The Fair Folk: Fairy Myths Around The World

The Fair Folk: Fairy Myths Around The World

🦋 The following list contains different names used for Fae or Fae-like creatures and spirits around the world, as well as the place/culture they are from. Since the European Fae are the most well-known of the bunch (and there’s a lot of them), this list shall mainly focus on what I think are the less known ones.

WARNING: This list was just made with the intent of gathering more information about them and as a writing resource/inspiration. It is NOT meant to be used as a “beginner’s guide” to contact with these spirits for witchcraft purposes or anything like that. For those wanting to work with spirits, Fae or otherwise, witchcraft-dedicated blogs have already made some really good posts about the subject. Some of these spirits also belong to closed or semi-closed cultures. Please, always do your own research.

(Germanic and Romance) European Fae:

Aos Sí (Ireland): “People of the Mounds” Umbrella term to describe most of the Celtic faeries and nature spirits. 

Alp-luachra (Ireland): “Joint-eater” A type of fairy who would adopt the form of a newt to consume half of a person’s food or nourishment.

Brownie (Scotland): Household spirits said to inhabit the unused corners of the home and aid in tasks around the house.

Bluecap (England): Cavern spirits known for helping miners with their work.

Caoineag (Scotland): Female spirit whom, like the Banshee, weeps and wails to foretell death and misfortune.

Cat sìth (Scotland and Ireland): Feline fairy said to resemble a black cat with a white spot on its chest.

Cù sìth (Scotland and Ireland): The Cat sìth‘s canine counterpart. They are said to resemble large hounds with shaggy, dark green fur.

Clurichaun (Ireland): Male fairies with a taste for alcoholic drinks. Known for their tendency to haunt breweries, pubs and wine cellars.

Dobhar-chú (Ireland): Water spirit said to resemble a dog, an otter or a half-dog, half-fish creature.

Duende (Spain): Small house spirits known for their mischiveous trickery, but some can also be helpful and kind to humans. 

Fachan (Scotland): Mountain spirit described as having a single eye in the middle of its face, a single hand protruding from its chest instead of arms, and a single leg emerging from its central axis.

Far darrig (Ireland): Small fairies described as having dark, hairy skin, long snouts and skinny tails, as well as wearing red coats and caps. They are sometimes associated with rats.

Kelpie (Scotland): Water spirits said to haunt lochs and lonely rivers. It is usually described as appearing as a horse but is able to adopt a human form. Mostly known for tales of them tricking humans into riding them, after which they’d take them to the water to drown.

Púca (Ireland): Shapeshifting nature spirits, which can take the appearance of horses, goats, cats, dogs, and hares. While able to take human form, animal features usually remain, such as ears or a tail.

Trasgo (Spain): A chaotic type of Duende that its mischiveous and playful at their best, malevolent and hateful at their worst.

Américan Fae:

Almamula (Argentina and Uruguay): “Mule soul/Mule ghost” Malevolent female spirit described as a black mule or donkey able to breathe fire. Associated with wildfires, droughts and sexual urges/lust.

Caipora (Brazil): “Inhabitants of the forest” Forest-dwelling, dark-skinned fairies. They are said to demand smoke and tree-bark offerings from hunters before allowing them to have any luck in their hunting.

Chaneque (Mexico): “Those who live in dangerous places” or “The owners of the house” Spirits of the soil, found on forests, lakes, rivers and jungles. Similar in many aspects to the European Goblin and the Duende, they are described as having child-like faces and voices, as well as tails. 

Curupira (Brazil): Nature spirits described as having red hair and feet turned backwards, they are said to be vengeful against poachers and hunters that take more than what they need of the forest.

Momoy (Venezuela): Small male faeries who are described as bearded men who wear tall hats, similar in appearance to the Scandinavian Dwarf. Associated with rivers, fog and agriculture, the Momoyes are peaceful water spirits who are said to be helpful to those farmers who treat them with respect.

Sisimique (Costa Rica): Earth spirits described as having the face of a human and the body of a monkey, as well as just having four fingers on each hand. They are said to inhabit caves and caverns.

Wefuke (Chile): Mischievous spirits who feed on negative emotions, said to sometimes be malevolent in nature but who are also known to punish wrong-doers. They are an important part of Mapuche witchcraft traditions, as they function as ‘Familiar’ spirits to the Calcu (Name given to those Mapuche witches who choose to specialize on baneful magic and hexes, as opposed to healing shamanic magic or Machi). These Wefuke are said to stay loyal to a human bloodline for generations: A Calcu will sometimes inherit the Wefuke companion of their mentor or family member after they pass away.

Slavic and Scandinavian Fae:

Bauk (Serbia): Large fae, described as being bear-like in appearance, whom inhabit dark places, holes, or abandoned houses and are scared away by light and loud noises. Said to enjoy the taste of human flesh, parents used to scare their children with tales of these creatures.

Hulder (Norway and Denmark): Female spirits described as beautiful women with hollow backs and with a cow’s tail. Said to lure human men into marrying them to kill them later, but folktales of Hulders seducing human women to spirit them away into their realms also exist.

Leshy (Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Poland): Nature spirits who rule over the forest and the hunt. Masculine and humanoid in shape, but also said to be able to assume any likeness and can change in size and height. Sometimes portrayed with horns and surrounded by packs of wolves and bears.

Mavka (Ukraine, Austria, Serbia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Hungary): Nymph-like female spirits, most commonly associated with the Carpathian Mountains. They are described as being eerily beautiful, as well as not casting a shadow nor reflections.

Nisse (Norway): Brownie-like creatures (As in, the European fairy, not the chocolate cake), whom live on farms and are said to help farmers with taking care of animals and keeping the soil bountiful. Though mostly benevolent, they’re still Fae, and they are said to cause mischief when disrespected, including killing/harming the animals and/or turning the soil infertile. Their Swedish equivalent is called Tomte.

Rusalka (Russia): Female water spirits, described as having long, wet hair and pupiless eyes. Similar to the Greek sirens and the mermaids in that they are said to seduce humans with their singing and dancing to bring them into the water, where they then drown them and eat them.

Samodiva (Bulgaria): Woodland faeries commonly depicted as ethereal maidens with long, loose hair, and in some cases, wings. They are often described as blonde, tall, slender women with pale, glowing skin and fiery eyes, typically dressed in free-flowing, feathered white gowns.

Underjordiske (Norway and Scandinavia as a whole): “The Underworldly”, “The One Living Underground” or “Those who live down below” Umbrella term to describe most Scandinavian faeries.

Vila (Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Bulgaria): Female faeries described as young-looking girls with bird or butterfly-like wings, golden hair, white dresses and armed with bow and arrows. Some tales have them as being fearsome warriors despite their cutesy appearance, and that they could be seen riding elk or wolves into battle. Associated with dew, certain flowers and rainbows.

Vittra (Sweden): Nature spirits who live underground and are indifferent towards human affairs, but who are said to be fearsome when enraged.