Fairies, Pookas, and Changelings: A Complete Guide to the Wild and Wicked Enchanted Realm

Description

While it's true that fairy folk love a good garden and take great pleasure in a tulip, there are dozens of beasties who fall under the fairy domain that are not quite as delightful as the quintessential flower fairy. This book is an exploration of the many things that go bump in the night near the fairy mound. Along with an exploration of folklore and historical literature, readers will delight in fairy tales that demonstrate everything from striking a bargain with a fairy to staving off changelings to laughing with the dwarves. Included are fairy tales and myths from Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Scandinavia plus classic stories by Thomas Crofton Croker, Joseph Jacobs, Clara Stroebe, the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, Yei Theodora Ozaki and others on goblins, trolls, gnomes, pookas, changelings, banshees and more! Chapters include: Fairy, Fae, Faerie Way: What Is a Fairy, Anyway?; The Hand That Rocks the Cradle: Changelings and Baby Snatchers; I'm Not Drunk, It's My Pooka: The Legacy of the Trickster Fairy; I Begged You Not to Stay: What You Might Meet at the Crossroads; A Fear of Little Men: Leprechauns, Hobgoblins, House Elves, and Other Little Things If you think fairies are merely delicate beings who follow you about on gossamer wings, you are in for quite a shock: the kingdom of the fairy is one of vengeance, thievery, trickery and wild creatures. Consider yourself warned!

Varla Ventura is the author of Banshees, Werewolves, Vampires and Other Creatures of the Night, Among the Mermaids, The Book of the Bizarre and Beyond Bizarre. She can often be found lurking about the deep dark woods and lakes of Minnesota on the hunt for mushrooms, magical herbs and the elusive little men of legend.