Classifications of fairies facts for kids

Fairies are magical creatures found in the old stories of Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales. People have sorted them into different groups over time. Two of the most famous groups, especially from Scottish tales, are the Seelie Court and the Unseelie Court.

These groups might be similar to how ancient Germanic people thought about light and dark elves. The Celtic "fair folk" didn't seem to have this exact division. Later, a writer named William Butler Yeats also divided fairies into Trooping Fairies (who travel in grand parades) and Solitary Fairies (who are often mischievous and appear alone). Another expert, Katharine Mary Briggs, thought there should be a third group for "domesticated fairies" who live in human homes.

Seelie and Unseelie Fairies

What the Names Mean

The words "seely" and "unseely" come from old English words. "Seely" means "happy," "lucky," or "blessed." You might even recognize the word "silly" from this root, though its meaning changed over time. "Unseely" means the opposite: "unhappy," "unlucky," or "unholy." Many old stories and songs talk about "Seilie wichts," which is a Scottish term for fairies.

The Seelie and Unseelie Courts

In Scottish folklore, fairies are split into two main groups: the Seelie Court and the Unseelie Court.

The Seelie Court fairies are usually seen as more kind and helpful, but they can still be dangerous. They might ask humans for help, warn people who have accidentally upset them, or return a favor if a human has been kind to them. However, even a Seelie fairy would get revenge if they felt insulted and could still cause trouble.

The Unseelie Court, on the other hand, describes fairies who are often dark and mean. Unlike the Seelie Court, these fairies don't need a reason to attack. They were thought to appear at night in groups, attacking travelers. They might carry people through the air, beat them, or force them to do bad things, like hurting farm animals. In Scotland, they were also thought to be close friends with witches. Some common Unseelie fairies include bogies, bogles, and boggarts.

Trooping and Solitary Fairies

William Butler Yeats and James Macdougall divided fairies into two main types: trooping and solitary. Katharine Mary Briggs also suggested a third type: domesticated fairies.

Trooping Fairies

These fairies are like the "royalty" of the fairy world, including the Irish Aos Sí. They are called "trooping" fairies because they travel in long parades or groups. Sometimes these parades are called "fairy rades." A famous story tells how Tam Lin was rescued from one of these fairy parades. Trooping fairies can be big or small, and they can be friendly or even a bit scary.

Solitary Fairies

These fairies live all by themselves. They are often thought of as tricky or even mean creatures. However, there are exceptions, like the brownie. Brownies are solitary fairies who are known to help with chores around the house.

Domesticated Fairies

These fairies usually act like pets or helpers in the homes they live in. Sometimes, though, they might leave their homes for a short time to join other fairies for fun and celebrations.

Welsh Fairies

The folklorist Wirt Sikes divided Welsh fairies, called Tylwyth Teg, into five main kinds. These include the Ellyllon (which are like elves), the Bwbachod (who are household spirits similar to brownies), the Coblynau (spirits found in mines), the Gwragedd Annwn (beautiful lake maidens), and the Gwyllion (mountain spirits that look like old hags). Sikes said that even though these groups are just ways to organize them, it helps people who study folklore understand them better.