Naughty and nice, unpredictable and typically tiny, fairies remain one of the most enduring folk creatures, featuring in mythologies across cultures and throughout history. This little encyclopedia rounds up more than 90 fairies from around the world, including:

• The Alux, a fairy of Mayan legend whom farmers called on for rain
• The Banshee, a fairy of Irish lore whose cries were associated with death
• The Hulijing, a fairy from Chinese mythology, who could shape-shift into a fox
• The Yumbo, a silver-haired Senegalese fairy, who dances in moonlight