Leprechauns are said to live alone, as do the fearsome banshees, but Irish folklore tells us that some kinds of fairies live together in large, merry “troops.”
The
trooping fairies live in bushes and in circles of stone that can be
found all over Ireland. These circles of stone are called fairy
raths, and they are the remains of ancient buildings. Most farmers
don't like to disturb them because they've heard tales of revenge
from the fairies that are supposed to live there.
Some
of the trooping fairies are said to be beautiful—the sort of
long-haired female forms most of us think of when we hear the word
“fairy.” We are told that they drink milk and honey and flower
nectar, and that they love music and dancing—but also pulling
pranks!
Maytime
(the first week of May, especially) is supposed to be the most active
time for the fairies. They sometimes cast fogs onto travelers, to
confuse them, and they even go so far as to move familiar landmarks
so that people will get lost. (“Wait a minute, didn't that mountain
used to be over there? And—hey, who moved the old alder tree?”)
Most
modern Irish people do not believe these folktales, and they rush
about during Maytime doing their normal activities. And they are none
the worse for it! But some Irish people are still a bit
superstitious. They like to stick close to home in early May, just in
case.
In
the olden days, Irish people who HAD TO travel during Maytime would
often wear their coats inside out, to confuse the fairies. I am not
sure why an inside-out coat would confuse a creature who can move
landmarks around just as a prank...but folklore isn't known for its
logic, is it?
Did
you know...
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| Merrow |
Irish
folklore is full of “wee folk.” It's not just leprechauns and
banshees and beautiful trooping fairies. There are also hairy
grogochs, headless horsemen called Dullahans, human look-alikes
called changelings, and the horrifying, shape-shifting pooka! Oh, I
almost forgot! There are also merrows, which are a bit like mermaids.
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| Grogoch |
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| Banshee |
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| Leprechaun |
By
the Way...
Plan Ahead...
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