Fairies and Elves

Fairies and elves are magical creatures from European folklore. They are usually small and can fly or do magic. Some are helpful and kind. Others are mischievous and love to play tricks on humans.

Different Kinds of Fairies

There are many types of fairies in folklore. Pixies are tiny fairies from England who love to dance. Brownies are helpful house fairies from Scotland who clean at night. Tooth fairies collect children's lost teeth. Flower fairies were said to live inside blossoms and help plants grow.

Elves in Legend

Elves are found in many Northern European myths. In Norse mythology, elves were tall and beautiful magical beings. In German folklore, elves were small and tricky. Iceland still has stories about 'hidden people' who live in rocks. Some Icelanders even build tiny elf houses in their gardens.

Fun Facts

• In Iceland, some roads have been rerouted to avoid disturbing rocks where elves supposedly live.
• People used to leave out bowls of milk to keep fairies and brownies happy.
• The word 'fairy' comes from the Latin word 'fatum,' meaning fate or destiny.

Did You Know?

In 1917, two girls in England took photos that seemed to show real fairies. Even famous people believed the photos were real. It was not until 1983 that the girls admitted they had used paper cutouts!