Guest Author - Deanna Joseph

Most of us have been taught that fairies are cute and gossamer. With beautiful butterfly wings, flitting daintily from flower to flower, they are as darling as they are delicate.

But if you were to hear something go “bump” in the night, would you ever imagine that it could be one of these whimsical little creatures? Of course not. But legend has it that the fairy folk can be as dark and dangerous as they can be beautiful and mild.

The Boggart, a hairy little being with long yellow teeth from English folkore, is such a nuisance of a spirit that it has actually been mistaken for a poltergeist. If you annoy one, you may find that valuable items (like your car keys) seem to disappear from right under your nose.

The Kelpie is a water horse from Scotland. Fierce and frightening, seeing a Kelpie is always a bad omen, and they are known to devour both humans and fairies. There is a tale of a Kelpie chasing a vulnerable maiden, but a Fairy Bull appeared and scared off the Kelpie.

The Pooka is an Irish trickster fairy, and can appear as a beautiful horse or disheveled little pony. They are known for taking unwary travelers on wild rides that most likely end up with the rider muddied and befuddled and lost in the wild places. In one story a Pooka transformed into a great bird and offered a wandering mortal a ride home. The man, caught completely unawares, took the Pooka up on the offer and the Pooka proceeded to take him to the moon (where he left him). Fortunately the man escaped and returned safely home.

The Silky is an English house spirit; quiet and gentle, who rustles about the house in her silk skirts taking care of her chosen family. However, should you choose to intrude on the family, or cause the family harm, the Silky (who has been known to kill intruders) will become great and fierce and protect those she loves.

The Unseelie Court is one of the fairy courts of Scotland. They are almost human in appearance (though very ugly) and are considered the “unblessed” ones. Very evil by nature, they like to wreak havoc and frequently mesmerize mortals and force them to do things against their will.

Whether frightening or fun-loving, the fairy folk are always intriguing and mysterious, and for good or evil, they have lessons to teach us. The dark fairies only show us what is in our own hearts; what needs to be healed and made whole again. However, once the light shines in the darkness, the dark ceases to be so frightening, and things that go “bump” in the night are no longer quite so scary.