Ankou - (Ahn-koo)
Sometimes called the King of the Dead. He collects souls upon their death and escorts them to the land of the dead. Traveling with his own subjects he is a feared fairy that is mainly seen on November Eve.

Asrai
An ancient water fairy in female or male form that lives in the sea. They are rarely seen and only at night. They are sometimes called sea ghosts because of their extremely pale, translucent skin. Legend states that they must not be exposed to the sun lest they dissolve into a pool of water

Banksia Men
This is a group of evil nature spirits in the shape of Banksia serrata (a shrub native to Australia). These demons are also referred to as the Big Bad Banksia Men. They were creation of the author May Gibbs in the first decade of the twentieth century in Australia and appear in her fairy tales of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie. Banksia Men have huge eyes, warts on their noses, thick lipped mouth with whiskers, and protruding navels. They are aggressive pursuers and persecutors of the Gumnut Babies and are to be found in groups sitting on the shrub branches, awaiting the opportunity to do harm.

Banshee - see Bean-Sidhe or Bean-Nighe

Bean-Nighe
Sometimes called the "washer woman" because she sits on the banks of streams and rivers frantically washing bloodstains from a white shirt. She is similar to the Bean-Sidhe in that she also foretells death.

Bean-Sidhe - ( ban-shee )
This fairy woman is feared by humans because her wails and moaning foretell the impending death of someone near. She has been described as very beautiful, pale with long hair and fearsome red eyes which some say is from her constant weeping.

Bean-Fionn
Also called Jenny Greentooth, she is a malevolent fairy who lives underwater in streams and lakes. She can be either beautiful or hideous and is known to reach up from her watery depths and drag young children under the water with her.

Bean-Tighe
Sometimes called the "King of the Dead". He is similar to the Ankou in that he collects souls upon their death and escorts them to the land of the dead. Traveling his own familiar paths in black with a black cart he is mainly seen on November Eve.

Bogie
A male hobgoblin who is only up to evil and capricious acts of wrongdoing. He enjoys tormenting any traveler who is unfortunate enough to cross his path. Also called bogy, bug-a-boo, bogle or boggart.

Bogle
A frightening bugbear, goblin, or hobgoblin in the folklore of the northern English counties. These spirits are also known locally as Bogil, Bugell, and Bugil in England and Bo-lol, Bwgwl, and Bygel Nos in Wales. Scotland has Bogil, the regional name of this malicious spirit. Descriptions are difficult since these supernaturals had the power to shape shift to almost anything from a gloomy, dark miasma hovering over a deserted road to a distinct shape such as a Black Dog, a strangely animated sack of corn, or even a human shape, which would quickly vanish. Bogles were renowned for the frightening tricks they played on lone travelers, but it was rare that they actually did any harm except to "the guilty, the murderer an' the mansworn an' the cheaters o' the widow an' the featherless". Some famous Bogles were recognized by a name, such as the one called Jesse recorded in the 1870s as belonging to Westlands End Farm in Northemberland. Others were specific types of Bogle with individual characteristics and behavior such as the Hedley Kow and the Shellycoat.

Brownie
A scruffy small brown male fairy who wears dirty, torn clothing and likes to live with humans. They like to help with chores but also like to be left alone. They expect small rewards and will abandon a home when there is no extra milk and cakes left for them. The Brownie is generally helpful unless they are crossed then they become mean and ill-tempered

C to K

Cailleac Bhuer - (call-y'ac V'fhoor)
Also called the Blue Hag or Stone Woman. She originates in Scotland and is an old woman of human size who walks by night with a walking stick made of holly with the carved head of a crow on top. A large carrion crow sits on her left shoulder and a touch from her magical staff means instant death to a human. If her staff is found unattended it will give its owner the power of enchantment.

Changeling
Some fairies love beautiful human babies and will steal them and leave an old, near-death fairy in their place. Humans have been known to place iron bars on or in their baby cradles to protect them from such thefts.

Corrigan
These female fairies are enchanted to forever roam the earth as beautiful blonde women by day and repulsive old hags by night. Legend states that if a mortal man loves the old hag and beautiful woman equally the enchantment is lifted.

Duergarrs (Doo-ay-gahrs)
A male dwarf fairy approximately 2 feet tall. They are unfriendly to humans and guard fairy paths and hills.

Dwarf
Dwarfs are a type of elf or goblin found in the mythology and folklore of most of the world's societies. In general their description is of a humanoid shape but very small, looking old and wizened, with odd-shaped legs and feet. They usually inhabit caverns and underground palaces or dark forests, and are often associated with watercourses. Their most outstanding accomplishment in most folklore is their magical gift of transforming metals into beautiful and dangerous artifacts that frequently carry some curse. They can shape shift at will, and usually have either a magic cap, cloak, belt or ring that renders them invisible. They are the guardians of underground treasures such as jewels or precious metals, which they may reveal to the fortunate, or use as a lure for their victims. Although usually immortal, they may be tricked and immobilized, or even turned to stone when the light of the morning sun falls on them.

Elf/Elves


This is a type of sprite or mannikin in British, Icelandic, Scandinacian, and Teutonic legend, the name may be spelled Aelf, Alge, Alve, Elve, or Ylf. Elves are tiny human-shaped super naturals who can shape shift at will. In England the Elf men are described as being like little old men, but the Elf maidens are young and beautiful, and they are believed to live in communities with kingdoms and kings in the same way as humans. They exert their supernatural powers over humans whenever they can, sometimes benevolently but more often with mischievous intent. The Elves live in the forests and woods, often in the hollows of tree trunks; they also live in old long barrows and ancient burial mounds from which they emerge at night to dance in the grass by moonlight.

Fachan
The Fachan is a hideous goblin in the folklore of Ireland and the Scottish Highlands, He is described as having one hand that protrured from his chest, one leg from his hip, one eye, and one tuft of hair on his head, all of which were usually concealed by a cloak of rough matted feathers.This is an evil Spirit that belongs to the group known as the fuaths. The Fachan inhabited deserted places and would attack any mortal who strayed there.

Fiend
This is a designation for a demon, a devil, or some totally evil spirit from Hell having only ever malicious intent. It is an ancient term for an evil being and has many variants of which the following Feigne, Feint, Fend/e, Feond/e, Feont, Feynd, Find/e, Fint, Fiond, Fond, Fynd/e, Fynt, Veond, and Vyend-may be seen in manuscripts from different periods. Fiends may appear in any guise, but they are usually in the form of a human or a do, or they may be invisible.

Gancanagh (Gon-cawn-ah)
A legendary beautiful male fairy who enjoys seducing mortal women to fall in love with him and then disappearing only to leave them to search for him until their deaths.

Ghillie Dhu (Gillee Doo)
These are tree fairies who disguise themselves as leaves and love to play pranks on human travelers who unknowingly have ventured into their forest.

The Glastig (clee-stickh)
An infamous fairy who is believed to no longer exist. A beautiful woman fairy of human size who attempts to lure mortal human males to be her companion and is friendly until they notice her goat hooves. Then she either drowns them or drains them of their blood.

Gwragedd Annwn (Gwer-geth Ai-noon)
A beautiful blond fairy of human size who is helpful and kind to humans. She lives near lakes.

Gnome
There are two different groups of lesser spirit that go by this name:
1) One of a group of nature spirits or elementals defined by the mystical philosopher Paracelsus (1493-1241) in terms of the natural elements from which they were supposed to be derived. The Gnomes are described as being like little old men able to shape shift to the size of giants. They are malicious, greedy, and miserable. Their emperor, according to the occulist Elphas Levi, is called Cob.
2) In Teutonic mythology, these earth spirits closely resembled dwarfs in that they were small, stocky, grotesque beings. They dwell in the earth and are able to disappear at will into substance of the earth or the trees. These gnomes are industriously occupied within the quarries and mines deep in the earth, where they are supposed to be guardians of treasures.

Gwyllions
Either male or female they live in the mountains and tend goats but also have a disturbing habit of sitting on rocks above roads and staring eerily at passing travelers.

Goblins

In European folklore this is a grotesque, diminutive, and generally malicious earth spirit or sprite. Goblins may be known by the alternative spellings of the name: Goblin, Gobelin, Gobling, and Goblyn. Goblins are said to be about the height of a man's kneww and have gray hair and beards. Like the more friendly brownie, Goblins inhabit the homes of humans, where they indulge tricks and make noises much as the poltergreist does. The Goblin does have the endearing trait of liking children and bringing them little gifts when they are well-behaved. For the adults, however, a resident Goblin can become a nuisance with upset kitchen and furniture and horses ridden to a lather in the stables at night. There is only one recommended method of getting rid of a household Goblin, and the is to cast flax seed all over the floors. When the sprite comes to do mischief at night he will be obliged to pick up all the seed, but there will be so much that he cannot finish before dawn. After a few repeats of this tedium, he will give it up and leave.

So you better watch out!

Hobglobin, Hobgoblinet
This is a term used for a kind of nature spirit in the folklore of England. The Hobgoblin is described as being like a very ugly little elf, The Hobglobin, also known as Robgloblin, or the diminutive form Hobgoblinet, can be helpful and well-disposed to humans, like a brownie. Thought usually good-erthless be easily offended and is capable of playing spiteful pranks.

Kelpies
Also called Uiseges or Fuath. Small, strange creature with huge teeth, pointed ears, web feet with manes and tails like horses. According to folk lore they sometimes inhabit lonely ponds of water where they shapeshift into horses and lure solitary travelers onto their backs for a deadly ride.

Knockers
Dwarf fairies who live underground and are expert miners.

L to S

Leanan-Sidhe (lan-awn-shee) the Fairy Mistress
similar to the Lhiannan-Shee, except she is given a more benevolent description by Lady Wilde in Ancient Legends of Ireland: 'The Leanan-Sidhe, or the spirit of life, was supposed to be the inspirer of the poet and singer, as the Ban-Sidhe was the spirit of death, the foreteller of doom.' Her inspiration comes at a price, in that poets and artists fueled by her die an early death.

Leprechaun
In the legend and folklore of Ireland, this is the fairy shoemaker. The Leprechaun is generally described as having a little wizened, gray bearded face with twinkling eyes and a pointed nose. He is said to wear a red jacket with silver buttons, brown breeches, black silver buckled shows, and a high crowned hat. Sometimes he is said to be clothed all in green; however, he usually has a leather apron and appears to be mending a show with his little hammer tapping busily. It is this tapping that signifies his presence, but it is not advisable for humans to approach. This elf is tricksy, and despite his reputation for guarding crocks of gold, he will play pranks on any mortals who take their eyes off him for a second, and will vanish laughing. Typical of this is the tale concerning a man who managed to get a Leprechaun to show him the bush in the field where the treasure was located. Having no spade , the kindly released the sprite and went for a spade. Returning almost instantly he found that every one of the numerous trees in the field sported a red garter!

Lhiannan-Shee (lannan-shee)
A beautiful vampiric fairy who has been said to either drain her victims of blood or collects it in a cauldron where she performs spells and rituals to keep herself youthful and beautiful.

Lunantisidhe (Loo-nan-tee-shee)
An extremely thin, wiry old hairless man with pointed ears, long teeth, arms and fingers. He travels in a group that climbs and lives in the Blackthorn trees. They despise humans and will go to great lengths to harm them if their beloved trees are trodden upon.

Mermaids
Also called the merpeople, mermen, merrows. A generally gentle fairy who lives in the sea with a human torso and fish tail. They sometimes travel upstream and have been known to take human lovers to their underwater kingdoms.

Pixies
This is a type of Trooping Fairy or elf in the English folklore of the Southwestern Counties. They are described as having red hair, small, pale youthful faces with turned-up noses, and pointed ears. They usually wear green garments and often a pointed type nightcap, but may be seen in other guises.
Like most domestic spirits they will do work for the poor or the oppressed, but Pixies, like other household spirits, are "laid" (compelled to depart) by the gift of new clothes. More frequently, however, they were rewarded with a bowl of cream, or by Pixy worting (leaving the last of the harvest apples under the tree for them). If someone in the household were considered to be lazy, the Pixies would presecute them by nipping, chasing, and scaring them with objects moved invisibly, much like a poltergeist. They are not always benevolent, and like the Piskies are apt to ride a horse to a lather all night in a gallitrap or fairy ring, leaving it exhausted and in a lather in the morning with the mane and tail curiously knotted. They also take a delight in misleading night bound weary travelers until they become exhausted and lost, this was called being "Pixy-led". These sprites are thought to dwell underground in the ancient mounds, in stone circles, or in caves, coming out to dance in the woods and glades at night. Any traveler who happens upon them may be compelled to dance, losing all sense of time. The usual manner of disenchanting oneself from this situation was to remove one's jacket and put it back on inside out. Pixies were thought to be the transformed souls of unbaptized children and were frequently accused of stealing human babies and leaving changelings in their place.
In the countries of Somerset and Devon, women still tied their babies into the cot as recently as Victorian times to prevent the child's being taken by the Pixies.

Putti, Putto
These diminutive spirits, also know as Erotes in classical Greek and Roman mythology, were a profane version of the cherub. They were very much a feature of the arts of Renaissance Europe, in which they are also called Amoretti. They were derived of love in the classical mythology of Greece and Rome and were their messengers. The Putti are usually portrayed as little chubby infant boys with tiny wings protruding from their shoulders hovering above earthly lovers.

Robin Goodfellow or Puck
This male fairy looks like a satyr with a boys head and the body of a goat. He is playful and loves to play his pipes throughout the forests which entices all the animals and fairies alike to follow his melodious music.

The Seelie-Court
Seelie means "blessed", and this court consists of all the noble and kind fairies whose inner code of fair and good ethics contrast that of the Unseelie Court.

Selkies
Selkies appear as seals but are able to shed their sealskins and walk on land in female or male form.

Spriggans
A fairy monster who is able to inflate himself and float along the countryside. They sometimes appears as rocks or stones and create havoc on those who cross their paths.

Sprite, Spright, Spryte
This is a term generally applied to a lesser spirit, such as an elf, fairy, or pixy, which usually indicates their unpredictable and mischievous characteres. It is rarely used for entirely benevolent supernaturals, but is usually used for a malevolent being such as a familiar or demon in its bening state. The obsolete form of this word is spret, which may be found in old manuscripts.

T to Z

Tara
The ancient hill fort that became the capital of the Tuatha Dé Danaan. It was a meeting place for fairy kings and visiting dignitaries. Tir Nan Og or Tir Na N-og (teer na nogue) - "Land of the Young" an earthly paradise where time stopped and the grass was always green and the flowers blossoming. A land of beauty where there was much music, feasting, loving and hunting.

Trolls
They were originally described as a large, hairy shape with a malignant character; they are now considered to appear somewhat like a gnome or dwarf, but as shape shifters they can assume any guise. The usual description in Denmark is of a little old man with a long white beard, wearing a red cap and a craftsman's leather apron. In Elbetoft, the trolls had humps on their backs, large hooked noses, and wore gray jackets and pointed red cap, but in Gudmanstrup, the Trolls were tall men in long black clothes. The Troll women in Norway were said to be beautiful, with long red hair. They lived in communities under the hills, long barrows, and ancient earthworks, a feature that also identified them as the Berg Folk or Hill People in Sweden. Their homes were said to be wonderful palaces full of treasure, which may glow at night.
These supernaturals hate noise and have been driven away from places with church bells. Their attitude toward humans is sometimes benevolent, and they will endow a family they like with riches and good fortune. At other times they will be malicious, bring bad luck, and be destructive. They will also steal women, children, and property, A Branch of mistletoe is used to protect humans and animals from being taken. The Trolls are considered to be expert metal workers and expert healers with herbs and magic, but will only be seen between dusk and dawn, as they will turn to stone if the sun shines on them.

Trooping Fairies
Fairies are sometimes divided into two classes which includes the trooping or solitary fairies. Solitary generally being the less friendly of the two.

Tuatha Dé Danann - (Too-ah-day Thay-nan)
Also called the Gentry. They are the earliest fairies. Their goddess was Dana. They are the origin of the fairy race.

Tylwyth Teg
A welsh name for the "fair race". Given to represent all fairies whom they believed lived in matriarchal clans.

The Unseelie Court
These are the damned or unblessed of the fairy race and they consist of all that is evil and ignoble in fairyland.

Will-o'-the-Wisp
Also called Fairy Lights, Elf-fire, Hobbedy's Lantern or Night Whispers. Small winged fairies whose glowing lights can be seen at dusk in the meadows and grassy hills.