Blog post #5

11/19/10

It seems that fairy women all over Ireland found birth a difficult experience. Many of the fairy children died before birth and those that did survive are often stunted or deformed (Celtic Mythology).

Some adult fairies have no wish to keep them. They will try to swap them with healthy children who they steal from the mortal world. The creature that was left in place of the human child was generally known as a changeling. The changeling possessed the power to work evil in a household. The ones most at risk are those who have not been baptized or one who is overly admired.

The changeling is noticed more because of their temperament. Babies are generally joyful and pleasant, but the fairy substitute is never happy, except when some mishap befalls on the household.

A changeling can be one of three types: actual fairy children; senile fairies who are disguised as children or, inanimate objects, such as pieces of wood, which take on the appearance of a child through fairy magic. This latter type is known as a stock (Irish Fairies).

This fairy will display very dark eyes, which betray a wisdom far older than its apparent years. Changelings display other characteristics, usually physical deformities, among which a crooked back. About two weeks after their arrival in the human household, changelings will also exhibit a full set of teeth, legs as thin as chicken bones, and hands which are curved and crooked as birds' talons and covered with a light, downy hair (Irish Fairies).

No luck will come to a family in which there is a changeling because the creature drains away all their good fortune. Thus, those who are cursed with it tend to be very poor and struggle desperately.

One positive feature this fairy may demonstrate is an aptitude for music. As the changeling grows older, they may take up an instrument, often the fiddle or the Irish pipes.

www.costumenetwork.com

www.artshole.com


www.orkneyjar.com

"Celtic Mythology: Fairies." Timeless Myths .com. 6 March  2005. Web. 19 November 2010.

<http://www.timelessmyths.com/celtic/faeries.html>.

"Irish Fairies" IrelandsEye.com. Web. 19 November 2010.
http://www.irelandseye.com/animation/explorer/leprechaun.htm

Blog post #4

11/17/10

Leprechaun 

Also Known As: Shoemaker

www.irelandeye.com

Of all the fairies people, the one that most people today are familiar with is the leprechaun. However, there is a big difference between what we imagine a leprechaun being like now and what it was viewed like back then.

The leprechaun was mischievous and known for playing practical jokes upon mortals (Celtic Mythology Faeries).They dressed in homely style clothes that looked very ordinary. The leprechaun was a tiny male figure, with an aged face.

Leprechauns were said to have become self-appointed guardians of ancient treasure, being the guardian of the treasure the buried it in pots. This may be one reason why leprechauns tried to avoid contact with us humans in which they regarded us as foolish, flighty, and greedy creatures.

If a human/mortal caught a leprechaun, it was said that if the mortal was to give the leprechaun his freedom, the leprechaun would grant the mortal great wealth.

In the pockets of a leprechaun was two things, in one was a silver coin, that would return straight to his pocket once it was paid out to someone. In the other was a gold coin that would be used as a bribe during rough situations. Research says this coin turns straight to leaves or ashes when the Leprechaun parts with the coin (Irish Fairies).

**Helpful Tip:**

Don’t take your eye off one of these guys, because they will vanish in a split second.

www.irelandeye.com

"Celtic Mythology: Fairies." Timeless Myths .com. 6 March  2005. Web. 17 November 2010.

<http://www.timelessmyths.com/celtic/faeries.html>.

"Irish Fairies" IrelandsEye.com. Web. 17 November 2010.
http://www.irelandseye.com/animation/explorer/leprechaun.html

Blog post #3

11/15/10

http://www.karenkincy.com

Pooka

Pooka comes from the early Irish 'poc' meaning 'a male goat'. The Pooka is said to be the most feared fairy of all Ireland. According to some of the legends, the Pooka is a shape changer. The Pooka is capable of taking on a variety of forms. Forms such as a horse, goat, goblin, or dog. It is said that no matter what form the Pooka acuires it is known to have dark fur.However, it most likely will take the form of a sleek black horse with glowing yellow eyes and a dark flowing mane.It seems to me like the Pooka was mischievous, often offering travelers a ride that was dangerous if not deadly.

www.lizzieslogic.blogspot.com

In remote areas of Country Down, the Pooka becomes a small goblin, that demands a share of the crops.

http://www.deviantart.com

In the Country Laois, the Pooka becomes a large hairy boogeyman who terrifies the people in the night.

In Waterford, and Wexford, the Pooka becomes and eagle like creature with a massive wing-span.

http://lizzieslogic.com

Finally in Roscommon, the Pooka becomes a black goat with curling horns. 

The Pooka has the power of human speech, and it was known to stop in front of certain houses and call out the names of those it wants to take upon its midnight dashes. If that person refuses, the Pooka would vandalise their property . The Pooka is not a typical fairy. Because when we think of a fairy, we think of a nice, peaceful, and worry free fantasy creature. Not in this case. 

"The Pooka" Celtic Myth Podshow. 2010. Web. 14 November 2010

                        http://celticmythpodshow.com/blog/the-pooka/

Blog post #2

11/07/10

Where Are They Now ?

www.deviantart.com

“Faeries are often portrayed in Western children’s stories as tiny, winged, and good hearted. However, this description varies widely from worldwide folk traditions in which beliefs concerning hidden races sharing the earth with us have resided for most of human history." (Faerie Central)

"Much of their behavior was much like humans as well; they had governments, societies, marriages, children, and war. They were often mortal and therefore, could be killed. However, unlike humanity, they had supernatural powers, which made them, at best, unpredictable and at worst, dangerous. Few people sought out the company of faeries and most went out of the way to avoid it.” (Faerie Central)

Even though fairies are none existent in our world today, contemporary storytellers (writers, artists, filmmakers, musicians, game creators, etc.) use fairies in their creations. Things that interest me are films, and when I thought about it, I figured out that there are quite a few films with fairies in them, especially children’s Disney movies.

Fairies can be seen in movies such as;

• Hook
• Thumbelina
• Fern Gully
• Faeries
• Photographing Fairies
• The Fairy King
• A Midsummer Night's Dream
• Fairy Tale
• Cinderella
• Fantasia
• Peter Pan
• Sleeping Beauty
• Tinker Bell

Each of these films have a different way in portraying the Fairies. So even though according to history Fairies no long exist, we still keep the thought of them alive using painting, films, books, and games.

“Faerie Central” Monstrous.com. 1998-2009. Web. 7 November 2010.

<http://faerie.monstrous.com/>

The Fairy King

Fairy Tale

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Faeries

Photographing Fairies

Thumbelina

FernGully

Hook

TinkerBell

Cinderella

Fantasia

Sleeping Beauty

Peter Pan

Blog post #1

10/31/10

Why Fairies ??

www.photobucket.com

"All it takes is faith, trust, and a little bit of fairy dust." ~Author Unknown

Fairy comes from the Old English word Faerie, which means the land, or realm. I chose Celtic Fairies as my topic, because I wanted to be different and do something that I thought most people would not do. Fairies and Fairytales of all sorts spark such imagination and such creativity in children. Especially when fairies are depicted in movies, that allows not only young children but also teens to create a fantasy type world, and imagine themselves in that world. Not to mention the topic of fairies is very interesting. I believe the thought or idea of fairies has been around a lot longer than we think. When we hear the word fairy, we like to think of fairies as harmless loving little beings, like those in the Disney movies, Peter-Pan and Cinderella. These fairy beings are helpful, loving, and they possess magical powers. (Celtic Mythology: Fairies) To be honest I would not mind having a magical fairy godmother around all the time, it would be quit enjoyable. When we think of fairies today, we see them as glowing supernatural beings with wings. However, in an earlier date, authors perceived fairies as the dead, demoted angels, or even demons. (The History of Fairies)

"Celtic Mythology: Fairies." Timeless Myths .com. 6 March  2005. Web. 31 October 2010.

<http://www.timelessmyths.com/celtic/faeries.html>.

"The History of Fairies" brownwenskye.php 2006. Web . 31 October 2010.

<http://www.bronwenskye.com/fairyhistory.php>