Birgitta Sjostedt
The fairies dance
In folk belief, fairies are a collective natural being that at dusk and at sunrise could be seen dancing across meadows, open fields and marshy grounds. In younger traditions, fairies are usually perceived as female beings.
The main role of the fairies is as a cause of disease. A person who had "got the fairies" was often thought to have had the diseases blown onto them by them, and since like cures like, strong counter-blowing, for example with a bellows, was assumed to have a curative effect
The fairies are etymologically related to the elves that appear in Norse mythology. However, the mythological connection is unclear. Even among other Germanic peoples such as the English and Germans, the elves are feminized in medieval folklore and connected with diseases. Similarities can also be noted between the fairies and supernatural beings in the Celtic cultures, for example the Irish sídhe.
The fairies dance
In folk belief, fairies are a collective natural being that at dusk and at sunrise could be seen dancing across meadows, open fields and marshy grounds. In younger traditions, fairies are usually perceived as female beings.
The main role of the fairies is as a cause of disease. A person who had "got the fairies" was often thought to have had the diseases blown onto them by them, and since like cures like, strong counter-blowing, for example with a bellows, was assumed to have a curative effect
The fairies are etymologically related to the elves that appear in Norse mythology. However, the mythological connection is unclear. Even among other Germanic peoples such as the English and Germans, the elves are feminized in medieval folklore and connected with diseases. Similarities can also be noted between the fairies and supernatural beings in the Celtic cultures, for example the Irish sídhe.