Fairies: A Celebration of Pixies, Sprites, Mermaids and Brownies

In Fairies, discover the charming story behind these best-loved magical characters, including the Fairy Godmother, Shakespeare's Titania, and the beloved Tinker Bell.

For centuries we have been fascinated with fairies, mythical beings often possessing intriguing magical powers to curse, trick, or heal humans. The label of fairy has at times applied only to specific magical creatures with human appearance, magical powers, and a penchant for trickery. At other times it has been used to describe any magical creature, such as goblins and gnomes. Myths and stories about fairies do not have a single origin, but are rather a collection of folk beliefs from disparate sources. Various folk theories about the origins of fairies include casting them as either demoted angels or demons in a Christian tradition, as deities in Pagan belief systems, as spirits of the dead, as prehistoric precursors to humans, or as spirits of nature. Fairies is a pocketful of delight, packed with beautiful images and full of fascinating tales.