural form of the noun, or the “race” of the fairies.
The term “fairy”
may come from “fata” , a Latin term for fate,
used simultaneously to refer to Fates, mythological creatures that spin,
and cut the thread of life. In Italian, “fata” simply translates as “fairy”,
like in Fata Morgana ( or the Fairy Morgana ) , and when spelt together
fatamorgana ( lit. a mirage ), it represents optical illusion. Archaic English term would be “fays” , meaning
“enchanted” , “bewitched”. In Slavic countries,
fairies are called either “vila” ( sin. Lit. “a fairy” ), or some
variation of it ( Bulgarian and Macedonian “samovila” for example ), and it
comes from old, Slavic term for “gone
crazy” which, is in consistency
with the Slavic belief that the fairies
can make someone go crazy.
Fairyland and
in-between places
Depending on
culture, fairies live either in Fairlyland ( Widespread European ), or in the Fairy city ( Eastern European ) , then
again, the later is also situated in the Fairyland.
In Eastern
European folklore, this Fairy ( or Fairy’s ) city, is a motif of old,
pre-Christian poem(s) about an fairy
city made with bones of sacrificed humans, or even with humans, that were built
in, alive, in its walls. This “fairy
city” is neither on Earth, nor in sky, it’s palaces and breathtakingly
beautiful places and sceneries, lay either on the clouds, or bellow the ground.
In Serbia, there is a town Nish , that the Celtics used to refer to as “Fairy
city” , and near the Serbian town Bor, there is a cave, with geologic forms that resemble petrified human,
and is also sometimes reffered to as “Fairy’s city”[3]
It’s
inaccessible to humans, least to those chosen,
as it is a part of fairy land.
Fairy land is a special kingdom
where the fairies live, though it does
not seem to be situated on the
physical plane. The entrance to it however
is.
It is believed
to be possible for human beings to enter, and even spend some time in
Fairyland, and even return from there
providing , that they have not eaten or drunk anything there. Eating or drinking anything in kingdom of the
Fae is said to place one under a specific fairy enchantment, which prevents them from leaving. And those
that did, manage to escape the fairy land, report how the time goes by differently there, and how
one hour in fairy land many equate to
years in humans world [4] In England, it’s believed that the entrance to the
fairy kingdom lies where their three sacred “trees” ( one of them is actually a shrub ) grow, forming a triangle. These are Hawthorn, Oak and Ash. It is also said
that Primroses and Bluebells ( each in their own, specific way ) key’s to the
Fairyland.
If a large stone
appears, among these there,
fairy-sacred plants, or if it’s
found in field of bluebells, or on the fairy hill ( where fairies are
believed to live or appear ) it’s quite
probably the entrance to the Fairyland.
Knocking on it with a right number of Primrose flowers is
believed to cause the stone to
open, showing entrance to the Fairyland. The “wrong” number of flowers,
however, is believed to be someone’s
ticket to doom.
In the end,
Fairies might live in their own kingdom , but they visit the physical plane so frequently that it appears
as If they are living here. In fact some of them spend time between Beltaine
and Samhaine , on the physical plane, in the secluded, isolated places, that
are not frequently visited by human
beings, such as forests, and mountains.
In Eastern
European folklore it is believe how, some of the fairies, are born on the
physical plane, and will always remain close to
the place where they are born, for example, mountain fairies, forest
fairies, field fairies and so on. On
Balkan peninsula, superstitions say how ( some ) fairies are born from the dew
appearing on red flowers, and during the times when it both rains and shines,
and the rainbows appear. [5] Sometimes, like in the case of different Nymphs
and Dryads, which are also referred to as fairies , they live inside a tree or
a rock, and come out when they need to protect it, or on rare occasions to
interact with humans.
In Celtic
countries, the Fairies were believed to inhabit the Otherworld, a place where
the supernatural creatures and spirits of the dead live, but also some islands
on the physical plane, which are mystical in/of themselves, and sometimes seen
as transcendent, or coexisting in
multiple planes [6], such as the one in Lough Derg ( Red Lake ) in
Connty Donegal in Ireland. Fae are
sometimes also seen ( in Celtic countries ) , at least some of them are, as
descendants of Teutonic deities ( Tuatha de danan ).
Finally, some
fairies, which are interested in humans, live near human inhabitants, or even
in human houses such as brownies and
pixies ( some say they are one and the same ).
And many brownies and pixies live in nice human gardens. Even the
Bulgarian and Macedonian Samovili can be
found dancing in beautiful, opulent, human-made gardens. In fact, many magickal
practitioners who work with the Fae will build a garden for them, making
sure it has some of the plants that the Fairies will enjoy, and
paying attention to evade those that would repel them.
Fairies
will be drawn to and enticed to dwell in, gardens that contain : butterfly
bush,carnations (particularly red ones), clover, coreopsis, cosmos,cowslips,
daisies, foxglove, hollyhock, hyssop, lavender, lobelia,pansies, petunias,
primroses (particularly blue and red ones),roses (all types), shamrock, thyme,
vervain, yarrow, and zinnias, but they might get repel by gardens that have: dill, morning glory, peonies, prickly gorse,
or rosemary, according to Gerina Dunwich. [7]
It can be a section of a garden merely, and a part of it should be left with wild plants and weeds growing, be it a tiny corner. Fountains, and crystals placed strategically in such garden, shall also help to call the fairies.
In-between places, like seashore, river shore, doorways, fairy rings, dolmens and megaliths, are places on which there is always a good chance to spot a fae.
It can be a section of a garden merely, and a part of it should be left with wild plants and weeds growing, be it a tiny corner. Fountains, and crystals placed strategically in such garden, shall also help to call the fairies.
In-between places, like seashore, river shore, doorways, fairy rings, dolmens and megaliths, are places on which there is always a good chance to spot a fae.
We have already mentioned that some of the fairies, are born with/on plants, such as flower fairies and dryads.
One legend says that Fairies came to be
from Adam’s and Eve’s children, which
they tried to conceal from G’d , when he asked
them how many children do they
have. Being that they hid some, and reported only the remaining, G’d made their hidden children
intangible from them onwards.
Some people believe that Fairies emanate from elemental energy, therefore
making them elemental spirits of a kind.
According to Rosemary Ellen Guiley,
there are several main theories about the origin of the fairies.
1)
They might be the souls of deceased pagans,
who, not being baptized, remain between Heavens and Earth
2) They
might be the guardians of the dead. Many fairies are indeed psychopomp spirits
3) Fairies
could be ancestral ghosts
4) Fairies
could be fallen angels, cast out from Heaven, alongside Luci*er, but condemned
by G’d to remain in the elements of Earth
5) Fairies
are nature spirits bound to specific
places or elements, which indeed seem to be most likely theory
6)
Fairies are a “race” of small-statured
human beings [8]
Threats or
spirit allies
“Fairies
also are traditionally propitiated with offerings
and
rites at sacred wells, fountains, lakes and tree groves
so
that humans may ward off illness and misfortune.”
Rosemary
Ellen Guiley, “Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits”
Fairies, being
extremely skilled in magick, and very powerful, can be either a guiding and protecting sprits to humans, or
their doom. It depends on two things
mainly:
-
Fairy’s mentality/nature
-
Human
behaviour in regards to them
Some fairies are
naturaly very malevolent, and should simply be avoided, or warded off, if one
is to be found in the proximity.
Ruslake, for example, Slavic water fairies, are almost always evil,
although, sometimes people petition them
for love issues, in regards to which they express sympathy, being that
they came to be from girls who suicide by jumping into lakes of rivers, because
of unfortunate love story. Most time
however they enjoy to either beacon, or
forcefully take humans, into the watery grave.
All kind of
Sidhe, enjoy feeding on human’s blood and/or energy, killing their victims eventually, least
some kind of ( magickal ) countermeasure is
undertaken.
The malevolent
fairies, however show extremely strong aversion to several apotropaic items,
such as iron, holey stones or feathers of certain birds.
Most of the
fairies, however, are either ambivalent or benevolent towards human beings, and
often quite curious about them. In fact,
in Balkan peninsula folklore, humans often make pacts with fairies, both the
good and bad ones. Folk make pact with the bad fairies to spare their towns,
Villages, areas of the fairies wrath, and thus often include a sacrifice of a
kind, once it was a human being or animal,
but nowadays these are food, fruits, money and alike.
Pact with the
good, benevolent, kind fairies, often comes as an offer from the fairies
themselves. In Balkan peninsula folklore, fairies like to make pacts with neat, strong, kind
and helpful men, particularly with those that might have helped them in some
way, be it merely making a shade for them, as they sleep, to protect them from the too strong sun. In
return fairies “brother” the man, and may bestow all sorts of gifts upon them,
and will protect and guide their human protégés. [9] In Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro, there is a
popular folk-epic poem “Prince Marko and the Vila” about Prince Marko , and his “sister” ( sometimes
“godmother” ) fairy that nursed him back to health after he’s been fatally
injured.
 |
| Painting "Milosh, Marko i Vila" by Paja Jovanovic, 1906th |
Fairies also
love children, and in Celtic folklore, they are known to sometimes kidnap human babies, and take them
to the Fairyland, to raise them as their own , sometimes leaving their own babies ( “changelings” ). Little human children are believe to be
naturally able to see and interact with
fairies, yet as humans grow up, and lose that child-like innocence, the vast majority
stop seeing them. And quite frankly most people simply do not care about the fae when they grow up. This is just one,
of the many reasons why one should always keep and cherish the child
within.
As our spirit
allies, the Fae are known to :
-
Heal
us, even remove life threatening and terminal conditions
-
Bring
love
-
Tend
plants – dryads and flower fairies, the latter being as diverse as flowers. In
fact, the flower fairies resemble
flowers they were born from, inhabit or care for. This is brilliantly depicted
in the “Flower fairies” by Cicely Mary Baker
-
Teach
women and men, herbal lore, herbal
medicine, and magick
-
Bestow
gifts – like the so called “birth fairies” do. The classical example being the
“ The Sleeping beauty” , which is more than
just a silly fairytale. It’s based on actual, old European ritual, where upon the arrival of the newborn, the feast
was appropriated for the fairies, and
from 3-13 ( most often ) plates, with
all the following cutlery were set, and all served with lavish meals and
sweets. [10] Oftentimes, they will bestow spiritual gifts, such as premonition,
or green fingers, to humans, like in the case of “True Thomas” . And “ The Sleeping beauty” in fact
serves to remind that it’s always good to set one or two more plates, just in
case ;)
-
Guide
and protect, particularly in times of war, tribulation, when traveling alone at
night, or when threatened by evil magick or spirits
-
Fulfill
wishes and petitions, also help with household chores and difficult to achieve
tasks
As You see,
Fairies can be invaluable spirit allies, but they must be approached properly.
It’s quite ill-advised to approach to fairies with arrogance or desire to dominate them, and force them to
do our biddings. Even when this is possible, the fae will seek vengeance,
afterwards. Not only that this does not pay off , but it’s also completely unnecessary. The fae hold great
respect and esteem dearly love towards
nature, devotion, care, and sincerity.
Fairies will
highly appreciate gifts, in form of flowers, cakes, honey, poems written for
them, caring of the plants where they
live, or nice fabrics and ornaments. So the proper way to “make a pact”, or
rather, petition the fae is to approach
them respectfully and humbly , offering
some small token of gratitude to them. I
wrote about spells and rituals to work with Fae before, on here, and there are some ideas and illustrative
examples.
In-between
places and times, like for example coast ( where the land and water meet ) or
midnight ( where the day and night meet )
provide best chances for seeing fairies and items like holley stones, or loops made
from Rowan twigs can help greatly. On
Beltane, they say it’s enough to place a “crown” of elder twigs, or sleep bellow an Elder tree
to see the Fae. Sleeping in the field with Thyme flowers
placed on eyelids is another way that may enable one to catch a glimpse of
these elusive spirits.
Remember,
insulting the Fae, recklessly cutting down the trees in their forests, or hunting down animals for fun, in
fae-inhabited areas is never a good idea. Cakes and honey, songs and vine for
them, now that is a good idea J
Following and
few belifs, practical tips and
ideas, about working fairy magick J
To become as
strong as Samovila
To become as
strong as Samovili, and thus able to pluck the whole tree out with the roots
and all, one should drink from Samovila’s spring, but
should leave some offerings
nearby. They say that the offspring of this person will be white-haired,
winged elf children with flaming eyes. [11]
Heal eye
conditions
Some night, when
the Moon is full, go to some spring which is believed to be frequented or blessed by fae. These can be found in
secluded places, like European countryside, and often have “Fairy” somewhere in
their name, for ex. “Fairy’s spring” . Leave cakes and honey near it, and
petition the fae to heal Yours/N.N’s
eyes . Take some water with You home, place a clear
fluorite and/or staurolite in it, and place it on the window, where it will be
exposed to the moon beams for the night. Go to sleep.
In the morning,
take the crystals out and wash the eyes
and face with this water. Do it couple of times per day , until You’ve spent
all of the liquid. You may also take a sip of it.
Charm to draw
fairies
In a green
velvet bag, place Staurolite and White Rowan blossoms. Carry with You to
attract the fae and sleep on it.
Gossamer wings oil
This wonderful oil is used to help contact air element fairies, such as sylphs, elves and alike
Combine: 1/4 part Violet, 1/4 part Lemon, 1/2 part Lavender , and Cajeput in a few drops. If You combine Carnations and Gardenia petals 1/2 each, in an oil You'll get a powerful formula for communication with elemental spirits and celestial spirits [12]
NOTES: This article was written/composed by myself, therefore, If you wish to use any part of it elsewhere online, feel free, but add credits Shadow of Shadows magick place, Shadow-333@hotmail.com or a direct link to this page.
CREDITS AND REFRENCES:
[1] Judika Illes, “The Encyclopedia of spirits”, 402nd page, first edition 2009th,
Harper one
[3] Acc. to Gajic Nenad “Slovenska mitologija” ( lit.
“Slavic mythology” ) pg. 145th , Laguna, Belgrade 2011th
[4] According to
“Fantasy encyclopedia” by Judy Allen, Richard Hook et all. , pg 16th Kingfisher, 2005th
[5] As under [3] page 144th
[6] “Fairy faith in Celtic countries” W.Y. Evans-Wentz 1911th
, available ( 2014th ) here http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/ffcc/
[7] List of proffered
and disliked garden plants for
fairies is taken from : “Herbal magic; a
witches guide to Herbal folklore and enchantments” 2002nd , New Page
Book s, by Gerina Dunwich, and is used here for educational and
explanatory purposes without any ill will
[8] According to “Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits” ,
3rdEition, pg.164th and 165th , by Rosemary Ellen Guilley
[9] Acc. to source listed under [3] , page 146th
[10] Acc. to same source as under [1] page 403rd
[11] Acc. to the source listed
under [3] page 149th
[12] Retrieved from: Llewellyn's Complete Formulary of Magical Oils: Over 1200 Recipes,
Potions & Tinctures for Everyday Use, used here for educational purposes without any ill will
IMAGE CREDITS: The first two images are from "Flower fairies" by Cecily Mary Barker, these used here are retrieved from:
used here for illustrative purposes without any ill will. The third image, is from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Milo%C5%A1,_Marko_i_vila.jpg
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