Searching for some good British Isles Fairy Myths

[HealytheHealslime]

Does anybody know where I can find some good British Isle fairy myths? I'm not talking about the namby-pamby style fairies that like to sprinkle pixie dust over kittens; I mean the older, meaner style of fairy that liked to steal children and mess up houses and such. Wikipedia doesn't seem to be much help here. :/

I'm doing for research for a project, which... might not amount to anything. But at least I'll get some kick-awesome tales about fairies out of the experience! :smallbiggrin:

[Death, your friend the Reaper]

Isn't it the brothers grimm who are known for fairy tales?

In other news, British Isles (Fairy) Myths are that the English Cricket Team is any good :smallwink:

[HealytheHealslime]

Isn't it the brothers grimm who are known for fairy tales?


Yeah, but most of those have more to do with general magic than fairies. British Isles is pretty big on fairies; lots of tales about changelings and brownies and the like.

[RabbitHoleLost]

Isn't it the brothers grimm who are known for fairy tales?

In other news, British Isles (Fairy) Myths are that the English Cricket Team is any good :smallwink:
Ouch. Burn.

Anyways, if you want the mean fey, I'd suggest looking to Celtic mythology and stuff.

[Rumda]

Try searching for Irish mythology and the other branches of Celtic mythology that should turn up what you are looking for I think
EDIT also searching for local folklore of most of north-west Europe should turn up a few mean fey as well mainly in stories told to keep children safe from more mundane hazards

[Kneenibble]

Good Madame HealytheHealslime,

May I recommend the Middle English romance, "Sir Orfeo"?

It does appropriate content out of Greek mythology, O those rascally learned Normans!, but at any rate, it is a very interesting story with a dominant proportion of British myth and a trip to the fairy underworld.

J.R.R. Tolkien did a modern English translation of it, which is excellent in both its poetic quality and its faithfulness to the original. ...unless you want to read it in Middle English.

[RTGoodman]

Joseph Jacobs published several books related to fairy tales back in the late 19th century (1800s). Conveniently for you (and me a few semesters ago), Wikipedia (or rather, Wikisource) has the complete text of his English Fairy Tales, which you can find here (http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/English_Fairy_Tales). If you don't want it online, you should be able to find a copy of it pretty easily. He also published a Celtic Fairy Tales or something like that, but I didn't look into it.

There are tons of book of the topic, but you might have a hard time finding some of them. Are you in college or high school? If you're in high school, it might be worth it to go to the local university around you (whichever has the biggest library) and spend a while searching the library for stuff. I was surprised that we had a whole set of shelves in our library devoted to fairy tales from different parts of the world.

[Kneenibble]

*nods along with rtg0922*

If your library uses the LC call number system, then books on folklore are in the GT section.

...I work in a library.

Was that nerdy or hot?

[Serpentine]

A friend of mine brought me back A Field Guide to Irish Fairies from his trip to Ireland. It includes some of the nastier ones: From the contents, Grogoch, Grey Man, Sheerie, Changelings, Pooka, Merrows, Banshee, Leprechaun and Dullahan. I think Selkies or whatever they're called (seals that can take on human form) are from northern Britain. I was going to try to pick out some stories from my The Enchanted World series, but then I realised that they could be in half the books. I recommend seeking that series out if you can. They have comprehensive bibliographies, as well.

edit: Yeah, well, I work in two libraries :smallamused:

[RTGoodman]

My library's catalog to the rescue! I just searched for "British Fairy Tales," and got several interesting possibilities. There's Folk-Tales of the British Isles, compiled by Kevin Crossley-Holland; The Old Wives' Fairy Tale Book, edited by Angela Carter; and Alan Garner's Book of British Fairy Tales.

Assuming it's the same Garner, he should have an interesting selection; he wrote a great (but hard-to-find) children's book called The Owl Service, based on the Mabinogion (a collection of Welsh mythology), both of which are pretty dark in some places.

Also, I don't know what your specific focus is, but if you want to look at all sorts of British fairy tales you should check out Neil Gaiman's short-story compilations (Smoke & Mirrors and Fragile Things) and his novel Stardust. He's a great modern author, and a lot of his short stories are basically modern day fairy tales. (I don't have my copy of his books with me here at school, so I can't point you to specific ones, but I know there are a couple about real people going to the Land of Faerie and stuff like that.) Also, Stardust, in my opinion, is basically just a fairy tale written today; it's worth reading even if you aren't using it for research of any sort.

[Serpentine]

Good idea. From the uni library:

Call number 398.21/S744f
Author Spence, Lewis, 1874-1955.
Title The fairy tradition in Britain / Lewis Spence.
Publisher London : Rider, 1948.
Material 374 p., [12] p. of plates : ill. ; 23 cm.

Call number 398.21/B854p
Author Briggs, Katharine M. 1898-
Title The personnel of fairyland: a short account of the fairy people of Great Britain for those who tell stories to children, by K. M. Briggs ; illustrated by Jane Moore.
Publisher Oxford: Alden Press, 1953.
Material 228 p. illus. 21 cm.

Call number 398.45/B854f
Author Briggs, Katharine Mary.
Title The fairies in tradition and literature / K.M. Briggs.
Publisher London : Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1967.
Material x 261 p., [13] p. of plates ; 23 cm.

Call number 398.21/B854V
Author Briggs, Katharine Mary.
Title THE VANISHING PEOPLE ; A STUDY OF TRADITIONAL FAIRY BELIEFS / KATHARINE M. BRIGGS ; ILL. BY MARY I. FRENCH.
Publisher LONDON : BATSFORD, 1978.
Material 218p.

Call number CR398.21/F171
Title Fairies and elves / by Editors of Time-Life Books.
Publisher Amsterdam : Time-Life Books, 1985, c1984.
Series The enchanted world
Material 142p.
(Hey, that's the one I own)

Call number 809.94/P312s/1960
Author Paton, Lucy Allen.
Title Studies in the fairy mythology of Arthurian romance / by L.A.Paton.
Publisher New York : Franklin, 1960.
Edition 2nd ed. /
Material xi, 316 p. ; 24 cm.

[MattKatt]

Im not sure how relevant this is, but theres a tale from my hometown about a statue of the devil (http://www.explore-gower.co.uk/Content/pa=showpage/pid=66.html) thats an interesting read.

[RTGoodman]

Im not sure how relevant this is, but theres a tale from my hometown about a statue of the devil (http://www.explore-gower.co.uk/Content/pa=showpage/pid=66.html) thats an interesting read.

That's the Swansea in Wales, right? That's cool - one of my best friends spent basically all of last summer studying abroad at one of the universities there (though I don't know which one). I'll have to ask him about "Old Nick."

[Bhu]

Here's all teh myth links I have. Some of them are bound to have fairy stuff. Please note some are off topic. I didn't have time to edit the list.


A Fairy Encyclopedia http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/4611/fairyenc.html
A History of Dragons http://www.biopark.org/dragonhistory.html
Aadizookaanag http://www.kstrom.net/isk/stories/myths.html
Adlet Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adlet
Al http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_%28Armenian_folklore%29
All About Unicorns http://www.allaboutunicorns.com/
American Folklore http://www.americanfolklore.net/
At the Edge http://www.indigogroup.co.uk/edge/index.htm
Australian Legendary Tales http://www.harvestfields.ca/etextLinks/28/00.htm
Beowulf http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/AnoBeow.html
Beowulf, again http://www.alcyone.com/max/lit/beowulf/
Bouda WIki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouda
Buggane Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buggane
Chiricahua and Mescalero Apache Texts http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/apache/ChiMesc2.html
Choctaw Legends and Stories http://www.tc.umn.edu/~mboucher/mikebouchweb/choctaw/legends2.htm
Christine O' Keefe's Monster/Faery Page http://www.tartanplace.com/ftoc.html
Classical Myth Homepage http://web.uvic.ca/grs/bowman/myth/
Dave's Mythical Creature's and Places http://www.eaudrey.com/myth/
Dragon Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon
Egyptian Legendary Creatures http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Egyptian_legendary_creatures
Encantado Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encantado
Encyclopedia Mythica http://www.pantheon.org/
Encyclopedia of Dragons http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/01925/encyclo.html
Folklore of the Orkney Islands http://www.orkneyjar.com/folklore/index.html
Godchecker http://www.godchecker.com/
Gods, Heroes, and Myths http://www.gods-heros-myth.com/
Greek Myth Compared to Norse Myth http://webhome.idirect.com/~donlong/
Greek Mythology http://library.thinkquest.org/26264/student.htm
Internet Sacred Text Archive http://www.sacred-texts.com/index.htm
Inuit Mythology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuit_mythology
Jotun Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jotun
Legendary Creatures Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Legendary_creature_stubs
Legendary Creatures in Japanese Myth http://www.tiosam.com/ingles/encyclopedia/enciclopedia.asp?title=List_of_legendary_creatures _in_Japanese_mythology
Legends http://www.legends.dm.net/
Legends from the Tombs http://www.geocities.com/vampiress_sonja/main.html
Leszi Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leszi
Lindworm Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindworm
Living Myths http://www.livingmyths.com/index.htm
Lizabet's Vault vampires http://lizabets-vault.com/vampires.html
Manx Notes and Queries http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/fulltext/mnq1904/index.htm#contents
Monsters and Fabulous Beasts From Ancient and Medieval Cultures http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/monster_list.html
Monstropedia http://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Main_Page
Mythic Creatures http://www.geocities.com/z_mythica/
Mythology, Legend, Folklore, and Ghosts http://www.teacheroz.com/myth-legend.htm
Mythome http://www.mythome.org/mythhome.htm
Myths and Legends http://home.comcast.net/~chris.s/myth2.html
Myths and Legends http://home.comcast.net/~chris.s/myth.html
Mythweb Greek mythology http://www.mythweb.com/
Naga Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naga_%28mythology%29
Nagual Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nahual
Names of Gods and Goddesses http://lowchensaustralia.com/names/gods.htm
Native American Legendary Creatures Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Native_American_legendary_creatures
Native American Legends http://www.legendsofamerica.com/NA-IndianMyths.html
Native American Legends, Myths, and Lore http://www.angelfire.com/ca/Indian/stories.html
Native American Lore Index http://www.ilhawaii.net/%7Estony/loreindx.html
Native American Myth Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_mythology
Native American Mythology Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Native_American_mythology
Native American Myths http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1998/2/98.02.02.x.html
Native American Myths of Creation http://www.crystalinks.com/nativeamcreation.html
Native American Tales and Songs http://members.cox.net/academia/naindex.html
Native American bedtime Story Collection http://www.bedtime-story.com/bedtime-story/indians.htm
Norse Myth WIki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norse_mythology
North American Mythology Stubs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:North_American_mythology_stubs
Occultopedia http://www.occultopedia.com/welcome.htm
Old Superstitions http://www.oldsuperstitions.com/
Puca Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%BAca
Sea Monster Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_monster
Sidhe Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%ADde
Slavic Mythology Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavic_mythology
Sommerland http://sommerland.org/
SurLaLune Fairy Tales Page http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/
Tengu Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tengu
The Anthropology of Mythology http://www.nemorensis.net/anthromyth/index.html
The Dragon Bestiary http://bestiarium.net/index-e.html
The Dragon Stone http://www.polenth.com/
The Magic Web http://www.johnadcox.com/Mythology_and_Folklore.html
The Medieval Bestiary http://bestiary.ca/index.html
The Obakemono Project http://www.obakemono.com/introduction.php
Theoi Project http://www.theoi.com/
Through the Eyes of Native Americans http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215453/
Thunderbird Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbird_%28mythology%29
Timeless Myths http://www.timelessmyths.com/
Vampire Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire
Wendigo Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendigo
Werecat Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werecat
Werewolf Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werewolf
White Buffalo Calf Woman Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Buffalo_Calf_Woman
World Myths and Legends in Art http://www.artsmia.org/world-myths/
World Vampire Myths http://enchanteddoorway.tripod.com/vamp/greece.html
Yellow Scents http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Labyrinth/8952/phoenix.html
Zmeu Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zmeu

[Archonic Energy]

In other news, British Isles (Fairy) Myths are that the English Cricket Team is any good :smallwink:

you've been warned before DEATH...

we may not be good at playing the game, but we can use the bats

Start the benny hill music!
*Chases Death with a large naily bat*

[Death, your friend the Reaper]

Start the benny hill music!
*Chases Death with a large naily bat*
Oh no, I've been chased into this hall way, with lots of doors! I guess we must humorously chase each other through them all, coming out in interesting and witty ways each time!

((The things you learn from scooby doo:smalltongue: ))

[Archonic Energy]

Oh no, I've been chased into this hall way, with lots of doors! I guess we must humorously chase each other through them all, coming out in interesting and witty ways each time!


which will invaryably end with you somehow chasing me with the bat, us stopping, you giving the bat back to me, turning around and running into one of the doors...

ahhh comedy has come a long way since those days.

[BisectedBrioche]

And I'll defeat you both with a feather duster, using the power of surrealism.