The Origins of Fays

When
thinking about fairies with are often leaning toward the little tiny female
entities with charming laughs and little dragonfly type of wings. We think
about Tinkerbell and her friends; others imagine them appearing like children.
However, where do they come from, what are the origins of Fays?



What does
Fay mean?

It does matter the spelling of the word: fae, fay, fey, fairy, it all means the same. The word itself first saw the light of day in early Dark Ages Times around the world. Other spellings consisting of faerie, fairie, fayrye, and feirie have their place in history.

However,
the word faerie, adopted in Middle English later became the fairy. The word
itself meaning “enchanted” or anything related to charm. The word itself,
borrowed from Old French, faerie, came from the same meaning “realm of the
fays.”

Despite
different spellings, the word had loosely different meanings. For Scotland, the
word meant “illusion” the ending ‘erie’ referring to a place such as a witchery
or a knavery. From historical references, in particular, Arabic language,
“feti” traveled to France to became the fairy.

[image error]

The word even
goes back to Ancient Egypt where fays were similar to patronesses of
childbirth. However, it always circles back to France, derived from a modest
Latin word of fata, where fays had a prominent place in their folklore.
Descriptive of land of enchantment or fay land. In Old French, the meaning can
even relate to guardians.

The Fays
Around The World

It is
quite hard to pinpoint the origin of where fays come from because it is in many
cultures as folk tales told from person to person. Just by its etymology, we
can assume that it has been in many ancient civilizations.

[image error]

One of the most significant mythologies attached to the legend of fays is the Celtic one. It encompasses the Bretons and Welsh people. The fays even had a place with the Gaelic people, which includes Ireland and Scotland. It also worked its way with German and medieval France.

Northern Europe
and Scandinavians have many fay stories or creatures resembling those enchanted
people. The revival of the popularity of fays is related to the growing of
paganism working its way back to people who believe they have lost a part of
their heritage due to colonization.

Extinction
of Fays

When
Christianity or Catholicism took over most of Europe, pagans and Celts had to
leave their beliefs aside by force. However, many creatures found their way
back into the religion itself through other meanings. Like Yule became
Christmas by moving it just a few days after the solstice, as an example. The
same happened with fays.

In
Demonology, by King James, fairies, diminished to being illusionary spirits,
turned demonic. Associated with witchery and the occult in Medieval Times, they
became a synonym of evil. It even went as far as claiming that fairies were
demoted angels among Christians.

[image error]M0014280 James I: Daemonologie, in forme of a dialogue. Title page.
Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images
images@wellcome.ac.uk
http://wellcomeimages.org
Title page
Daemonologie, in forme of a dialogue
James I
Published: 1603

Copyrighted work available under Creative Commons Attribution only licence CC BY 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

However,
in England’s nineteenth century, a new light shone upon fays also associated
with solar angels. Those fays would help nature grow and be healthy in the
light. Fays were then often associated with butterflies.

The
wildest theory about fays would be that they are memories that materialized of
prehistorical people that lived among more advanced humans. One theory suggests
that the cannibalism of ogres refers to humans eating fairies. It would also
explain strange underground cities found and why we imagine fays wearing brown
and green clothing as camouflage to protect themselves from villainous humans.

The Fay
People

When
researching the creature, I have found that no matter what you are reading, it
always seems to go back to one thing: they were believed to be mischievous.
Many legends depict the fay people as one that either was kind, with a side of
a prankster or entirely cruel and would hurt humans for pleasure.

I had to
do more research and understand why such behavior would be part of the fays and
what I found surprised me. There was this belief that some fays would replace
human babies with their own to allow them to grow in a better environment than
their own. That invites the idea that not all fays were small in sizes.

[image error]

One thing
is for sure, after many kinds of research, fays are introverts and do not want
to interact with many humans. They prefer seclusion without exterior
disturbance. They are uncomfortable with the idea of communicating with humans,
and that brings support to the wild theory of a race that once existed.

The Fays
of Today

Now that
fays are gaining more popularity by the day, I believe that their mischievous
side subsided and are now kind and peaceful people. Introverted and shy, they
are the representation of nature guardians and pleasant times.

[image error]forest

Fairies
now influence festivals and gather people together in great harmony to
celebrate their name and provenance from old times often perceived as
Romanesque and inspiring. Little creatures lost in old Celtic beliefs now
surfaces and are coming back with impressive creative festivals and magazines.

Believing
Is Seeing?

I have
grown to believe that I make my magic and you know what? When I look outside my
bedroom window, and I see those little lights flying around, I tell my husband,
“Look; fairies have come to visit.” He doesn’t judge me; he only says, “As long
as their nice, they are welcome.” Because he knows deep down, I just chose to
believe.

[image error]

Fays might
have an elusive origin, but I’m sure deep down inside that they are amazing
people that might have existed and maybe, somehow, some of us still carries out
their genes. Who knows? I find it peaceful to believe.

The OCD Vampire,
Alexa Wayne