The Celtic Belief in Fairies and Portrayal in Recent Culture
In every culture in the ancient world there has been some belief in the mystical or supernatural in the form of beasts, creatures or spirits. In Celtic countries and societies there was a large belief and culture surrounding the existence of fairies. Fairy was a broad term used for many different magical creatures; there were fairies themselves, nymphs, gnomes, changelings, leprechauns, sirens, brownies, banshees, goblins, wisps and pixies. All of these creatures were unique, all with their own powers, responsibilities and influence.
Fairy Origins
The most popular theories of fairy origin came after the introduction of Christianity to the ancient world; Christianity having developed out of Judaism in the 1st century C.E. One theory of how fairies and other magical beings came into existence was that fairies are angels that fell from grace during Lucifer’s fall, forced to live on the earth. In the Carmina Gadelica, a collection of prayers, folklore and proverbs, this belief is recorded.
“God be between me and every fairy,
Every ill wish and every druidry:
To-day is Thursday on sea and land,
I trust the King that they do not hear me.
Not the seed of Adam are we,
Nor is Abraham our father;
But the seed of the Proud Angel,
Driven forth from heaven.”
This theory is supported by W. Y. Evans Wentz an American anthropologist and writer, and Alexander Carmichael a Scottish folklorist and author. Some other theories of fairy origin found by Carole G. Silver from Oxford University Press are that fairies are the spirits of unbaptised children or that fairies are the spirits of people that were too evil for salvation in heaven but to good to be damned.
Fairy Belief
There are three main theories to explain the belief in fairies. These are the Naturalist theory, the Pygmy theory, and the Mythological theory.
The Naturalist theory is the attempted rationalisation of a natural event. An example similar to this is in Ancient Greece where the people would worship and sacrifice to gods to explain and control natural disasters like volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The Naturalist Theory also supports the psychological belief around fairies. That magical creatures are nothing more than figments of the imagination.
The Pygmy Theory was founded by Dr Davis MacRitchie and is that the idea of fairies came about from a prehistoric race of native people in British countries. The idea of this is that a folk-memory causes many people to believe to have seen similar or the same beings later interpreted as fairies. However this theory is interrupted with the differences of creatures, for example, dwarves and giants have very large differences and it is unlikely they could ever be apart of the same race or memory.
The Mythological theory is that modern or post-Christian fairy belief come from original pagan gods and worship, over time these gods developed into more common fairies. This theory is common and does explain why the belief in fairies is so strong and knowledge of them is consistent on different tribes and societies it doesn’t explain how the belief started.
The one common factor between all belief in fairies is that it does exist and have a strong presence in Britain, even today. The Pan-Celtic organisation, founded in 1961, encourage Celtic identity and Celtic faith.
The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries. By W. Y. Evans-Wentz
“So firm was the hold which the ethnic gods of Ireland had taken upon the imagination and spiritual sensibilities of our ancestors that even the monks and christianized bards never thought of denying them. They doubtless forbade the people to worship them, but to root out the belief in their existence was so impossible that they could not even dispossess their own minds of the conviction that the gods were real supernatural beings.”—Standish O’Grady.
Fairy Traditions
Food and clean water was often left for the fairies at night but there were many more everyday traditions that were done for the fairies. For example, “Hugga, hugga salach!” must be said is dirty water was thrown out to warn the fairies so that the water wouldn’t hit them if food fell onto the floor while eating it must be left there for the fairies to consume. The morning after food had been left out for the fairies, any remaining would be discarded completely and not given to animals as any substance the food once had was no gone, despite the physical presence of the food remaining.
Fairy Powers
Different creatures and species of fairies controlled different things in the environment and daily life. For example, sylphs were in control of air, salamanders controlled fire, nymphs controlled water and gnomes controlled the earth and farming.
The fairies themselves were human in many aspects; they needed food and water to survive and can be killed. However, a fairy’s powers include speed, a longer lifetime, foresight, possession and the ability to cast spells. Different to humans fairies have no immortal soul and no afterlife. Although they have many strengths fairies burn at the touch of iron and are incredibly vulnerable to it. Although fairies are often portrayed with wings on their backs, this concept was not made until the Victorian era in art. Before this it was believed fairies would ride the wind or on the backs of birds.
The Otherworld
The Otherworld is where the fairies lived regularly and was the Celtic concept of Heaven or afterlife. However the Otherworld had a physical entrance rather than an afterlife concept, it is said to most commonly occupy hills and mountains. To protect the Otherworld the entrance moves from place to place, changing it’s location and appearance to confuse anyone who wishes to enter without a guide. In the Otherworld it is believed for time to stand still, for people to stay young for what is centuries in the human world.
Archeological Evidence
The MacLeod Clan’s “Fairy Flag"
An aged 46cm square piece of yellow and brown silk. This flag was given by the fairies and was used to help the MacLeod clan in battles, plague, sickness and fertility. Before detail faded it is said to have had small red "elf dots" and small crosses. There are many superstitions associated with the flag, one being if the flag were to be unfurled and waved more than three times, it would either vanish, or lose its powers forever.
The Four Treasures
The Four Treasures include the Lia Fail or The Stone of Destiny, The Magic Sword of Nuadha, The Spear of the Sun God Lugh and the Cauldron of Daghda. The Stone of Destiny would scream, announcing to all the land that the true King of Ireland stood upon it. The Magic Sword of Nuadha would only inflict deadly blows and was kept at the King’s side, the sword representing the role of the King. The Spear of Lugh was known for it’s accuracy in battle and represents focus and devotion. The Cauldron of Daghda was known for its endless supply of food and water and had the power to heal the sick.
Tuatha De Danann
The Tuatha De Danann are the legendary fairies local to Ireland after arriving in a mystical mist and settling in the land. The Tuatha De Danann had many relationships with humans, marrying into royalty, living with them, fighting with them and giving gifts so that they may both live in peace. The Four Treasures and the MacLeod Clan’s ‘Fairy Flag’ were all gifts from the Tuatha De Danann.
Written Evidence
After the Tuatha De Danann defeated invaders known as the Fomorians, Morrigan, a human prophet who was allies with both humans and fairies, makes a prediction about the end of the world. This prophecy shows how strong the Celtic belief in fairies was. It was more than a superstition or supernatural presence, fairies were gods, religion and livelihood.
“I shall not see a world that will be dear to me
Summer without flowers
Kine will be without milk,
Women without modesty,
Men without valor,
Captures without a king…
Woods without mast,
Sea without produce…
Wrong judgements of old men
False precedents of lawyers,
Every man a betrayer,
Every boy a reaver
Son will enter his fathers bed,
Every one will be his brother’s brother in law…
An evil time!
Son will deceive his father,
Daughter will deceive her mother.”
Fairy Portrayal in Recent Times
The Tooth Fairy
Originally, in Russia, it was not a fairy that collected lost teeth but a mouse. However as time passed and the story grew, the concept of a tooth deity became more popular and the mouse was replaced with a fairy. This was more attractive to children and more marketable for profit.
Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night’s Dream
In the Elizabethan and Victorian eras fairies became widely popular as they created a sense of romance and magic. One play of Shakespeare’s that had a strong focus on fairies was A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the fairies Oberon, Titania and Puck. Oberon and Titania were strong, stubborn and compassionate, showing how fairies interfered with human affairs to help in places like love, war and peace. However Puck is known as the trickster, only interfering to cause confusion for his own amusement. Both of these personalities show traits from Celtic origins.
The Cottingley Fairies
A large scandal in the 1920’s was the case of the Cottingley Fairies. Children Frances Griffith and Elsie Wright took photos in their back garden of the two playing with fairies. These photos cause much controversy in whether they were real or not but after being inspected by the photographer Harold Snelling it was decided that the photos were real. It wasn’t until 1981 that Elsie Wright admitted she and her friend sketch the photos from the book ‘Princess Mary's Gift Book’ and had faked the photos.
Bibliography
Photo from: The Fairy-Faith In Celtic Countries
Encyclopedia of Magic and Superstition
Alison Cathie
First Published: 1974 by Octopus Books Ltd
Published: 1988 Macdonald & Co (publishers) Ltd
Historical and Archaeological Evidence that Fairies Existed
April 21, 2014 – Nicole Canfield
https://exemplore.com/magic/Archaeological-Evidence-that-Fairies-Existed-And-Perhaps-Still-Exist
Strange and Secret Peoples
Carole G. Silver, Oxford University Press
https://www.nytimes.com/books/first/s/silver-strange.html
The Fairy-Faith In Celtic Countries
W. Y. Evans Wentz
First Published: 1911
EBook Release Date: January 5, 2011
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/34853/34853-h/34853-h.htm
Fairy
New World Encyclopedia
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Fairy
Carole B. Silver
Oxford University Press First Published: 1999
Strange and Secret Peoples: Fairies and Victorian Consciousness
Katharine Mary Briggs
New York: Pantheon Books First Published: 1976
An Encyclopedia of Fairies
The Fairy Mythology
Thomas Keightley
First Published: 1828
EBook Release Date: October 9, 2012
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41006/41006-h/41006-h.htm
Celts and the Gundestrup Cauldron
John Beckett
May 1, 2016
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbeckett/2016/05/celts-and-the-gundestrup-cauldron.html
The Fairy Flag
The Associated Clan MacLeod Societies 2006-2016
http://www.clanmacleod.org/about-macleods/the-fairy-flag.html
The Fairy Flag of the MacLeods
Ben Johnson
Historic UK
http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/The-Fairy-Flag-of-the-MacLeods/
CÉAD MÍLE FÁILTE: PEACE TO THE SKIES
Tira Brandon Evans 2007
http://www.faeryshaman.org/es11.1/es11.1reg1.htm
Working With Angels, Fairies And Nature Spirits
By William Bloom Ph.D
Published Hachette UK, 20 Sep. 2012
Author(s): Charles Graves
Source: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy (1836-1869), Vol. 4 (1847 - 1850), pp. 173- 180
Published by: Royal Irish Academy
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20520262
Celtic World and Cultures
Jimmy Joe
http://www.timelessmyths.com/celtic/celtworld.html
The Gundestrup Cauldron - Mythology and Cosmology
http://www.native-science.net/Gundestrup-Cauldron.htm
Gundestrup Cauldron (La Tene Style)
Encyclopedia of Irish and Celtic Art
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/cultural-history-of-ireland/gundestrup-cauldron.htm
Annals of the Four Masters
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annals_of_the_Four_Masters
Lia Fail (Stone of Fal)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lia_Fáil
The Four Treasures
By Rev. Linda Costello, Druid of the Fellowship
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Treasures_of_the_Tuatha_Dé_Danann
Lebor Gabála Érenn
http://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Lebor+Gabála+Érenn&item_type=topic
Carmina Gadelica
Alexander Carmichael, collector and editor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmina_Gadelica
David MacRitchie
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_MacRitchie
Fairy Flag
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy_Flag#Legend_of_origin
Authors
W. Y. Evans Wentz
American anthropologist and writer, studied at Oxford, Stanford University
Carole G. Silver
Oxford University Press
Alexander Carmichael
Scottish folklorist, antiquarian, and author.
David MacRitchie
Founded the Gypsy Lore Society
Attended the Edinburgh Southern Academy, the Edinburgh Institute and the University of Edinburgh
Standish O’Grady
Irish author, journalist, and historian and attended Trinity College in Dublin and was apart of the literary movement of Celtic Revival.
