Faeries/Fairies

INTRODUCTION
Arguably, the smallest of all mythical creatures, Faeries (fairies) are supernatural beings and spirits that dwell in forests. The term Faerie is allegedly from the Latin term for "fate" (fata). Fay or fey is the archaic term for faerie meaning bewitched or enchanted. This word derives from 'Fays' meaning Fates, which is supposedly a broken form of Fatae. 'Fay-erie' was first a state of enchantment, and was later used for the fays who wielded the powers of illusion. The state of enchantment is fayerie, which became fairy and faerie. Also,'faery' lends itself to the folklore we sometimes call fairytale. This shows the importance of faeries (fairies) to myth.

HISTORY OF FAERIES
The origins of faeries is placed in the British Isles; most specifically, among the Celtic and Teutonic peoples. The Sidhe is another name for faeries in Welsh. Faeries are mentioned as early as the medieval times (5th century to early 16th century)in Europe. Many of these ancient peoples believed that faeries were demons, ghosts, or,with the rise of Christianity, fallen angels. Others believe that faeries are a separate diminutive species whose existence predates human existence. In this latter explanation, faeries are believed to have been driven into the deep of the forest by humans. They are accepted as a dying, mystical race.

CHARACTERISTICS OF FAERIES
Faeries,like many creatures of myth and folkflore, are considered very powerful. Like their name suggests,Fairies are associated with fate and destiny. They are said to hold tremendous powers over humans, and most notably,children. In Medieval Europe, children and families were warned to stay away from areas known as faeryland. In fact, faeries are sometimes associated with Changelings, which are described as faery children. In modern faery lore, faeries are often good, if not a little mischievous. They are often portrayed as fiery or inquisitive. Rarely are they portrayed as evil creatures that kill humans who trespass on their land, or who try to steal children.

IMAGE OF FAERIES
Faeries are very similar to other mythical creatures; they are most closely associated with elves and goblins. In fact, they are considered by many to be members of the Elven  race. Traditional portrayals of faeries show them as rather unattractive trolls or goblins. Sometimes they were portrayed as the ghost of dead humans, an image that was designed to haunt or torment humans.

However, contemporary faeries are often portrayed as diminutive beings, sometimes no bigger than a hand. Often these faeries are humanoid in appearance with elfin ears. They frequently wear clothes with triangular cut edges. They also have transparent wings that are sparkly. Faeries may also have faery dust, which has magical properties. They may also carry wands, which make them comparable to witches.

FAERIES IN POPULAR CULTURE
Disney's Tinkerbell, a character from John Berry's famous 1902 children's classic Peter Pan, is arguably the most famous faery. She's known for being mischievous, slightly peeved and very playful.

In the Steven Spielberg directed movie Hook (1991), Oscar-winning American actress Julia Roberts portrayed Tinkerbell in human flesh form. The movie was a box office hit.

FAERIES IN REAL LIFE
The Victorian era is called the era of the faeries. It is an era marked by increased images and interest in faeries. One of the most important is the Cottingley Fairies portraits.

The Cottingley Fairies are a series of five photographs taken by Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths, two young cousins living in Cottingley, near Bradford in England, depicting the two in various activities with supposed fairies. In 1917, when the first two photos were taken, Elsie was 16 years old and Frances was 10. In 1981 the two women admitted to faking all but one of the photographs, but insisted that they really had seen faeries.

Often, fireflies are mistaken for faeries due to their small stature and remarkably bright wings. However, there has been no evidence uncovered to suggest that faeries exist in real life, or that they ever did exist. They are simply creatures of myth.