Those who say that fairies do not exist almost often provide a rationale grounded in science to support their position. Although there are many things that have been shown by science, it would be irresponsible of us (not to mention egotistical) to presume that we have solved even a small portion of the mysteries that exist in the cosmos. If you are convinced in your belief that fairies do not exist, you are likely to be astonished to hear that many individuals do not share your viewpoint.
According to the findings of a survey conducted by the Eastern Virginia Medical School, nearly two-thirds of the population in the United States has mentioned having a profound experience that they were unable to simply explain. Five-fifths of the individuals polled in Iceland in the year 1970 said that elves either definitely existed or there was at the very least a significant likelihood that they did. It is important to point out that the majority of people have a limited conception of what “fairies” are, which is a problem that we are going to address in the next sentence.
So What Exactly Are Fairies?
Because there is no one, unchanging definition for this concept, providing a response to this issue is not simple. It differs from culture to culture, with a great number of countries having their own own myths and legends. Let’s take a quick look at a few of the definitions, shall we?
Entities that Live on After Death
The well-known anthropologist W.Y. Evans-Wentz traveled to the Isle of Man, Ireland, the Scottish Highlands, Brittany, Wales, and Cornwall around the turn of the 18th century in order to collect tales about fairies from the local people he encountered. He discovered that the locals in these areas thought there was a significant link between fairies (also known as Fair Folk) and the departed souls of the deceased.
The Irish had the concept that fairies were the reincarnation souls of deceased people who had returned to earth to provide knowledge and warnings. In Wales, fairies were referred to as Tylwyth Teg. Unlike the traditional depiction of fairies, locals in Wales thought that these “ancestor” spirits stood more than 6 feet tall.
In Cornwall, fairies are individuals who were not thought to be nice enough to enter paradise but were also not believed to be evil enough to enter hell. They are shapeshifters, yet each of their transformations results in a diminution in their size.
Are Fairies Angels or Demons?
There is also the belief that fairies belong to the “lower end” of the heavenly hierarchies and that they have come to look over humanity. According to Carmina Gadelica, which was penned by Alexander Carmichael, the concept that fairies are “fallen angels” may be found in areas of Scotland where the Gaelic language is spoken.
The Legends and Folklore of Fairies
Even though the number of believers in fairies has significantly decreased since the beginning of the modern era, there are still a significant number of people who not only believe in these beings but also claim to have seen them; we will focus on the accounts of these sightings in the following sections.
At the turn of the 20th century, vast portions of rural Ireland and Britain had a firm believe in the existence of fairies. This fact may come as a surprise to you, since it is likely that you have never heard of it before. The word fairy originates from the Middle English word fay, which in turn comes from the archaic French word “feie.” This term originates from the Latin word “fata,” which means “fates.” The Fates were supernatural entities that were known to have a significant part in determining the outcomes of human lives.
There is a degree of obscurity around the beginnings of tales that include fairies. In the period before Christianity, there was a pervasive belief that fairies were treated as deities and worshiped as such. This belief was based on the fact that the ancient Celts had a tendency to worship nature, and that fairies are often connected with various aspects of the natural world. In the Victorian period, this notion was widely held, but contemporary anthropologists have shown that it is not supported by the evidence.
During the time of Chaucer and he and others who lived about the same time as him wrote about “faeries” in the 14th century. Authors of the time period believed that these entities have the ability to be enchanted and deceive others. It was widely believed that fairies resided either under the ground or in ancient cairns, forts, and earth mounds. As a direct consequence of this, locations such as Fairy Hill, and Fairy Mound.
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