Contents
EUROPE
page 9
Pillywiggins - p. 10
Pixies - p. 11
Baobhan Sith - p. 12
Gancanagh - p. 13
Mouros - p. 14
Xanas - p. 15
Lamiak - p. 16
Dames Blanches - p. 17
The Legend of
Melusine - p. 18
Sylphs - p. 20
Nixies - p. 21
Hulders - p. 22
Haldjas - p. 22
Vilas - p. 23
Janas - p. 24
Anguanas - p. 25
Dryads - p. 26
Naiads - p. 27
ASIA
page 28
Parīs - p. 30
Apsaras - p. 31
Yakshas - p. 32
Yakshis - p. 33
The Legend of the Seventh Fairy - p. 34
Ameonnas - p. 36
Korpokkur - p. 37
Yuki-onnas - p. 38
Kodamas - p. 39
Nang Tani - p. 40
Anitos - p. 40
THE AMERICAS
page 50
Nikommo - p. 52
Čanotila - p. 53
The Legend of the Jogah - p. 54
Aluxo’ob - p. 56
Chaneques - p. 56
Curupira - p. 57
AFRICA
page 42
Azizas - p. 44
Abatwas - p. 45
Yumboes - p. 46
Asamanukpai - p. 47
The Legend of Aisha Qandicha - p. 48
OCEANIA
page 58
Mimis - p. 60
Nuku-mai-tore - p. 61
Patupaiarehe - p. 61
The Legend of Menehune - p. 62
NORTH AMERICA
If you know where to look, the world is full of fairies! To find them, you have to get to know them. Closely observe the map, then venture into the pages of this book. Whenever you think you’ve spotted one, return to this page to see where it lives!
SOUTH AMERICA
ASIA
EUROPE
OCEANIA
AFRICA
Mouros
There are certain places where magic just vibrates with greater intensity. Drawn by its call, spirits and fairies often make these places their home.
Mount Pindo is known as the Celtic Olympus, and at the foot of its solid rock face is a magic world made of tunnels and burrows. This realm is the home of the Mouros, creatures who guard the confines between two worlds, such as ruins and archaeological sites.
What they really look like is shrouded in mystery. They spend most of the day in the depths of the mountain, digging tunnels in search of gold, silver, and precious stones to expand their immense treasure, protected by a Cuélebre, a mythological creature that is half winged dragon and half snake.
Mouras, the females, let themselves be seen more often by human beings than their male counterparts. It is said that they spend all their time brushing their long hair with a golden brush. According to legend, those who break the spell that keeps them tied to the place they appear in may just be rewarded with treasure!
Xanas
In ponds of crystal−clear water, an attentive eye can make out elegant castles of crystal, coral, and shells. They’re the dwellings of the Xanas.
Close to waterways and lakes, a voice echoes on summer nights. Like a soothing balm, a woman’s song calms the soul of the pure at heart. That’s the voice of a Xana, a sort of water sprite described as a woman of extraordinary beauty, with skin as pale as the moon and white clothing.
Those who don’t disturb the calm waters might be chosen by the Xanas, who often offer rewards to humans. However, there are spiteful Xanas among them, more interested in stealing food and pestering travelers.
Seventh Fairy The Legend of the
In China, many legends about fairies tell of how they come into contact with humans. There are stories that recount pranks, mean tricks, and various sorts of wickedness. But other tales are full of kindness and curiosity. And yet others recount love stories between fairies and humans. The legend of the Seventh Fairy is one of them.
The Jade Emperor had seven fairy daughters, each one tasked with overseeing an aspect of human life. One was responsible for ensuring good weather on Earth, another for giving people many children, and the others for professional success, luck, long life, good health, and even love.
One day, the youngest of these fairies, Tian Xian Pei, fell in love with a human, Dong Yong. He was a good man, but he had become poor after spending all his money to pay for his father’s funeral.
Impressed by his pure heart, Tian Xian Pei decided to help him. She and her sisters wove ten pieces of fine fabric, sold them, and used those earnings to pay Dong Yong’s debts.
Just before the wedding between man and fairy, the Jade Emperor called his daughter back to him. He opposed their union, but he agreed to let Tian Xian Pei return to her beloved on the seventh night of the seventh month. So, once a year, traveling through the Milky Way, she returned to Earth so the two of them could be together.
That night is celebrated in China as the Qixi Festival, a celebration of romance and love, similar to Valentine’s Day.
Yuki-onnas Japan
As powerful and scary as a storm, Yuki-onnas are evil spirits.
They are as white as snow and wear immaculate kimonos, with skin so pale it’s almost transparent. When they decide to make themselves be seen, all that’s really visible is their long hair and dark eyes, beautiful yet terrifying.
Those unlucky enough to come across them will lose their way or, even worse, will be frozen by their icy breath. There’s no shortage of stories in which a Yuki-onna becomes even crueler, going into people’s homes to harm those who live there.
Kodamas
Ancient and wise, Kodamas live in ageold trees.
Many different tales describe the look of these nature-loving spirits. Some say they are invisible, others imagine them with human features. Whether they’re small white creatures with large black eyes or elderly folks whose faces reflect the age of the trees that they live in, these spirits are usually indifferent to humans.
And humans have learned to respect them. Some people say that chopping down a tree where a Kodama lives is bad luck, which is why you might see trees with their trunks circled by thick cords in the forests of Japan. That’s the way people say, “A Kodama lives here.”
Africa
There are many tales that intertwine on the boundless continent of Africa. There may be different languages, traditions, and cultures, but they all describe the spirits that live there. Where nature bursts forth in all its majesty, stories are handed down of tiny fairies that are almost impossible to see. Magic is concealed from mankind, but there is no shortage of extraordinary events in which a brave spirit appears and perhaps grants a wish or shares its knowledge.
But beware! Like in every part of the world, African fairies can be ornery! If they’re surprised, offended, or mocked for their appearance, they’ll turn against whoever wasn’t kind to them. Indeed, there are plenty of tales about small people or spirits who are aggressive and violent, and who can’t stand disrespectful behavior.
The Americas
Though they are the lands of large cities, North and South America are defined by their green soul. On these two continents, you can visit immense natural parks with plants that seem to touch the sky, and you can sail down rivers that roll along until they suddenly drop off into wild waterfalls. In the forests that act as the lungs of the planet and in caves hidden in mountain peaks that pierce the clouds, you’ll also find fairies, spirits, and other mystical creatures.
The legends of Indigenous peoples, who have a deep bond with the land, mention spirits who take care of these precious places. Here, fairies play with humans, appear in their dreams, and ask for offerings, and they aren’t afraid to punish those who are disrespectful of nature.
The Legend of the
Jogah
How can you describe that which you can’t see? The mythical spirits that the Iroquois (inhabitants of the Great Lakes region) call Jogah are invisible to most. The rhythmic beating of a drum or the sudden appearance of bowls in which to leave offerings are signs of their presence. These spirits inhabit every aspect of nature: They’re called Gahongas when they hide in rivers, Gandayahs when they care for flowers and help farmers by facilitating the harvest, and Ohdow when they live underground, fighting off evil spirits. They’re happy to help human beings, but they aren’t afraid to play tricks on wicked people, as the following legend recounts.
There once was a little girl who lived with two uncles. The two of them were mean to her, and one day, the Jogah decided to do something about it. The night before a party that she wasn’t invited to, the girl ran off to a field to cry. But when she opened her eyes, she saw lots of Jogah, who were drying her tears.
These spirits welcomed her into their world. They fed her and then thought of a way to make her uncles understand that they had to change the way they treated her. The Jogah sent a pack of wolves to the party, and the guests ran away in fear. Everything was ruined. The little girl stayed with the spirits for a few more days and, when she came home, her uncles were no longer mean to her. They had learned their lesson.
Oceania
Seen from outer space, Oceania is a cluster of islands large and small, a land surrounded by the ocean. Here nature is free to express herself, unlike other places in which cities have robbed flora, fauna, and fairies of their natural habitat. It is in the heart of these wild forests, within mountains or across deserts, that fairies dwell.
They’ve lived there since well before humans came along, and it seems that the more generous ones among them taught people how to light fires and to paint. It’s rare to come across them today, but there’s an intriguing phenomenon that reveals their presence: fairy rings. These perfectly round areas of land are identifiable due to their lack of vegetation. And although scientists say they’re created by hungry termites or sensitive plants, those who believe in fairies know that they’re actually signs left by spirits and other small beings.
Menehune The Legend of
The farther back in history a legend goes, the harder it is to tell where magic begins and reality ends. That’s certainly true of the Menehune, who some believe to be the ancestors of native Hawaiians today, meaning they would be humans who have no link to spirits and fairies at all. But others say they are a population of little people known for their ability to build incredible structures and feats of engineering in just one night. The story of Menehune Fishpond comes straight from one such legend.
A long time ago, a prince and a princess asked the Menehune people to deviate the course of the river and create a pond for them. The Menehune accepted and, as always, they promised to complete the job over a single night—but only on one condition: No one was to try to watch them do it.
The royal family accepted, but the task was so imposing that the curious prince and princess just couldn’t help themselves.
They went back on their word and lay down on a nearby hill so that they could watch the Menehune at work. They stayed a while to watch them, being sure to be very still. But they soon started to yawn and drifted off to sleep. In the morning, the Menehune surprised them and, to punish them, they turned them into rocks that can still be seen on the shores of the lake.