Tree fairies (called a variety of names) act as guardians of trees/bushes. They often protect lone trees. If the unwary inflict harm on a fairy tree, woe betide them. Tree fairies are capable of serving up all sorts of retributions to those who kill or damage the tree/bush they are guarding. The offending party might be visited by poverty, illness, or other misfortunes. If the fairy is angry enough, the punishment might extend to the person’s family. So, before undertaking any landscape alterations, be sure a fairy tree is not in your way.
Category: Celtic Fairies (page 2 of 2)
Fairies are thought to have a difficult time birthing. Many times newborn fairies are borne with deformities, mental deficiencies, and so forth. The fairies cannot abide such impurity and seek to exchange the deficient baby with a healthy human baby…thus the name changeling.
Infants who are much admired or infants, who have not been baptized, are often the targets of these fairy exchanges. When such exchanges occur, the human household is in for a rough time. The changeling is very demanding and brings a variety of misfortune to the household. Changelings usually have a wizened appearance, thin frail limbs, darkened eyes, and yellowed skin. One positive attribute of these fairies is that they are often gifted musicians and bring much joy when they perform.
Although less frequent, older children can be the target of a fairy exchange. One can’t tell the change has occurred by the changeling’s appearance as in the case of infants because the changeling will appear much like the child did. However, one can tell by the extreme personality change. Fairy changelings tend to be cold and unresponsive.
In all cases, the changeling has little regard for humans and is indifferent to the burdens placed on the family. For instance, they will eat everything in the house and expect more. In most cases, the changeling does not live more than a couple of years. Examining the burial mound can reveal its true nature. Instead of the body of an infant, one will find bog roots or some other aspect of a tree rather than an infant.
The best way to ward off an exchange is to lay an element of the father’s clothing over the infant. Religious objects (crucifix, etc.) placed around the crib are also thought to be effective deterrents.
It is also thought possible to drive out the changeling by getting it to reveal it’s true age. If it does, the human infant will be returned. Heat and fire may also be effective.
Leprechauns are far and away the most recognizable of the Irish Fairies…some even refer to the Leprechaun as Ireland’s national fairy. Leprechauns appear as old, diminutive men who are shoemakers and bankers for other fairies. It is argued that the name Leprechaun derives from the Irish term for shoemaker (leith bhrogan).
Many Leprechauns drink to excess but never to the point of losing control of themselves. Leprechauns have long been associated with money often depicted along with the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. One reason for this is that they seem to have an endless supply of money.
They are thought to always have a silver and a gold coin, each in a different pouch. When they part with the silver coin, it magically returns to their purse. When they part with the gold coin usually to bribe their way out of a difficult situation, the coin turns to leaves or ashes in the recipient’s pocket.
In addition to being shoemakers, Leprechauns are thought to be the bankers of the fairy world. Many believe they have found and hidden treasures lost by others. These treasures are buried in crocks and pots. Leprechauns are able to recall the exact location of these buried treasures.
These banker fairies are thought to have very dour dispositions and to avoid contact with humans because they consider humans to be shallow. They also worry that humans will steal their treasures.
Leprechauns are very hard to catch or see because they can move very quickly. If one is caught, he usually promises great wealth if allowed to go free. Once released, he quickly zips out of sight.
There seem to be two different types of Leprechaun’s the dour, banker type who wears green and avoids humans and the friendly type who dresses garishly and delights in making mischief for humans (some argue this latter fairy is not really a leprechaun but a close cousin who should be called a cluricaun). Banker fairies know all about money while cluricaun know nothing about money and have no knowledge of where treasures can be found.
This section of this blog provides an introduction to Fairies and their roles in Celtic lands. There are various schools of thought about how Fairies came into existence. One school of thought is that when the great rebellion took place in Heaven some angels did not take sides. In the end, they were cast out of heaven but were not sent to hell. Supposition has it that St. Michael, the patron saint of Fairies, interceded on their behalf and kept them from being cast into hell. Instead, they were given remote/dark places to inhabit on Earth.
Another explanation is that Fairies are not fallen angels but are the remains of the Tuatha de Danaan, one of the early races to inhabit Ireland. The Tuatha de Danaan are thought to have come from Greece with knowledge that seemed magical to others. Thus, they were seen and treated as Gods. However, with the spread of Christianity they lost this status and fled to glens, hollows, and other remote areas where they remain to this day.
Regardless of the true origin of Fairies, the types are clear and we will overview some of them in subsequent entries. Contrary to the popular culture view, most fairies are not like Tinkerbell so brace yourself.