Whether you think faeries are real or just a story you tell little children, the truth is that many European cultures have their own faerie belief. Some think of the faeries as small and cute forest creatures, others would say they are more humanoid. Faeries might be benevolent little helpers sometimes, but they can also be tricksters, like Puck in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The many names of the faeries
The faeries—also spelled ‘fairies’ or ‘fae’—go by many names. Some call them the Fair Folk. The Scottish refer to them as the Wee Folk, while the Welsh know them as Tylwyth Teg. One term that inspired me in particular is of Irish origin: The (Aos) Sidhe or Tuatha de Danann.
In Irish folk belief, the Tuatha de Danann, children of the goddess Dana, inhabited the island of Ireland early on. They were seen as a race of divine beings eternally young and unfading. With the arrival of the Sons of Mil, however, they retreated to live under the mounds (Irish: Sidhe; pronounced SHEE) and became thus known as the Sidhe or Aos Sidhe. They are the ever-present second race of Ireland, also called the Faeries or Fair Folk. (The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries by W. B. Yeats)
Same as with their appearance and etymology, the origin of the faeries varies depending on the culture. As explained above, the Irish think of the faeries as a second race living under the hills. Some believe them to be demons or demoted angels, while others think of them as demoted deities. But perhaps they are some form of elemental or spirit.
The faeries that inhabit my books
In my Crown of Tír na nÓg series, faeries aren’t demons or demoted angels. Instead, they are beings that were created by deities to inhabit their realm. Faeries are youthful humanoid creatures, and while they can die, they never grow old. They’re easily recognizable by their pointed ears and colorful eyes. When my main character, Kayla, first arrives at the Seelie Court during the events of Seelie Princess, she’s fascinated by the faeries’ appearances.
Kayla couldn’t spot a single faerie that wasn’t inhumanly perfect. No one was overweight or too skinny, had bowlegs or a bent back. Their fair faces didn’t have any too-big noses, lips that were too thin, or pimples or moles that were distracting. Shimmering eyes in all kinds of colors brightened their appearances even more.
Thought appearances can deceive. Not all faeries are benevolent, and many enjoy luring humans to their realm for their own amusements. Kayla learns that lesson pretty quickly during the first faerie revel that she attends.
The crowd around them surged and swayed along with the music. Kayla spotted Maeve’s mop of seaweed hair amid the revelers.
“Maeve doesn’t seem to like me very much,” Kayla said.
“She is not too fond of humans, I guess,” Nooa said. “Only if we put them under proper enchantments.”
“Enchantments?”
“Like them over there.” Nooa gave a nudge to the right.
Kayla turned and saw a group of people, who were clearly human, dancing with some faeries. They all had an empty expression plastered on their faces.
“Why haven’t I been… enchanted?”
Nooa was swaying to the music, pulling at his pipe and puffing out some smoke. “But you are and have been, ever since you dined with the queen,” he said. “It does not have the same effect on you. Fay said that you could even see through her Glamor. That is uncommon in humans…”
“How? I mean, I didn’t notice I was being enchanted…”
“Oh, it is the food and drinks.” Nooa gestured toward the group of humans again and Kayla saw they were all holding cups. “As soon as it touches your lips, you are bound to our lands for the night.”
Kayla tripped over her own feet. “What? That’s not very nice.”
“It is the way it is. We mean them no harm. Should I get us more drinks?” Nooa asked.
“After what you just told me? I think I’ll pass.”
“Just one for myself then.” With a wink, Nooa vanished in the crowd.
Faeries don’t just trick humans in their own realm. Whenever they venture into the world of humans, they use Glamors to change their looks or even forge money. The one thing that faeries are incapable of is telling a lie. They can twist the truth a little or omit important facts, but they can’t tell a straight lie or it will cause them immense pain.
Other denizens of the Fair Folk
But the Fair Folk is much more than just faeries; there’s pookas, pixies, merrows, and faoladhs. And that’s just the ones that appear in my books! I’ve written different blog posts on all of these, so do have a look around my website.
If you’re interested in learning more about faeries, here are some resources I used:
Sarah Tanzmann 
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