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The Faerie Queens: A Collection of Essays Exploring the Myths, Magic and Mythology of the Faerie Queens
Exploring the tales of many of the mysterious and captivating Faerie Queens, this exceptional anthology contains eighteen essays exploring the diverse accounts and themes associated with the Faerie Queens and their influence in magic, literature and folklore. From the Arthurian mythos to Scandinavia, from ancient Greece to Renaissance poetry and beyond, the awesome power of the Faerie Queens to inspire, challenge and transform is investigated and discussed from both scholarly and personal perspectives. TO SEE A GARLANDED LADY by Sorita d'Este & David Rankine DIGGING DEEPER: FAERY QUEENS, DEATH AND THE SOUL by Emily Carding SPIRITS AT THE TABLE: FAERIE QUEENS IN THE GRIMOIRES by Dan Harms WRITING FAERY: A TALE OF VIVIANE by Jack Wolf MAIDS OF ICE AND MEADOWS by Cliff Seruntine TRANSATLANTIC FAIRY QUEEN: HELEN ADAM by Katie Stewart MELUSINE: ENDURING SERPENTINE QUEEN by David Rankine HOLDA: WINTER'S FAERIE QUEEN by Ceri Norman THE SKOGSRA: QUEEN OF THE WILD WOODS OF SWEDEN by Helena Lundvik DIANA'S MOON RAYS by Sorita d'Este THE VALKYRIES: NORSE FAIRIE QUEENS? by Valerie Karlson MORVEREN: THE SEA QUEEN by Dorothy Abrams THE TRANSFORMING ILLUSION OF MORGAN LE FAY by Frances Billinghurst NIMUE: AMBIGUOUS ENCHANTRESS by Aili Mirage CLIODHNA: FAERIE QUEEN AND POTENT BANSHEE by Pamela Norrie RHIANNON: FAERIE QUEEN, MORTAL THRONE, DIVINE EQUINE by Halo Quin AINE: CELTIC FAERIE QUEEN OF THE SUMMER SOLSTICE by Joanna Rowan Mullane WHOSE QUEEN? by Thea Faye QUEEN OF THE UNDERWORLD AND THE FRUIT OF KNOWLEDGE by Felicity Fyr le Fay AN A-Z OF EUROPEAN FAERIE QUEENS CONJURATIONS FROM THE GRIMOIRES by David Rankine Powerful, mysterious, otherworldly, the Faerie Queens have spread their magic across Europe for many centuries, enchanting all who encounter them. From forests and lakes, mounds and mountains, the Faerie Queens emerge from the liminal places to bestow their numerous gifts (and curses) on man. Lover, shapeshifter, sorceress, prophetess, bestower of sovereignty, semi-divine ancestress, protectress of animals, collector of souls - the powers and roles of the Faerie Queens are as diverse as the folklore about them, their origins rooted deep in the legends, goddesses and beings of the ancient world.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 23, 2013
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234 people want to read
About the author
Sorita d'Este
28 books265 followersSorita d’Este is an author, researcher and priestess who has devoted her life to the Mysteries. She is the author of around 20 books exploring subjects related to the practice and history of magic, mythology, religion, folklore and witchcraft. Her previous books include titles such as Hekate Liminal Rites, Practical Elemental Magick, Visions of the Cailleach, Wicca: Magickal Beginnings and The Isles of the Many Gods. Her latest release is Circle For Hekate: Vol I. She lives on a hill in Glastonbury (Somerset, UK) from where she works as a publisher and writer. She is frequently distracted from her work by her love of gardening, exciting visitors and the promise of interesting esoteric knowledge.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 2, 2014
Perhaps it is pertinent to state that faeries or faery queen are not those cute little, winged pixies that flutter around leaving behind glittering pixie dust and neither are their queens. Several different faerie queens are written about in this work and all of the essays are very informative. It must be noted that several of the faerie queen were in fact one time considered goddesses and then got reduced or demoted to faerie queens. Such Goddesses would include Hekate, Diana, Caileach, Morigan and Melusine.
Of all the essays it is hard to determine which one I liked the best as they were all informative and I learned something new. Faeries of old prior to the Victorian age had a very fearsome aspect and most people tried their best to avoid them. Faerie Queens like Diana, Hekate and Prosperina were considered to be underworld queens who ruled over the dead. On Samhain and Yule they would go about on a wild hunt with a retinue of faeries and dead souls in their train. Anyone seen wandering about would be scooped up and carried off to the faerie realm.
In stories like Tam Lin and Thomas Rhymer faerie queens could come by and swoop up an unsuspecting poet or beautiful man and take him off to faery land. In Tam Liny’s case he is rescued by a maiden named Janet. In Thomas Rhymer’s case the faery queen lets him go after seven years. Faeries are not always nice. Yet there are stories filled with instances of when a man marries a faery maiden under the condition of a vow, which when broken sends the faerie queen away sometimes with her children sometimes wit out. In the case of Melusine, who was cursed with a dragon tale for imprisoning her father, her husband looked at her on Saturday and that caused her to flee.
Sometimes faery queen come to our land to dwell and infuse it with magic.In the Mabinogian story of Pewel and Rhainan. Rhianon is faery queen who left fae land to escape an unwanted marriage and chose to live with an earthly king. She is feared and resepcted. Rhianon is also conflated with Epona the horse Goddess. The Horse was the all providing goddess in Europe and her form was a horse. Horses are also psychopomps as they lead people to various places upon their death.
One faery queen coming from the sea eloped with an old fisherman, giving him gifts she let him dwell in his town for 9 years before taking him away to her underwater realm. Another husband of this same faery queen was Matthew, a church official of sorts. When he became her husband he never really abandoned the town but would sound the bell every time disaster would strike.
Another faery maiden associated with the Celtic Sea God Manaan, fell in love with a mortal but was swept away by a great tidal wave. Some say that she is still alive and can here her howling in the sea wind.
Faerie queens also had a triple goddess aspect to them. We must remember that the latin root of faerie is fata which means fate. In the Greeks mythos there were three sisters who were in charge of the fate of man and the gods. This probably transferred over to the fairy queens. Queens were also associated with the ocean and bodies of water along with the moon.
Cliff Seruntine compares the glastig to the Caileachs. Both have many parallels. Cailleach might have been an earth mother who was at her peak during the ice age as she protected giant deer and elk. She had her own territory and was good to those who followed the laws of hospitality. Those that wronged her could expect some retribution. The glastig though smaller in scale also watched over animals.
Included in this book are several invocation, including some that were used in grimoires. A worthy read that is most informative.
Of all the essays it is hard to determine which one I liked the best as they were all informative and I learned something new. Faeries of old prior to the Victorian age had a very fearsome aspect and most people tried their best to avoid them. Faerie Queens like Diana, Hekate and Prosperina were considered to be underworld queens who ruled over the dead. On Samhain and Yule they would go about on a wild hunt with a retinue of faeries and dead souls in their train. Anyone seen wandering about would be scooped up and carried off to the faerie realm.
In stories like Tam Lin and Thomas Rhymer faerie queens could come by and swoop up an unsuspecting poet or beautiful man and take him off to faery land. In Tam Liny’s case he is rescued by a maiden named Janet. In Thomas Rhymer’s case the faery queen lets him go after seven years. Faeries are not always nice. Yet there are stories filled with instances of when a man marries a faery maiden under the condition of a vow, which when broken sends the faerie queen away sometimes with her children sometimes wit out. In the case of Melusine, who was cursed with a dragon tale for imprisoning her father, her husband looked at her on Saturday and that caused her to flee.
Sometimes faery queen come to our land to dwell and infuse it with magic.In the Mabinogian story of Pewel and Rhainan. Rhianon is faery queen who left fae land to escape an unwanted marriage and chose to live with an earthly king. She is feared and resepcted. Rhianon is also conflated with Epona the horse Goddess. The Horse was the all providing goddess in Europe and her form was a horse. Horses are also psychopomps as they lead people to various places upon their death.
One faery queen coming from the sea eloped with an old fisherman, giving him gifts she let him dwell in his town for 9 years before taking him away to her underwater realm. Another husband of this same faery queen was Matthew, a church official of sorts. When he became her husband he never really abandoned the town but would sound the bell every time disaster would strike.
Another faery maiden associated with the Celtic Sea God Manaan, fell in love with a mortal but was swept away by a great tidal wave. Some say that she is still alive and can here her howling in the sea wind.
Faerie queens also had a triple goddess aspect to them. We must remember that the latin root of faerie is fata which means fate. In the Greeks mythos there were three sisters who were in charge of the fate of man and the gods. This probably transferred over to the fairy queens. Queens were also associated with the ocean and bodies of water along with the moon.
Cliff Seruntine compares the glastig to the Caileachs. Both have many parallels. Cailleach might have been an earth mother who was at her peak during the ice age as she protected giant deer and elk. She had her own territory and was good to those who followed the laws of hospitality. Those that wronged her could expect some retribution. The glastig though smaller in scale also watched over animals.
Included in this book are several invocation, including some that were used in grimoires. A worthy read that is most informative.
January 24, 2022
A fantastic collection of essays on a range of faery queens from mythology and literature. Well-researched and informative. Highly recommended!
June 25, 2017
Lovely collection dedicated to goddesses, witches, princesses, mermaids, fairies, queens (as promised) and other magical ladies of legend. Happy JuneFae!
January 4, 2023
3.5.
Some essays were lovely, thought provoking and interesting. Others were new age garble.
Some essays were lovely, thought provoking and interesting. Others were new age garble.
July 24, 2023
Meh, some essays were interesting, others were extremely boring. I learned a few things, but i won't re read anytime soon.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews