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Santa Claus - everyone knows Santa Claus, but how has he managed to survive this long? How does he make it around the world to all those rooftops in one night? How does he get the reindeer to fly? Well, he's really a faerie! He's the modern version of the pagan Holly King who ruled over the Waning Year, from Samhain (Christian's All Saint's Day) to Yule (Christian's Christmas). Since the Feast of St. Nicholas occurs at the same time (Nicholas was a popular priest who often gave children gifts out of a big bag) the Christians sort of contorted the Holly King to encourage conversion to Christianity and the result is the being known today as Santa Claus.
Seelie Court - They are a good-natured aristocracy of faeries. They are fond of riding in long solemn processions called faerie Rades. They are believed to be the last of the Tuatha de Danann (see below). Their evil opposite is the Unseelie Court.
Selkies - Also known as the Seal-Faeries, they inhabit the seas around Orkney and Shetland. A female selkie can shed her seal skin and become a beautiful woman. If a human gets ahold of the empty skin, the selkie is forced to become the perfect wife. But he must keep the skin hidden from her since she may return to the sea if she finds it again. The husband then dies of a broken heart. The male selkies create storms and flip boats to take revenge for their kin murdered at the hands of humans.
Shellycoat - He is a Scottish Bogie who haunts streams. He is covered with shells which clink together when he moves. He likes to trick travellers and lead them astray.
Sidhe - They are Irish faeries who are very attracted to beauty and luxurious locales, and detest pennypinchers.
Silent Moving Folk
Sluagh - The most formidable of the Highland faeries, they are the Hosts of the Unforgiven Dead. *shudder* Some account them as being the dead, some think they are fallen angels. But the most popular view is that they are the souls of dead mortals.
Solitary Fairies - They are usually malignant, ominous creatures, but there may be a couple nature spirits or dwindled gods amongst them. The Brownie is an exception to that rule. Othersolitary faeries include the Fendoree, Leprechauns, Pookas, Banshees, the Fir Darrig, Glaistig, Bogies, Duergars, Brown Man of the Muirs, Shelleycoat, and Nuckelavee.
Spriggans - They are ill-temepered, and ugly little things (although the drawings in the Froud and Lee book are awfully adorable, in my opinion!). They are very small, but are able to inflate to monstrous proportions. They are thought to be the ghosts of giants. They guard the treasure of hills. They are destructive, dangerous, skilled thieves. They have been known to kidnap babies and leave baby Spriggans instead, which are quite repulsive. They also have robbed houses and destroyed crops.
Sprites - A name for spirit faeries, not usually used for earthier forms.
Star-Folk - a handsome race of spirits of Algonquin myth. They live in Star-Country in the sky, a beautiful, Eden-like place. The Star-Folk can cast spells on people so they fall ill. They may intermarry with humans.
Stray Sod - Some faeries appear as though they are merely a part of the grass. If you unwittingly step on them, you will be unable to continue on your way, no matter how well you know the place. (My theory is that this may be what happens when you step funny on lumpy terrain and twist your ankle up.)
Tiddy Ones - These are usually groups of influential spirits, rather than individuals. They are generally helpful. Tiddy Mun was often invoked to withdraw flood waters. However, if they are hurt (physically or emotionally was not specified), they throw tantrums andcast pestilence on cattle and children.
Tokolosh - A South African faerie; Tokolosh is a sullen spirit who lives beside streams, throwing stones into the water on still nights. He is famous for frightening lone travelers, usually by jumping on a small animal or bird and strangling it so that the poor animal's panicked cry alarms the traveler. He is described as being something like a baboon, but smaller and without a tail, and covered with black hair.
The Tooth Faerie - She is a kindly faerie who keeps a
tooth collection. When a child loses a tooth, if he or she wraps
it carefully in tissue, cloth, or in a special tooth pillow, she
will come and collect it, leaving money as a thank you. Over the
years, she has kept up with economic inflation. The current rate
is approximately a dollar per tooth. When I was a kid, it was a
quarter. As far as I can tell, the Tooth Faerie is mainly an
American faerie, although she may occasionally travel abroad. She
has her own page called
Trooping Faery - see Seelie Court (above)
Trolls - Scandinavian faeries who hate sunlight.
Trows - They are similar to Scandinavian Trous. They detest sunlight. They are often seen dancing the Henking, which apparently is rather lopsided.
Tuatha de Danann - pronounced "Tootha day danan"; They once ruled Ireland, but fled underground when Ireland was conquered by the Milesians. When they were driven underground, the became the Daoine Sidhe. Their few remaining descendants are believed to make up the Seelie Court (see above).
Tylwyth Teg - They are Welsh faeries. They like to kidnap children with long golden hair. They live underground or underwater. They dance and make faerie rings. The faerie maidens often marry humans willingly. They embellish those they favor with rich gifts, but if the gifts are spoken of, they mysteriously disappear.