Fairies

Toni

Active Member
What do we really know about fairies? I have seen them depicted in may ways. They can either be good, bad, evil, helpful or destructive. Where did the fairy concept come from? I would like to think that all fairies are like Cinderella's fairy Godmother or Tinkerbell from Peter Pan.
 

fairywings

New Member
I also envision all fairies as good and helpful souls. There are many different beliefs about how they came about. One belief is that they are dead souls. Another belief, although not as popular is that they are a unique being different from human or angel. A third belief is that they are demoted angels. A fourth belief, which I do not think is true, is that they are demons entirely.
 

RLynn

Active Member
There is a Celtic theory that they were neutral angels who did not take sides in the war between Lucifer and God. Personally, I think they are neither good nor evil. They have their own interests and agendas, which may or may not be beneficial to human beings. I think that the good fairies in most popular fairy tales are not necessarily representative of fairies in general.
 
I can see the belief in fairies as being a Christianised vision of the deities of pantheistic and animistic peoples; we can see some fairies who live in forests and fountains, caves and flowers, which is in line with pantheism. Furthermore, there is support for malevolent fairies in folklore, which could possibly be the "angry gods" that must be appeased that they may return to the beneficent sprites that we usually think of when we hear the word fairy.

There is a Celtic theory that they were neutral angels who did not take sides in the war between Lucifer and God.
I am familiar with a variant which dictates that fairies are the angels that were on the earth at the time of Lucifer's supposed rebellion.
 

RLynn

Active Member
I think that the poet W. B. Yeats came across the neutral angels concept in the course of his travels through Ireland, when he was collecting folklore about the supernatural in general and fairies in particular. Maybe I can find the reference.
......I am familiar with a variant which dictates that fairies are the angels that were on the earth at the time of Lucifer's supposed rebellion.
Yes, I have also seen that variant.
 

Toni

Active Member
I can see the belief in fairies as being a Christianised vision of the deities of pantheistic and animistic peoples; we can see some fairies who live in forests and fountains, caves and flowers, which is in line with pantheism. Furthermore, there is support for malevolent fairies in folklore, which could possibly be the "angry gods" that must be appeased that they may return to the beneficent sprites that we usually think of when we hear the word fairy.


I am familiar with a variant which dictates that fairies are the angels that were on the earth at the time of Lucifer's supposed rebellion.
I had not heard the angels theory. That would make sense though. Does this make faires immortal? Do you think they are trapped here on earth doing their deeds or do you think they have a higher purpose and can actually die when their work is finished?
 
I had not heard the angels theory. That would make sense though. Does this make faires immortal? Do you think they are trapped here on earth doing their deeds or do you think they have a higher purpose and can actually die when their work is finished?
This is of course assuming that there was a rebellion instigated by Satan, which I do not believe.:p
 

Setharoth

New Member
I've often wondered if some of the creatures and species from mythology weren't races that lived upon the earth at one time or even that came from other worlds/dimensions. Although called by various names, many of the creatures' descriptions are similar throughout vastly different cultures.
 

Athena

New Member
The baby's laugh is one of my favorite versions of the origin of fairies. The first time a baby laughed, his laugh broke into thousands of pieces. Each one became a fairy.
 

Toni

Active Member
This is of course assuming that there was a rebellion instigated by Satan, which I do not believe.:p
To each his own. I choose to believe the rebellion theory of Satan due to the fact that so many bad things happen here on earth. This being Satan's dominion would only confirm the pain and suffering that so many people experience. This, however is a total Theological discussion that has been bantered since the beginning of time. We will never know until we have gone on to the great beyond. As I said, to each his own.
 
I'm not wanting to derail the subject, so this will be my last post on this rabbit-trail

The rebellion story is mythology, not theology.
It is mythology (being a reference to Ethana and Zu), but it has become theological conversation about evil and free will.

Apparently the Jewish Encyclopedia is a pretty authoritative source, and this article may be of interest:

http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/10177-lucifer
 
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