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In this three-minute mini-podcast, Fiona Broome discusses classic ways to reach faerie realms and why it's not as important to visit their world right now.
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Putting aside her usual scientific and sociological tone, faerie researcher Fiona Broome explains why believing in faeries is so exciting.
She starts by explaining that people around the world believed in faeries (or entities like them) through the early 20th century. Then, the tidal wave of science smashed the dreams of faerie believers by calling their ideals mere "fantasies."
However, despite the disapproval by many, people continue to believe in faeries and the fae world. This goes beyond the "Ooh, cool!" exclamations of some science fiction enthusiasts. It's more of an affinity for faeries, mermaids, dragons, and the ideals (and personalities) of King Arthur's court.
Faerie believers aren't just wishing that faeries were real. They believe in them. From the first time they encounter a "fairy tale" or something related to the faerie-fantasy realm, there's a deep sense of recognition. It's an "ah-HA!" moment, and sometimes a sense of finding home.
Science changes its mind
Keep in mind that the rules of 20th century science don't necessarily apply today. Look into the discoveries and mysteries of gravity, and how that relates to quantum science and membrane studies.
Also consider Dr. Fred Wolf's views on dreams and alternate realities, as presented in What the Bleep? and other intriguing studies. He presents wonderful "what if..?" questions.
Fiona talks about topics like these, and how they may related to the real world of faeries.
Book review
This podcast includes a brief review of The Ultimate Fairies Handbook, by Susannah Marriott. (Fiona's more complete review is at FaerieMagick.com.)
For more information about faeries, visit Faerie Magick.
Music: The Moods of Man, written and orchestrated by James Underberg.
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Learn more about flying faeries: Winged faeries, those who fly on flower stems and bulrushes, and faeries that levitate.
Explore the different kinds of entities that fly, and why they are -- or aren't -- like faeries. From Tinkerbell to succubus to vampires to shapeshifters, this 14-minute podcasts takes you on a whirlwind tour of faeries (and other entities) that seem to fly.
For more information about faeries: FaerieMagick.com
Music: The Moods of Man, written & orchestrated by James Underberg
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Have you tried to contact faeries, and were you disappointed? In this podcast, faerie researcher Fiona Broome answers readers' questions.
She explains what works -- and what doesn't -- when you'd like to make contact with the faerie world.
From the basic steps of observation, to the extremes of highly dangerous faeries, Fiona describes what to do and what to watch for.
She also reminds people what faeries like and don't like, and why you must be very careful when you first encounter a faerie of any size or form.
Additional topics in this podcast include:
Where to look for faeries.What kinds of faeries you can contact, and whether Asian people can meet Native American faeries, etc.Dangerous and "bad" faeries.Tidy rooms to attract faeries.How and why to avoid iron when you're on a faerie vigil.For more information, see Faerie Magick, the website.
Music: The Moods of Man, written & orchestrated by James Underberg
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Brownies are a kind of faerie. They're in the category of Hob, a "house spirit" in the U.K. (Possible connection with Hobbits?)
A Hob may be a word that evolved from the English given name of Robin, related to Robin Goodfellow, another name for a Brownie in southern England.
Hobs appear to be related to the Swedish Tomte or Tomtars, with a history similar to Ireland's Tuatha De Danann. In both cases, these faeries retired to the "hollow hills" or Brughs: Hollow faerie mounds in which several families live (or lived).
A Hobgoblin is a cousin of the Brownie, and -- perhaps because he's more of a practical joker -- the Hobgoblin is sometimes considered a poltergeist rather than a faerie.
Dobby in the Harry Potter stories seemed to be related to hobgoblins; a Dobie is another term for a brownie, in some areas, or it can mean a ghostly entity in other areas.
Brownies are usually:
Solitary faeries, seen alone or in very small groups.Male (but some are married, and that's usually the only time a female Brownie is seen).2 1/2 to 3 feet tall, but some are described as being six or seven inches tall.Naked and very hairy, or dressed in brown clothing, with shaggy brown hair.Associated with a pond, pool or stream. (Brownies may have webbed fingers, making swimming easier.Brownies may become attached to a family or one member of the family. Brownies usually prefer rural homes and farms, where they may work at night, farming or cleaning.
Brownies are most prevalent in northern England and in Scotland.
Favorite Brownie foods include a bowl of cream or rich, whole milk; cakes with honey; and corn muffins, possibly served with honey.
However, you must be very clear when you set out the treats for the Brownie: This is not a payment for his (or her) work. In most cases, if you try to pay a Brownie, he'll leave. He doesn't work for payment.
In contrast, areas such as Lincolnshire have Brownies that like to be paid, and specifically with clothing. On New Year's Eve, Brownies in Lincolnshire have each been paid with a traditional white linen smock.
Other Brownies will leave if you try to give them any kind of clothing. This raises the question: Do they resent the payment, or does the gift of clothing set them free, as with Harry Potter's Dobby?
Similar names and words
"Brownie" may be spelled Browney, Brouny, or Browny. However, the Brownie should not be confused with the Cornish Browney, a spirit or faerie that protects (or perhaps is) the bees.
Brownies may be related to the Brown Man of the Muirs, a spirit or faerie that protects and guards the wild beasts along Scotland's Border Country.
Brownies and devils
In his book, Daemonologie, King James I said that brownies are devils, but they do no harm.
Devil's Bridges
Devil's Bridges are a category of bridge from Medieval (not Roman) times. They exist in England and in Europe.
The name may come from one of three sources:
1. The bridge was built by the Devil.
2. The bridge was built with the Devil's help.
3. The bridge proves the might of the bridge builders, and makes less of the Devil.
This kind of folklore relates to fairy (faerie) tales. In the typical story, the bridge builder makes a deal with the Devil: If the Devil will build the bridge himself, in one night, the Devil can then take the soul of the first person to cross the bridge.
After the bridge is built, the Devil tricks the bridge builder into crossing the bridge, so the bridge builder loses his own soul as payment.
This relates to stories such as Rumplestiltskin, in which flax is spun into gold overnight, and the young woman must guess the name of Rumplestiltskin, or later give up her first child to the dwarf or goblin. (Of course, she outwits Rumplestiltskin and declares his name, so she forfeits nothing.)
One bridge called "the Devil's Bridge" is in Carnforth, in Lancashire, England.
For more information about faeries, visit Faerie Magick (dot com).
Music: Moods of Man, written and orchestrated by James Underberg.
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In this week's Faerie Magick podcast, Fiona discusses dwarves.
Roots: Dwarves are mentioned around the world in a variety of cultures and societies. In Western culture, most folkore traditions seem to be rooted in Germany, Switzerland and England.
Classic examples: Leprechauns, Snow White & the Seven Dwarves, and the ladies' attendants in King Arthur's court. The latter are sometimes associated with ghosts, and the distinctions aren't clear.
Appearance: Generally male, and human-like but diminutive, ranging from six inches tall to the more usual two to three feet tall. The men look old and wise and often have long gray beards, but they aren't "old" since dwarves are immortal.
Dwarves generally own some magical item of clothing such as a cap, a ring, a cloak or cape, or a belt. It usually gives the invisibility, which is a form of glamoury.
Most (but not all) dwarves are also shape-shifters. (That's different from glamoury, which is largely an illusion.) They usually turn into a creature with wings. Light or benevolent dwarves turn into butterflies; dark, mischievous or malicious dwarves are supposed to turn into screech owls.
There may be some connection between dwarves' transformation and the Badb or Mhorrighan stories of Ireland, in which she appears as a crow.
When dwarves shape-shift, they can readily turn back into their usual form. However, if a wizard casts a shape-shifting spell on them, the dwarf must be very clever to outwit the wizard (and his spell) or wait for the wizard to reverse it.
Dwarves are able to shape-shift the world immediately around them, too. That may be a form of glamoury, but it's usually described as a physical change, such as a castle that suddenly appears as a quaint cottage. This may relate to Cinderella's carriage that was shape-shifted from a pumpkin.
Dwarves and vampires: Both dwarves and vampires can transform into flying creatures. Both dwarves and vampires have problems with sunlight. Some dwarves have been identified with ghosts, or as beings that were once human or human-like.
Some dwarves turn to stone if sunlight touches them. They're okay with the light, but the rays of the sun are an issue. So, they live in caves, caverns, underground palaces, and dark forests that don't allow direct sunlight through.
Dwarves and treasures: Dwarves are usually associated with some kind of work or career. That work usually -- but not always -- involves working with metal. (Example: The seven dwarves were miners. Rumpelstiltskin -- or Rumpelstilzchen -- spun straw into gold.)
Dwarves may protect a treasure in their caverns, castles or forests. That treasure often includes (metal) coins, such as the leprechaun's pot of gold.
Dwarves may also craft magical metal objects. Though the objects can work magic (or magick), they may also carry a curse if the object is misused... or used by someone not authorized to handle it.
Categories of dwarves: In many cultures, dwarves are divided into three categories, depending on how benevolent, mischievous or malicious they are. White dwarves are good, brown dwarves are pranksters or unreliable, and black dwarves are evil. (Literature is inconsistent in explaining those color notes, as the dwarves aren't colored that way and their clothing may not match the colors, either.)
In Ireland, the three groups aren't quite so dark or dangerous. There, an example is the leprechaun, cluricaune, and the fir darrig (or fir dhearga - literally, the red man, but that form of the word "red" is usually associated with red light, not red hair).
The fir darrig/dhearga is usually about 2 1/2 feet tall, wears a red, conical cap and generally looks like a garden gnome figure.
The best references for information about dwarves include The Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Andrew Lang's fairy tale books.
For more information about faeries, visit FaerieMagick.com
Music: The Moods of Man, written & orchestrated by James Underberg
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Who are the elves of Ireland? In this 14-minute podcast, Fiona talks about this question and several others.
What surnames see the Banshee?
Anyone can see a Banshee, but you're not likely to. They rarely appear to humans. However, since Banshees are real, it's possible for anyone to see them.
For more information about the faerie-related families protected by Banshees, see Fiona's article, The Banshee.
The Banshee is real; stories connect Banshees with specific Irish families.
You can see (or, more often, hear) a Banshee whether you're related to an Irish family or not.
Do people actually see faeries?
Fiona says that this question is like asking if people actually see elephants. In both cases, the answer is yes... if you're in a place where they are, and you know what you're looking for.
Is this website a hoax/fake?
No. Many of Fiona's faerie articles have been online for over ten years. (They were originally at HollowHill.com, which is now Fiona's ghost-related site, and at Suite101.com, where Fiona worked as a journalist for three years.)
Fiona isn't sure why anyone would think an academic site like this -- especially one that's been online for so many years -- would be a hoax.
She also explains that the majority of faerie (or fairy) related websites are happy fantasy sites, and delightful to visit. She doesn't like the words "hoax" or "fake" used with any serious, fae-related website. (Also, it's not wise to insult friends of the faeries.)
Can you describe the different kinds of dragons?
Fiona talks about dragons in several articles at FaerieMagick.com, and gives a general outline of the kinds of dragons, as well.
In future articles and podcasts, she'll explain more about them.
Who are the elves of Ireland?
A. "Elves" is not a word that originated in Ireland. Some Irish people have adopted the word, elf. It appears in various histories and mythologies, notably English history where the word initially meant all faeries.
Soon, the word "elf" was used to describe specific, small creatures that have supernatural powers and may be shape shifters. The term may sometimes be used in place of boggart or gnome.
Elf men are usually described as kings and they're elderly, or have small, wrinkled faces. Elf women are usually described as young and beautiful maidens wearing grey dresses and white veils.
Some cultures' stories -- including Algonquin (Native American) and Teutonic mythology -- describe "elves of light." Their counterparts would be "elves of darkness," similar to the Seelie and Unseelie Courts of the Scottish faeries.
The word "elf" has many spellings, from Aelf to Ylf, and is primarily featured in British, Teutonic, Icelandic and Scandinavian lore.
Elves in Ireland -- or at least the use of the word, "elf" -- probably arrived in Ireland from one or more of those countries.
References
Briggs, Katharine: An Encyclopedia of Fairies
Rose, Carol: Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins - An Encyclopedia
Smith, Peter A.: W. B. Yeats and the Tribes of Danu
Faerie Magick (dot com)
Music:
The Moods of Man
written & orchestrated by James Underberg -
In this 14-minute podcast, Fiona Broome discusses three main topics:
The words we use to describe faeries.Poltergeists - faeries or ghosts?Who has faerie ancestry.Terminology
Faeries, pixies, goblins, elementals... what are they? Are they connected?
Fiona describes the problems in using labels and categories to describe faeries. She traces the history of the term "elementals" to describe nature spirits -- sometimes faeries -- and how extreme the connections have become over many centuries.
For example:
Elementals of the ground are usually called gnomes, related to the element of Earth, the direction of North, the Moon, and the season of autumn.Sylphs are the elementals of the air, related to the east, the sun, and spring.Salamanders are elementals of fire, the south, Mars, and summer.Undines are elementals of water, the west, Jupiter, and winter.However, that's just one way to categorize faeries. We can also categorize them by size, by whether or not they seem to remain in groups (or troops), whether they're helpful or mischievous, how they dress, and so on.
As Fiona explains, we're guessing. Our labels may be very wrong.
We continue to use these labels because they're popular and -- like using the word "ghosts" for everything from apparitions to poltergeists -- when we say "faeries" or "pixies" or "gnomes," people generally know what we're talking about.
However, we are aware of the historical and cultural influences (and interpretations) of those words. They can change slightly with popular use.
Poltergeists
While some people call poltergeists elementals, most ghost researchers consider poltergeists part of ghost-related phenomena. Usually, a poltergeist seems to be an entity that is using the energy of a human, and creating mischief around that human.
To learn more about poltergeists, listen to Fiona's Hollow Hill podcast: Poltergeists - What they are, and famous poltergeists.
Faerie ancestry
Many people have heard about Fiona's article, Faeries in your family tree. In this podcast, Fiona explains that most (and perhaps all) nationalities have an historic tradition related to the roots of their people. Those roots usually have some connections with gods and/or faeries.
Though Fiona draws upon her Irish heritage to explain that many people are descended from faeries, the Irish aren't the only ones with fae family trees.
References
Though most of Fiona's information is drawn from a variety of sources, she confirmed the Pagan-Elementals information at Elements and Elementals.
For additional information about faeries, you may enjoy the encyclopedia, Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins, by Carol Rose. It provides information about many faeries and faerie-related creatures, as well as a helpful section with cross-references that link one culture's faerie names with another's.
Music: The Moods of Man, written & orchestrated by James Underberg
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Are faeries real? Where do faeries live? What's the difference between pixies and faeries?
Those are some readers' questions answered by Fiona Broome in this 15-minute podcast about faeries and boggarts.
The questions include:
Are faeries real?Do faeries exist?What do faeries look like?How do you see faeries?Is there proof that faeries are real? Is there proof that faeries aren't real?How do faeries procreate?Where do faeries live?What is the difference between pixies and faeries?Can Christians believe in faeries?After that, Fiona talks about one kind of faerie, a boggart. Boggarts are shape-shifters, and a good example of the darker side of the faerie realm. Though boggarts can seem like demons or poltergeists, they aren't actually demons. Some boggarts might be dangerous, but faeries -- in general -- are neither all good nor all bad. Don't let the boggarts scare you too much.
In addition, Fiona recorded an outtake from this podcast. You'll find it at FaerieMagick.com in the Podcasts section.
Links to more information about subjects mentioned in this podcast:
Alice in Wonderland
Secret World of Og, by Pierre Berton
Earthlight, by R. J. Stewart (includes some themes related to Pagan and earth-based spirituality)
Theories: Hollow earth, Expanding earth
The Spalding Inn, Whitefield, NH
The "Ghost Hunters" episode (Season 1, Episode 5) with the figure in it, resembling a faerie, similar to descriptions of boggarts. Here's a link to the team discovering this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU9XmYqAIB0 (There are some questions about whether or not it's paranormal. That said, as an example of what a faerie can look like... it's good.)
Music: The Moods of Man, written & orchestrated by James Underberg
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Green faeries are among the strongest traditions in faerie lore. They're usually associated with nature, the trees or even the forest.
In this 12-minute podcast, Fiona Broome talks about the following green faeries and related entities.
The Green Man
This "wild man" of the forest may be a faerie. He -- and his fellow Green Men -- usually protect the forest and sometimes the animals in it.
The original "Green Man" may be Merlin, who was said to go mad for several years and, during that time, lived in the forested areas around the border between England and Scotland. (His sister lived nearby, with her husband and family.)
The Green Man may be related to these other traditions, as well: the Green Knight, Green George, Jack in the Green, Latzman, the Leaf King, corn babies and corn dolls, the Wicker Man, or even Robin Hood.
There may be benevolent, female counterparts in the woods, but Green Women in folklore are very different.
Green Women
The Green Women traditions seem to be well-established in the Scottish Highlands. In fact, there is a Glen of Green Women and a related ballad by Sir Walter Scott.
Green Women are usually beautiful women dressed in green. They usually appear at night, and seem in distress. One of them will appeal to a kind-hearted man, and lead him away from his friends. His lifeless body will be found in the morning, drained as if attacked by a vampire or a demonic entity that consumed the victim's life energy. In some cases, only the bones remain.
The distinctive feature of Green Women is supposed to be their feet. (Some stories also talk about odd hands.) The feet are actually hooves, similar to what you'd see on a deer. Usually, the women go to extremes to cover that strange characteristic, and wear a long gown that reaches the floor.
They may be dark faeries, vampires, or something related to demons. They may also be related to the Baoban Sith legends of Scotland.
The Green Women are usually different from green ladies, though some Green Women have been called Green Ladies.
The Green Lady
Also well-founded in Scotland, the "green lady" (sometimes all lower-case letters) is more likely a ghost than a faerie. Though there are many of them, people usually talk about them in the singular.
The classic green lady ghost appears at Skipness Castle at Loch Fyne.
In most cases, the green lady protects the home or castle where she once lived, and the family in it. Often, the home displays her portrait from centuries ago.
Unlike the Banshee (bean sidhe), the green lady stays with the home she's protecting. Banshees will move from house to house, protecting "their" family and its descendants.
One notable exception is Judith Thompson Tyng, a green lady ghost who moved from home to home in 18th century Tyngsborough, Massachusetts. For more about her, read Tyngsboro - The Haunting of John Alford Tyng.
The Scottish green ladies may be related to brownies, the Gruagach, and especially the Grogan family.
If you're interested in the green lady ghosts, you may enjoy Scottish ghosts - Where to find a 'Green Lady' ghost.
Green Children
Green children are definitely faerie children. They have green skin and wear green clothing. They're usually seen at a distance, in wooded areas. Reports of them date to the 13th century, in the writings of Ralph of Coggeshall, as well as Sir Richard deCaine and William deNewburgh.
For more information about faeries in general, visit Faerie Magick at http://FaerieMagick.com/believe/
Music: The Moods of Man, written & orchestrated by James Underberg
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In this 13-minute podcast, Fiona Broome discusses the differences and similarities among four groups of entities: faeries, angels, ghosts and aliens.
For the purpose of this discussion, Fiona assumes that all of these groups are real, and descriptions in legends and folklore are accurate.
Faeries - Can be big or small, winged or not. They like things tidy, or they'll hide things from people. Some of them seem to think it's funny to tease or torment pets. Except for leprechauns, there's little evidence that faeries actually work.
Angels - Can be big or small, winged or not. They seem to have tasks, but -- like faeries -- people rarely see angels doing manual labor.
Ghosts - Are usually the same size as people, and act like people, including work. They're never reported with wings. They don't seem to care if a home is tidy, but they prefer the house as it was when they lived or visited it. Animals can seem fearful around ghosts, but ghosts aren't likely to torment them.
Aliens - Appear in all sizes, but if they have wings, they're not described as faerie wings or angel wings. Animals seem frightened of them. Aliens don't seem to linger at a location as faeries and ghosts can.
There seems to be considerable overlap in some characteristics, and broad differences in others. However, when people describe an encounter with an entity that's the size of a human but seems from another time or realm -- even if they want to insist that it's a ghost -- they could be describing a faerie, an angel, a ghost or even an alien. More information is necessary.
With this kind of insight, it's possible to look at popular TV shows differently, and consider that some "ghost encounters" are actually faerie experiences.
This also explains why reports of aliens (Bigfoot, etc.) are in the same areas where faeries were reported during eras when faeries were more credible than aliens.
For more information about faeries, visit FaerieMagick.com
Music: The Moods of Man, written & orchestrated by James Underberg
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Faeries have been documented throughout history. Around 1000 B.C., the Greek poet Homer wrote The Illiad, in which he describes, "watery fairies dance in mazy rings." ("Mazy" means maze-like, or like a labyrinth.)
In the 12 century, Gervase of Tilbury described portunes (one kind of small faeries) in detail. He said that some are as tiny as one half inch tall, or as little as a small finger.
Later reports confirm his descriptions.
Shakespeare popularized the image of playful, tiny faeries in his play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. However, he didn't invent them. (Nobody invented faeries. They already existed.)
There are many theories about the origins of faeries, going back to the time of Genesis in the Bible. We know so little about faeries, it's difficult to decide what's true about them, except that they exist.
In this 13-minute podcast, Fiona Broome talks about many faerie (or fairy) topics.
* Little faeries in history
* The possible importance of our belief in them
* Early descriptions of faeries as "pygmies"
* William Allingham's poem, The Faeries, and the clues in it
Music: Moods of Man, written & orchestrated by James Underberg -
Fiona Broome relaunches her faerie-related podcasts with this 12-minuteoverview of faeries and popular misconceptions about them.
This podcast repeats many concepts from her earlier (2006) podcast series, with some updates.
Key points:
1. Faeries are not ghosts, and though they may be related to humans,they aren't actually human, either. Faeries are not divine, but mayseem so, particularly when compared with the idea of guardian angelsand other popular spiritual concepts.
2. Faeries may live in or under our world (this includes Hollow Earth ideas) or in a parallel reality.
3. Faeries can be small -- like the Tinkerbell images -- or even larger than humans.
4. Faeries may be sweet (Tinkerbell), pranksters (Puck orRumplestiltskin), or even malicious and demonic. However, they aren'trelated to traditional concepts of Satan or the devil.
5. The location -- specifically the characteristics of the landscape --seems to relate to the kinds of faeries associated with thatlandscape. Darker and dramatic landscapes seem to be the home ofdarker and more dramatic faerie lore. One example is the "green womenof the Highlands," notably different from "green lady" ghost lore.
6. Though there may be minor differences in the stories, faeries aredescribed consistently across many cultures and on every continent,even though there's no evidence of contact between those cultures whenthe stories emerged.
One example is the "red cap" faeries (like garden gnomes) mentioned instories from Native America to Scotland, or the feather-garbed faeriesof Northern Ireland's coastline and the Maori culture of New Zealand.
7. Some faeries seem linked to the land. Others can move from one place to another, such as the Banshees... which are not evil and don't cause tragedy or death.
Links: FaerieMagick.com
Music: The Moods of Man, written and orchestrated by James Underberg
