THE ELEMENT ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FAIRIES: An A-Z of Fairies, Pixies, and other Fantastical Creatures. Lucy Cooper

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      Contents

       Cover

       Title Page

       Copyright

       Introduction

       What are Fairies?

       Where is Fairyland?

       A—Abatwa to Aziza

       B—Baba Yaga to Bwca

       C—Cabyll Ushtey to Cyhyraeth

       D—D’Aulnoy, Marie-Catherine to Dzunukwa

       E—E Bukura e Dheut to Ezerinis

       F—Fachan to Fyglia

       Connecting with Fairies

       G—Ga-Gaah to Gytrash

       H—Habetrot to Hyter Sprites

       I—Iansan to It

       J—Jack in Irons to Just-halver

       K—Kabibonokka to Kumiho

       L—Lady of the Lake, the to Lutins

       Elementals and Flower Fairies

       M—Maahiset to Muse

       N—Nab to Nymphs

       O—Oakmen to Owl Woman Monster

       P—Padfoot to Pwca

       Q—Qailertetang to Qutrub

       Fairies in Literature and Legend

       R—Rå to Rusalka

       S—Saci to Syrene

       T—Tah-Tah-Kle-Ah to Tylwyth Teg

       U—Uncegila to Utukku

       V—Valkyries to Vodyanoy

       W—Wabun to Wraith

       X—Xanthe to Xantho

       Y—Yallery Brown to Yunwitsandsdi

       Z—Zagaz to Zinkibaru

       Selected Bibliography

       Acknowledgments

       About the Publisher

       Introduction

      Boggles, Bloody Bones, brownies, black dogs, Shellycoats, barguests, Robin Goodfellows, hags, hobgoblins, dobies, hobthrusts, fetches, kelpies, mumpokers, Pans, sirens, nymphs, imps, incubuses, Kit with the Cansticks, Melsh Dicks, knockers, elves, Rawheads, Padfoots, pixies, dwarves, changelings, redcaps, colt pixies, Tom Thumbs, boggarts, shag foals, brags, wraiths, waffs, gally-trots, Peg Powlers, Pucks, fays, selkies, Cauld Lads, sylphs, nixies, cluricaunes, kobolds, leprechauns, banshees, Lhiannan Shees, Gabriel Ratchets hounds, trows, sprites, and spunkies …

      Welcome to the wonderful and diverse world of fairies.

      These are just some of the fairy creatures listed in a series of nineteenth-century folklore pamphlets by a Yorkshire tradesman named Michael Denham, later published as The Denham Tracts, edited by James Hardy (London: Folklore Society, 1892–1895).

      This snapshot of the fairy realm in the British Isles of the not-so-distant past introduces us to a world in which nursery bogies, such as Bloody Bones, lurked in the cupboard under the stairs, and mischievous pranksters Puck and Robin Goodfellow cavorted in the countryside, likely to transform at any moment into flickering lights and lead unwary travelers on a merry dance through briars, ditches, bogs, and streams. Dobie, the helpful household fairy, lent a hand around the home, while the troublesome boggart delighted in upturning dishes, snatching bread and butter, and teasing members of the household with his tricks.