Faerie Motifs

F200 Fairies (elves)
F200.1 Pixies (little people unseen but often audible and occasionally caught)

F201 Bongas (Roughly equivalent to fairies. Generally malevolent but often not)

F205 Little people from the sky

F210 Fairyland (Irish myth; Icelandic)
F210.1 Tabu: fighting battle in fairyland

F211 Fairyland under hollow knoll
F211.0.1 Prehistoric burial grounds as dwellings of fairies
F211.0.2 Contrast between people of the fairy mounds and inhabitants of the land of Promise
F211.0.2.1 Tuatha De Danann, conquerors of Ireland, are overcome by invaders and betake themselves into hills
F211.1 Entrance to fairyland through door in knoll
F211.1.1 Door to fairyland opens once a year
F211.1.1.1 Fairies emerge on Hallowe'en
F211.1.1.2 Fairies emerge on St. John's night
F211.2 Fairyland entrance under stone
F211.3 Fairies live under earth

F212 Fairyland under water
F212.0.1 Water fairies
F212.1 Fairyland entered through well

F213 Fairyland on island
F213.1 Magic boat to fairyland
F213.2 Fairies ferried across stream
F213.3 Sea-riding horse carries mortals to fairyland

F214 Trolls (firies) live in range of hills

F215 Fairies live in star-world
F215.1 Fairyland in sky
F215.1.1 Fairies in heaven
F215.2 Peris in sky-world

F216 Fairies live in forest
F216.1 Fairies live in trees by stream
F216.2 Bonga lives in tree

F217 Congregating places of fairies
F217.1 Fairy lights seen in low place
F217.2 Fairies assemble at milestone
F217.3 Fairies assemble at cross-roads

F219 Other dwelling places of fairies
F219.1 Fairies dwell in the next country
F219.2 Garden in fairyland
F219.3 Fairies dwell in land to the east

F220 Dwelling of fairies

F221 House of fairy
F221.1 Fairy house disappears at dawn
F221.2 Bonga house filled with snakes, tigers, and lions
F221.3 Fairies have a pretty room in hill
F221.4 Fairy family lives in neat cottage
F221.5 Fairy house without doors

F222 Fairy castle
F222.1 Fairies' underground palace
F222.1.1 Fairies' underground palace cannot be burned by fire nor destroyed by fire
F222.2 Fairy stronghold
F222.3 Fairy castle of glass

F223 Fairy hall

F224 Shining bower on a pillar for fay in otherworld

F225 Fairy lives in a shell

F230 Appearance of fairies

F231 Fairy's limbs
F231.1 Fairy's arms
F231.1.1 Fairy's iron arms
F231.2 Fairy's feet
F231.2.1 Fairies with bird feet

F232 Body of fairy
F232.1 Fairies have hollow backs
F232.1.1 Fairies have huge hole in each armpit
F232.1.2 Fairy has back rough like pine cone
F232.2 Fairies have breasts long enough to throw over their shoulders
F232.3 Fairies with unusually large ears
F232.4 Fairies have long hair
F232.4.1 Fairy as a small pretty girl with blond hair
F232.4.2 Fairy princess with golden hair
F232.5 Fairies have hairy bodies
F232.6 Fairies as giants
F232.7 Elves have only half a thumb
F232.8 Fairy has long tail

F233 Color of fairy
F233.1.1 Fairy has one side green
F233.2 Silver-colored fairy
F233.3 Red fairy
F233.3.1 Fairy has red eyes
F233.4 Fairy's son is pale, dark, and ugly
F233.5 Fairies have yellow (golden) hair (clothing)
F233.5.1 Fairy king with yellow hair
F233.6 Fairies fair (fine, white)
F233.7 Fairies are multicolored
F233.8 Fairies are brown and hairy
F233.9 Faairies are black
F233.10 Grey-bearded fairy

F234 Transformed fairy
F234.0.1 Fairy transforms self
F234.0.2 Fairy as shape-shifter
F234.1 Fairy in form of an animal
F234.1.0.1 Fairy in form of giant animal
F234.1.1 Fairy in form of cow (bull)
F234.1.2 Fairy in form of goat
F234.1.3 Fairy in form of swine
F234.1.3.1 Fairy in form of wild boar
F234.1.4 Fairy in form of stag
F234.1.4.1 Fairy in form of doe
F234.1.5 Fairy in form of toad
F234.1.6 Fairy in form of frog
F234.1.7 Fairy in form of worm (snake, serpent)
F234.1.8 Fairy in form of horse
F234.1.9 Fairy in form of dog
F234.1.9.1 Fairy in form of lapdog
F234.1.9.2 Fairy in form of greyhound
F234.1.10 Fairy in form of eel
F234.1.11 Fairy in form of sheep
F234.1.12 Fairy in form of hare
F234.1.13 Fairy in form of wolf
F234.1.14 Fairy in form of weasel
F234.1.15 Fairy in form of bird
F234.1.15.1 Fairy as swan
F234.1.15.2 Fairy in form of dove
F234.1.15.3 Fairy in form of sparrow
F234.1.15.4 Fairy in form of drake
F234.1.16 Fairy in form of insect
F234.1.16.1 Fairy in form of fly
F234.1.16.2 Fairy in form of moth
F234.1.16.3 Fairy in form of ant
F234.2 Fairy in form of person
F234.2.1 Fairy in form of hag
F234.2.2 Fairy in hideous form
F234.2.3 Fairy as headless woman
F234.2.4 Fairy in likeness of another
F234.2.4.1 Clerics mistaken for fairies
F234.2.5 Fairy in form of beautiful young woman
F234.2.6 Fairy as messenger from fairyland
F234.2.7 Fairy as guide to fairyland
F234.2.8 Fairy assumes shape of woman and frequents bazaars
F234.3 Fairy in form of object
F234.3.1 Fairy disappears in form of a cloud
F234.3.2 Bong girl (fairy) appears as flame
F234.3.3 Fairy in form of bundle of rags
F234.4 Transformed fairy--miscellaneous
F234.4.1 Horse used by mortal under fairy spell changes to grey cat

F235 Visibility of fairies
F235.1 Fairies invisible
F235.2 Fairies visible only at certain times
F235.2.1 Fairies visible only at night
F235.2.2 Fairies visible only at noonday
F235.3 Fairies visible to one person alone
F235.4 Fairies made visible through use of magic object
F235.4.1 Fairies made visible through use of ointment
F235.4.2 Fairies made visible through use of magic soap
F235.4.3 Fairies made visible through use of magic stone on eyes
F235.4.4 Fairies made visible through use of magic water
F235.4.5 Fairies made visible through use of saliva
F235.4.6 Fairies made visible when one carries four-leaf clover
F235.5 Fairies made visible by stepping on certain spot
F235.5.1 Fairies made visible by standing on another's foot
F235.5.2 Fairies made visible when person steps into fairy ring
F235.7 Fairies seen as dark shadows
F235.8 Fairies lose power of invisibilty
F235.8.1 Fairies lose power of invisibility if mortals gain knowledge of their secret
F235.8.2 Fairies made visible by looking with left eye
F235.9 Fairies made visible when person walks three times around field where cows are grazing at night

F236 Dress of fairies
F236.0.1 Ill-dressed otherworld person
F236.1 Color of fairy's clothes
F236.1.1 Fairies in red clothes
F236.1.2 Fairies in blue clothes
F236.1.3 Fairies in white clothes
F236.1.4 Fairies in grey clothes
F236.1.5 Fairies in gleaming clothes
F236.1.7 Fairy wears multi-colored dress
F236.2 Fairies in long robes
F236.3 Fairies with belts and hats
F236.3.1 Fairies with three-cornered hats
F236.3.2 Fairies with red caps
F236.3.3 Fairy wears sugar-loaf hat
F236.4 Fairies with gold crowns on head
F236.5 Fairy wears boorish clothes
F236.5.1 Fairies wear patched coats
F236.6 Fairies wear gay clothing

F237 Fairies in disguise

F238 Fairies are naked

F239 Appearance of fairies--miscellaneous
F239.1 Fairies tied together by hair
F239.2 Fairy women identical in form and feature
F239.3 Fairy breathes fire
F239.4 Size of fairies
F239.4.1 Fairies are same size as mortals
F239.4.2 Fairies are the size of small children
F239.4.3 Fairy is tiny
F239.5 Elves have faces of wrinkled old men
F239.6 Fairy's tears pearls

F240 Possessions of fairies

F241 Fairies' animals
F241.0.1 Fairy animal hunted
F241.1 Fairies' horses
F241.1.0.1 Fairy cavalcade
F241.1.1 Color of fairies' horses
F241.1.1.1 Fairies ride white horses
F241.1.1.2 Fairies ride dapple-gray horses
F241.1.1.3 Blue, red, yellow horses in fairyland
F241.1.1.4 Fairies ride cream-colored horses
F241.1.1.2 Behavior of fairies' horses
F241.1.2.1 Fairies' horses water at peastant's well
F241.1.2.2 Fairies' mare foals every year on first of May
F241.1.3 Fairies ride on three-legged horses
F241.1.3.1 Fairy horse is one-legged
F241.1.4 Fairy's horse have round shoes
F241.1.5 Fairy's horse becomes invisible
F241.1.6 Fairy horse pulls chariot by pole which passes through his body
F241.1.7 Fairies steal stalks of hemp and turn them into horses
F241.1.8 Size of fairies' horses
F241.1.8.1 Fairies' horses the size of greyhounds
F241.1.8.2 Fairies' horses are of normal size
F241.2 Fairies' cows
F241.2.1 Color of fairies' cows
F241.2.1.1 Fairies have red cows
F241.2.2 Fairies' cattle becomes invisible
F241.2.3 Fairies' cattle under a lake
F241.2.4 Fairy cattle graze on earth on Hallowe'en
F241.2.5 Woman (fairy) lives only on milk from fairy cow
F241.3 Hogs follow fairies
F241.3.1 Spirit owns herds of pigs
F241.4 Goats follow fairies
F241.5 Fairies have herds of deer
F241.5.1 Fairies own herd of ibexes
F241.6 Fairy dogs
F241.7 Fairies have sheep
F241.8 Fairies have poultry

F242 Fairies' conveyances
F242.1 Fairy car
F242.1.1 Fairy car becomes invisible
F242.1.2 Fairy chariot rides waves
F242.1.3 Fary chariot of precious metal
F242.1.4 Glass car
F242.2 Fairy boat
F242.2.1 Glass boat for fairy
F242.2.3 Fairy boat from flax-stem

F243 Fairies' food
F243.0.1 Christianized fairy woman refuses to eat fairy food
F243.1 Fairies' bread
F243.2 Fairies eat nuts
F243.3 Fairies eat meat
F243.3.1 Animals eaten by fairies become whole again
F243.4 Fairy food undiminished when eaten
F243.5 Fairies' food gives immortality

F244 Fairies' Treasure
F244.1 "The Four Jewels of the Tuatha De Danann"
F244.2 Fairy shows hiding place of treasure in return for freedom
F244.3 Fairy fetches mortals to remove treasure hidden by ghosts in their lifetimes
F244.4 Fairies scare mortals to remove treasure hidden by ghosts in their lifetime
F244.5 Fairies dig for treasure
F244.6 Fairies guard giants' treasures

F245 Fairies' musical instruments
F245.1 Fairy harp

F246 Fairy tobacco pipes

F250 Other characteristics of Fairies

F251 Origin of fairies
F251.1 Fairies as descendants of early race of gods
F251.1.1 Goddess as fairy
F251.1.2 Fairies as gods
F251.2 Fairies as souls of departed
F251.3 Unbaptised children as fairies
F251.4 Underworld people from children which Eve hid from God
F251.5 Fairies as sprites who have been given immortality
F251.6 Faires as fallen angels
F251.7 Fairies as demons
F251.8 Fairy professes faith in Christianity
F251.9 Fairy gives instructions on means of reaching heaven
F251.10 Fairies are not the children of Adam
F251.11 Fairies are people not good enough for heaven but not bad enough for hell
F251.12 Fairies are druids
F251.13 Faires are Welsh women cursed by St Patrick for rebuking him because he left Wales for Ireland
F251.14 Fairies are outlaws hiding out

F252 Government of Fairies
F252.1 Fairy king
F252.1.0.1 Mortal rules fairyland jointly with fairy king
F252.1.0.2 King of Land under Water
F252.1.1 Fairies elect king
F252.1.2 Indra has control over fairies
F252.2 Fairy queen
F252.3 Fairy army
F252.3.1 Soldiers of fairy king are trees by day and men by night
F252.4 Fairies banished from fairyland
F252.4.1 Fairy banished for adultery
F252.4.2 Fairy banished for falsehood

F253 Extraordinary powers of fairies
F253.1 Extraordinary physical powers of fairies
F253.1.1 Fairies possess extraordinary strength
F253.1.1.1 Fairy as mighty lifter

F254 Mortal characteristics of fairies
F254.1 Fairies have physical disabilities
F254.2 Fairies not omniscient
F254.3 Fairies can be bewitched
F254.4 Fairies can be wounded
F254.5 Fairies commit adultery

F255 Peculiar limitations of fairies
F255.1 Fairies must trade whenever it is demanded of them
F255.2 Fairies can set down and ojbect once but cannot raise it again
F255.3 Fairies once seen by mortals no longer invisible at will
F255.4 Fairy army can go among mortals only on Hallowe'en

F256 Fairies read men's thoughts
F256.1 Mortal's coming to fairyland foreknown to fairies

F257 Tribute taken from fairies by fiend at stated periods

F258 Fairies gregarious
F258.1 Fairies hold a fair

F259 Characteristics of fairies--miscellaneous
F259.1 Mortality of fairies
F259.1.1 Fairies kill each other
F259.1.2 Fairy becomes mortal
F259.1.3 Fairy dies of longing for fairyland
F259.1.4 Fairies immortal
F259.1.4.1 Fairies cannot be slain
F259.2 Fairies freed from disgrace by bathing in blood of enemy
F259.3 Fairy reveals her true identity when despite heavy rain remains dry

F260 Behavior of Fairies

F261 Fairies dance
F261.1 Fairies rings on grass
F261.1.1 Fairies dance by themselves in fairy ring
F261.2 Fairy dances in snow: no trakcs left
F261.2.1 Fairies dance on leaves without disturbing them
F261.3 Other locations of fairy dancing
F261.3.1 Fairies dance under tree
F261.3.1.1 Fairies dance under hawthorn trees
F261.3.1.2 Fairies dance under oak tree
F261.3.2 Fairies dance on foxglove
F261.3.3 fairies dance in orchard
F261.3.4 Fairies dance in ditches
F261.3.5 Fairies dance in hay in barn
F261.3.6 Fairies dance on the green
F261.3.7 Fairies dance before Indra

F262 Fairies make music
F262.1 Fairies sing
F262.2 Fairies teach bagpipe-playing
F262.3 Fairy minstrel
F262.3.1 Fairy as harper
F262.3.1.1 Fairy harper plays two harps at once
F262.3.1.2 Fairy harper in yew tree
F262.3.1.3 Fairy harper in tiny bronze boat
F262.3.2 Fairy minstrel's birds sing accompaniment
F262.3.3 Fairy minstrel's music heard far and wide
F262.3.4 Fairy music causes sleep
F262.3.5 Fairy music causes morning
F262.3.6 Fairy music causes joy (laughter)
F262.3.7 Fairy music causes weakness
F262.4 Fairy music compared to music of Heaven
F262.5 Fairy music--person listening is without food or sleep for a year
F262.6 Fairy music so potent it would cause wounded men to sleep
F262.7 Fairies whistle
F262.8 Fairy horns heard by mortals
F262.9 Fairy music makes seven years seem like one day to mortal hearer
F262.10 Fairy music--miscellaneous
F262.10.1 Fairy music issues from stone
F262.10.2 Fairy music issues from fairy ring

F263 Fairies fest
F263.1 Fairy's share of feast a nut

F264 Fairy wedding

F265 Fairy bathes
F265.1 Fairies frequently use bath house

F266 Fairies warm themselves

F267 Fairies attend games

F268 Burial among underworld folk
F268.1 Burial service for fairy queen is hold at night in Christian church

F271 Fairies as laborers
F271.0.1 Fairies as craftsmen
F271.0.2 Fairies lacking axes work with their teeth
F271.1 Fairies milk cows
F271.2 Fairies as builders
F271.2.0.1 Fairies build great structures in one night
F271.2.1 Fairies excavate passage
F271.2.2 Fairies build causeway
F271.2.3 Fairies build canoe
F271.3 Fairies skullful as smiths
F271.4 Fairies work on cloth
F271.4.1 Fairies skullful as smiths
F271.4 Fairies work on cloth
F271.4.1 Fairies bleach linen
F271.4.2 Fairies skullful as weavers
F271.4.3 Fairies spin
F271.5 Fairies clear land
F271.6 Fairy as herdsman
F271.7 Fairies churn
F271.8 Fays engage in needlework
F271.9 Fairies wash their clothes: they are heard only at this task
F271.10 Fairies bake bread

F273 Fairy shows remarkable skill
F273.1 Fairy shows remarkable skill as marksman
F273.2 Fairy shows remarkable skill as runner

F274 Fairy physician

F275 Fairies descend chimney

F276 Fairies call out to mortals

F277 Battle of fairies and gods
F277.0.1 War between fairy settlements
F277.0.2 Fairies fight among selves for possession of island
F277.0.3 Good and bad fairies battle

F278 Fairies' strategy
F278.1 Fairy casts huge stones to keep enemies off
F278.2 Fairies create magic concealing mist

F281 Fairy replaces man's heart with heart of straw

F282 Fairies travel through air
F282.1 Fairies travel in eddies of wind
F282.2 Formulas for fairies' travel through air
F282.3 Fairies come from kingdom of Indra to earth in four flying thrones

F285 Anchor falls on fairies

F300 Marriage or liaison with fairy
F300.1 Giants guard fairy princess from mortal man
F300.2 Husband pursues fairy wife to heaven

F301 Fairy lover
F301.1 Summoning fairy lover
F301.1.1 Girl summons fairy lover by breaking tabu
F301.1.1.1 Girl summons fairy lover by wishing for him
F301.1.1.2 Girl summons fairy lover by plucking flowers
F301.1.1.3 Girl summons fairy lover by lying under tree
F301.1.1.4 Girl summons fairy lover by pulling nuts
F301.2 Fairy lover entices mortal girl
F301.2.1 Elf-knight produces love-longing by blowing on horn
F301.3 Girl goes to fairyland and married fairy
F301.4 Tasks set maid by elfin knight before she can marry him
F301.5 Elf-knight entices maiden away and kills her
F301.6 Fairy lover abducts fairy wife of mortal
F301.7 Girl goes to see her fairy lover on certain nights
F301.8 Fairy runs away from wedding with mortal girl

F302 Fairy mistress
F302.0.1 Bong mistress
F302.1 Man goes to fairyland and married fairy
F302.1.1 Mortals supplied with fairy mistresses during visit to fairyland
F302.1.2 Mortal gives fairy ring after night spent with her in fairyland
F302.2 Man married fairy and takes her to his home
F302.2.1 Fairy wife deserts mortal husband for repulsive lover
F302.3 Fairy wooes mortal man
F302.3.0.1 Fairy visits mortal and becomes his mistress
F302.3.0.2 Raja refuses to marry a Peri
F302.3.1 Fairy entices man into fairyland
F302.3.1.1 Bong girl (fairy) will return stolen goods only if mortal man will go with her
F302.3.1.2 Fairies stop ship to entice man to their land
F302.3.1.3 Man is carried to fairyland by fairy and marries her
F302.3.1.4 Fairy abducts whomever she falls in love with
F302.3.2 Fairy offers gifts to man to be her paramour
F302.3.2.1 Fairy offers aid to man if he will marry her
F302.3.2.2 Fairy offers to disenchant mortal wife if man will marry her
F302.3.3 Fairy avenges self on man who scorns her love
F302.3.3.1 Fairy avenges herself on inconstant lover (husband)
F302.3.4 Fairies entice men and then harm them
F302.3.4.1 Fairy kisses man
F302.3.4.1.1 Fairy's kiss fatal
F302.3.4.2 Fairies dance with youth till he dies (or goes insane)
F302.3.4.3 Fairy wooes and deserts man
F302.3.4.4 Fairy takes lover back to fairyland in magic sleep
F302.3.4.5 Fairies fall in love with prince and charm him into a death-like sleep
F302.4 Man obtains power over fairy mistress
F302.4.1 Man shoots into wreath of mist and brings down fairy. She becomes his wife
F302.4.2 Fairy comes into man's power when he steals her wings (clothes). She leaves when she finds them
F302.4.2.1 Fairy comes into man's power when he steals her clothes
F302.4.3 Hero fights with fairy person, takes his wife and keeps her (for a year)
F302.4.4 Man binds fairy and forces her to marry him
F302.5 Fairy mistress and mortal wife
F302.5.0.1 Man deserts wife for fairy
F302.5.1 Fairy mistress surrenders man to his mortal wife
F302.5.1.1 Bong girl (fairy) surrenders man to his mortal wife if he will name first daughter after her
F302.5.2 Fairy mistress transforms man's human wife
F302.5.2.1 Divine damsel converts mortal's wife into a lovely woman; they all live together
F302.5.3 Man loses luck when he leaves fairy wife for mortal
F302.5.3 Man loses luck when he leaves fairy wife for mortal
F302.5.4 Fairy mistress demands that man send his mortal wife away
F302.5.5 Fairy mistress tried to destroy mortal's wife (mother) by sending her a magic belt
F302.6 Fairy mistress leaves man when he breaks tabu
F302.6.1 Celtic fairy mistress dominant
F302.6.2 Recovery of fairy mistress
F302.6.2.1 Mortal beats drum as fairies dance before Indra; is granted fairy wife permanently
F302.6.2.2 Fairy gives up her fairy nature and becomes mortal to be able to return to her mortal husband
F302.7 Fairy mistress prophesies mortal lover's fate in battle
F302.8 Fairy mistress demands mortal lover deny Christian teachings
F302.9 Fairy mistress rescues hero from battle
F302.10 Man to have fairy wife for only seven years
F302.11 Prince married to a she-monkey (really queen of the fairies)

F303 Wedding of mortal and fairy
F303.1 Purification in kettle of boiling oil as preparation for marriage to fairy

F304 Sexual relations with fairy
F304.1 Fairy king punishes ravisher of his daughter
F304.2 Fairy queen's beauty temporarily destroyed by intercourse with mortal
F304.3 Beautiful woman found in bed with man after he has plugged keyholes to keep elves out
F304.4 Mortal violates fairy woman
F304.4.1 Fairy ravished by mortal strikes flesh from his ear
F304.5 Mortal chooses to sleep with fairy as boon for saving her life
F304.6 Fay carried off by mortal

F305 Offspring of fairy and mortal