Classifications of fairies

The Northern and Middle English word seely (also seily, seelie, sealy, and "seely"), and the Scots form seilie,[1] meaning "happy", "lucky" or "blessed" and unseely meaning "unhappy", "misfortunate" or "unholy" are derived from the Old English sǣl and gesǣlig. The Modern Standard English word silly is also derived from this root and the term "seely" is recorded in numerous works of Middle English literature such as those by Geoffrey Chaucer. Many ballads and tales tell of "Seilie wichts", [2] a Lowland Scots term for fairies. In Wales there were said to be two fairies or elves called Silly Frit and Sili go Dwt whose names represent a borrowing of the adjective silly (in this case meaning happy) as applied to fantastical beings from its usage on the English marches bordering Wales rather than the Anglo-Scottish border. The former name is purely English while the latter is a corruption of English fairy names featuring "tot" (such as Tom Tit Tot) as an element.[3]

In Scottish folklore, fairies are divided into the Seelie Court (more beneficently inclined, but still dangerous), and the Unseelie Court (more malicious).

The Seelie Court were described as those fairies who would seek help from humans, warn those who have accidentally offended them, and return human kindness with favors of their own. Still, a fairy belonging to this court would avenge insults and could be prone to mischief.[4] Seelies were known for playing pranks on humans and having a light hearted attitude, forgetting their sorrows quickly and not realizing how they affect the humans they play pranks on. Other names for the Seelie Court included The Shining Throne, The Golden Ones, and The Summer Court.

The Unseelie Court, conversely, was used to describe the darkly-inclined fairies. Unlike the Seelie Court, no offense was deemed necessary to bring down their assaults.[4] As a group (or "host"), they were thought to appear at night and assault travelers, often carrying them through the air, beating them, and forcing them to commit such acts as shooting at cattle. In Scotland they were seen as closely allied with witches.[5] Like the beings of the Seelie Court who are not always seen as benevolent, neither were the fairies of the Unseelie Court always malevolent. Folklore includes stories of Unseelies becoming fond of particular humans if they are viewed as respectful, and choosing to make them something of a pet. Some of the most common characters in the Unseelie Court were bogies, bogles, boggarts, abbey lubbers and buttery spirits.[4][Note 1]

The division into "Seelie" and "Unseelie" spirits was roughly equivalent to the division of Elves in Norse mythology into "light" and "dark" distinctions.[8]

In the French fairy tales as told by the précieuses, fairies are likewise divided into good and evil, but the effect is clearly literary.[9] Many of these literary fairies seem preoccupied with the character of the humans they encounter.[9]

The Welsh fairies, Tylwyth Teg, and the Irish Aos Sí are usually not classified as wholly good or wholly evil.[10]

These fairies contain the aristocracy of the fairy world, including the Irish Aos Sí. They are known as trooping faeries because they travel in long processions, such as the one from which Tam Lin was rescued.[11] But the trooping fairies also include other fairies of lesser importance; a trooping fairy can be large or small, friendly or sinister.[4]

These fairies live alone and are inclined to be wicked and malicious creatures, except for beings such as the brownie who is said to help with household chores.[4]

These fairies generally function as pets or servants of the households they live in, but sometimes might temporarily join with other fairies for merry-making activities.[9]