Fairies 101

Of flowers and feathers and fairies that fly
on wing dusted grey and shattered blue sky
Of eagles that soar on ribbon colored rain
of skies drizzling color as the lone artist paints
A swirl of gold amidst the dusty, dry trail
that ribbons and winds around the fairy's tale.

The original fairies, or faeries, bestowed gifts upon newborn children, such as beauty, wealth and kindness.

Fairies can only be seen clearly by animals and seldom by humans, although if one is fortunate enough, one might catch a fleeting glimpse. The first is when fairies use their power (known as 'glamour') to enable a human to see them. Also, during a full moon on Midsummer Eve a mortal witnesses fairy dances or celebrations. And finally, by looking through a self-bored stone (a stone in which a hole has been made by tumbling in the waters of a brook; not found on a beach) one can see fairies distinctly.

The rulers of the race of fairies are Queen Titania and her consort Prince Oberon, their court being in the vicinity of Stratford-on-Avon.

The name is probably a combination of the words fae "friend" and eire "green." So Faerie means "Green Friend."

by Micha F. Lindemans