Celtic Myth: Fairies

Fairy Land by Howard David Johnson

I chose to do my project over Fairies in Celtic Folklore. The reason being is that fairies were apart of my childhood. Fairies also tend to be popular with younger children even to this day and it makes me wonder why. I always thought that fairies were good creatures when I was younger. Now that I am older and learned about different types of them, I've come to learn that not all fairies are good creatures.. The fact that children watch movies where fairies are included are only given one side of the story in a way. People only show the good part, but in actuality there are some really bad fairies. We know about the Sandman, Tooth Fairy, and Tinker Bell. What they leave out is the Banshee, Duallhan, Pooka, and many more.

The only background knowledge that I have before I entered my British Literature class was about Tinker Bell. I vaguely remember Tinker Bell. I know that she was in Peter Pan and that she had blonde hair with blue eyes and was able to sprinkle pixie dust on a human and it gave them the ability to fly. Other than that I really cannot remember any other fairies. That is why I was really intriguied to know a little more about them. It is nice to know that there are good fairies, but it is more interesting to me to know about the bad ones. Also the one question that we all want to know. Are fairies actually real or are they just a myth? 

Relevancy



Tinker Bell

In today's time when we think of fairies we visualize them being tiny little creatures with wings as pictured in children's movies. Back in the eighteenth century fairies tended to be regular sized human-beings. Some fairies could have been short and fat or tall and skinny. Some fairies were rude towards humans, some were nice. Fairies could have been the most beautiful creatures or so ugly and hideous to look at. Some fairies did not want to be seen by anybody and others would have walked amongst society.

If we looked at the Arthurian legends Morgan Le Fay was classified as a fairy for "Fay meant fairy" as it said in a post on timeless myths. Even Merlin could be considered a fairy even though he was part mortal. Those two characters in the Arthurian legends were living amongst mortal people who did not have any magical powers.

Morgan Le Fay

In the early Celtic traditions of fairies they looked a lot like humans in size and shape. The only difference is that they had magical powers, seemed externally young and did not have any wings. The Welsh deities were fairies that did not meet today's normal appearances. On the website it states that "welsh counterparts were usually seen as race of fair people".

Fairies are commonly popular in today's time. We are always using fairies for children's movies. Recently a movie called Maleficent came out that involved fairies. The main character Maleficent was a fairy whose wings were taken from her, but she still possessed magical powers. The thing that is different about this movie is that Maleficent is portrayed as an evil fairy. This is the first movie that comes to mind that actually shows a "bad" fairy. In today's society we are taught that all fairies are good, but this movie portrays her as a bad one. If you were to watch the movie people can sympathize towards the way she acts. Her wings were taken from her at a young age and she is out to seek revenge. She ends up casting a spell on a baby that when she turns fifteen she'll be in an everlasting sleep. Long story short Maleficent comes to love the child. The fairy Maleficent is actually a good person at heart. All she wanted was what was taken from her.

People who are writers normally choose a topic that is popular and fairies is something that will live on forever. They are magical and mysterious. It is something that people want to know more about. Writers will take their own spin on fairies and try to come up with something that will sell. Fairies are useful to know about and be taught about, because they have been around for a long period of time and they do not seem like they are going anywhere.

Pooka

A Pooka is the most feared fairy every in the land of Ireland. This fairy rides out at nightfall up to mischief and harm. Traditionally a Pooka is a dark, sleek long haired horse with luminescent glowing eyes. Though a Pooka takes the shape of a horse this fairy can take the forms of many other things as well, but is mostly known to have the shape of a horse. 

Pookas are known to have the power of human speech and use it to their advantage by exploiting the truth. On the website it states that a Pooka will stop at your house and demand you come outside and take part in his delinquency. If you refused "the Pooka will vandalize their property because it is a very vindictive fairy". They tend to talk to a person for quite awhile and disappear without saying good-bye. Making the person wondering whether or not what just happened was real, leaving them dazed and confused.

http://happy-hooligan.blogspot.com/2014/10/irish-american-halloween-pooka.html

Apparently the Pooka is feared the most in the land of Ireland. This fairy can take any form and often rides out at night causing harm and mischief. Traditionally a Pooka is seen as a dark, sleek horse with a long wild flowing mane and has luminescent glowing eyes. According to the website Ireland's eye when the Pooka is in horse form it "roams large areas of countryside at night, tearing down fences and gates, scattering livestock in terror, trampling crops". It also tends to have fun by inviting a rider along. Normally after people get out of the pubs a intoxicated person would say yes and would end up having a night he'd never forget. The Pooka would do everything and anything to make the rider terrified. 

In the website it states that in some countries the " Pooka is rather more mysterious than dangerous, provided it is treated with proper respect." In my opinion the Pooka seems to be a rowdy teenager. In all the stories that are given of the Pooka there has never been of one the fairy killing a man. All the Pooka does is cause mischievousness and acts bad. He just wants to have a little fun. The Pooka is famous in America for the play titled "Harvey", which later turned into a film. That movie is about a man who claims that he is friends with a Pooka that is a six foot invisible rabbit. 

Banshees

http://www.celtic-weddingrings.com/legend-of-the-banshee.aspx

Banshees are known to produce a wail that signals that someone is about to die or has died. Banshees come in three different types of guises as stated "a young woman, a stately matron or a raddled old hag, which represent the triple aspects of the Celtic goddess archetype" (Olivier). Most of the times her wail is a night when someone is near death. 

A Banshee is an Irish legend and are known to scream to warn that there will be a death in the family. It is said that each family has their own Banshee. Historians have traced the first stories of Banshees to the eighth century were women would sing a sorrowful song when someone had passed away. On the Celtic wedding rings website apparently  the women would "accepted alcohol as their payment" and were cast as sinners for doing so. They were punished to become a Banshee. According to the website when a banshee wails it's mournful sound it is usually only heard by the family member it is intended for. Some other Irish legends say that the Banshee is a young girl who suffered a terrible death and her spirit is there to help warn family members other violent deaths. 

https://www.pinterest.com/breonna201314/lydia-martin-teen-wolf/

Banshees are relative in today's time, because there is actually a popular television show that has a character who is a Banshee. In the t.v. series Teen Wolf there is a character who is a young lady that goes by the name of Lydia who is a Banshee. Viewers see this girl scream numerous of times throughout the show when someone is near death. Unlike the legends Lydia does not only scream to signal someone is about to die in her family, but she screams whenever someone is about to die in her town or close by. This character is also alive unlike in the Irish legends. According to the teen wolf wiki her abilities were sparked when her uncle "claims it was his attack on Lydia in Formality that was the spark that activated her innate abilities".  Her grandmother was also a Banshee maybe meaning that it is hereditary in the show.

Leprechaun

The Leprechaun is an Irish fairy that has been around for numerous of years. This is probably one of the most known fairies out there in the world. There have been so many movies produced about this certain type of creature. When a fairy comes to mind you think of a small beautiful winged creature. The leprechaun is a small creature, but it is pretty unattractive to look at. These creatures were normally old men who were always "found in an intoxicated state by home-brew" (Olivier). People normally picture them in a green suit with buckled shoes with a top hat on.

http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photos-happy-leprechaun-image28818778

On the site live science it states that the actual word derived from "the Irish leath bhrogan, meaning shoemaker". This would make since, because shoe making is a profitable business in the fairy world. This brings up the myth that at the end of every rainbow you will find a pot of gold. In the Irish legends if you were able to capture a leprechaun you could  trade his freedom for his treasures. On the website it says that "Leprechauns are usually said to be able to grant the person three wishes" but, the legends state that leprechauns are normally tricksters.

In today's day and age people have created a realtively popular movie series that deals with a Leprechaun. This movie's genre is horror and has to deal with a Leprechaun who out to seek his pot of gold. This movie is pretty popular since it cast leading actress Jennifer Aniston. This film portrays the leperchaun as a short old man with a beard that is wearing a green suit with a top hat and his buckled shoes he kind of looks like a gremlin.

http://pop-break.com/2014/03/17/holiday-horror-the-leprechaun-movies/

Another way a leprechaun is widely known here in American is because of the famous cereal Lucky Charms. There is a young man or boy who is smiling on the box as a positive person with his favorite punch line "they're magically delicious". Leprechaun's seemed to be portrayed as a negative character back in the eightheen century, but in today's time it seems that the roles have reversed. There is a day known as Saint Patrick's Day. On this day people wear green and or a shamrock to cast good luck. Since this is related to Ireland and the Leprechaun is associated with that place people say that this is the only day that you are likely to spot a leprechaun. People like to celebrate on this day and people go crazy when they see a rainbow and try to find the spot where it ends to find that pot of gold. In today's time we think leprechauns are lucky to associate with but, back then these fairies were ticksters and evil to be in contact with. A person would not want to spot a leprechaun.

 http://www.sometimeshealthylivingblog.com/2014/02/26/wiaw-good-luck-charms/

Work Cited

"Faeries." Faeries. Jimmy Joe, 09 Apr. 1999. Web. 08 Jan. 2015.    
        <http://www.timelessmyths.com/celtic/faeries.html>.


"Lydia Martin." Teen Wolf Wiki. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2015.      
         <http://teenwolf.wikia.com/wiki/Lydia_Martin>.

"The Pooka." Irish Fairies | The Pooka. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2015.                     
         <http://www.irelandseye.com/paddy3/preview2.htm>.

Olivier, LeeAnn. "Fairies in Celtic Folklore". British Literature to 1800. Web. 08 Jan. 2015.


Radford, Benjamin. "Leprechauns: Facts About the Irish Trickster Fairy."
         LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 20 June 2013. Web. 08 Jan. 2015.             
         <http://www.livescience.com/37626-leprechauns.html>.