faerie

Faerie, often spelled faerie or fairy, is a term used in Western European folklore to describe a diverse range of supernatural beings associated with nature and the magical Otherworld. In many traditions, the faerie realm is a parallel landscape that exists alongside the human world and can be accessed at liminal locations or times. The concept is not uniform; some uses emphasize whimsical benevolence, while others emphasize danger, mischief, and unpredictable magical power connected to the natural environment.

In Irish and Scottish folklore the beings are commonly known as the Aos Sí or the Sidhe, while Welsh lore speaks of the Tylwyth Teg. English usage covers a broader spectrum, including fairies, pixies, brownies, and goblins. These beings are not a single race but a spectrum of spirits with varied appearances, temperaments, and alignments—from helpful and generous to mischievous or malevolent. Interactions with humans are often governed by rules, bargains, or warnings to respect fairy places and property.

Recurring motifs include changelings, the idea that fairies replace human infants with substitutes; fairy rings, which are thought to be portals or gathering spots; and weather or harvest magic commanded by fairy rulers. Encounters may involve gifts, misdirection, or trials that require careful etiquette and caution. Belief in the faerie has waned in daily life but persists in folklore, literature, and popular culture.

In literature, faerie imagery has played a central role since medieval romance, with later works such as Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene and William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream shaping modern conceptions of the fair folk. In contemporary fantasy, faerie elements appear as mythic beings and realms that inform worldbuilding and storytelling while drawing on and reinterpreting older folklore for new audiences.