Living Liminally

Otherworldly Shenanigans and Assorted Mischief; Posts relating to the Daoine Maithe; Probably some random owl pictures as well

[carasidhe]

"All elves have an irresistible fondness for music and dancing. By night you see them tread their round on the moonlit meadows, and at dawn perceive their track in the dew: Dan. älledands, Swed. älfdands, Engl. fairy rings, fairy green. The sight of mountain-spirits dancing on the meadows betokens to men a fruitful year."

-Grimm

[carasidhe]

There is some slim evidence that the concept of the aos sidhe may have been or developed from pre-Christian Irish gods (not the Tuatha Dé Danann, precursors to them). Certainly the general concept of powerful, mercurial human adjacent Otherworldly spirits is widespread both in Europe & further.

However there is no evidence to support the idea the sidhe or any other fairy-like beings were ever seen as entirely benevolent, wholly beneficial beings historically. Nor were any (most?) Gods tbh.

The idea of the aos sidhe, or fairies, etc, as potentially dangerous isn't Christian propaganda.

Yes, there is evidence of various attempts, especially by protestant sects, to demonize fairies et al. These attempts were largely unsuccessful and resulted in fairies et al being crammed into Christian cosmology as slightly scruffy angels or mostly meh demons, yet always their own distinct category.

The idea of fairies as purely helpful guides to humanity is a 20th century concept coming from the new age movement, further rooted in theosophy. It's an outgrowth of a wider idea in those paradigms that centres everything around humans. It cherry picks only stories of good interactions to accept as true while ignoring or denying anything else as anti-fairy propaganda

Globally every culture has a variety of spirits, some good, some bad, most mercurial & capable of being either in relation to humans.

#NotAllFairies can be dangerous, but honestly like 95% of them.

[carasidhe]

[carasidhe]

[carasidhe]

From a convo

The Appetizer Rule: when it comes to fairies, as a human, never assume you aren't on the menu, one way or another

[carasidhe]

Tolkien on small winged fairies:

"Yet I suspect that this flower-and-butterfly minuteness was also a product of "rationalization," which transformed the glamour of Elfland into mere finesse, and invisibility into a fragility that could hide in a cowslip or shrink behind a blade of grass. It seems to become fashionable soon after the great voyages had begun to make the world seem too narrow to hold both men and elves; when the magic land of Hy Breasail in the West had become the mere Brazils, the land of red-dye-wood.

- J.R.R. Tolkien, "On Fairy-Stories," 1947

In fairness there are accounts across folklore of tiny fairies but they were always but one of a myriad of types to be found; however there was a decided shift in some demographics to seeing all fairies as only these tiny winged ones over the last several hundred years. (I blame the Victorians)

[carasidhe]

Stories have power in shaping how we perceive things.

Fiction has power in shaping how we perceive things.

A glance at the way fiction in the last 40 years has *profoundly* rewritten the popular ideas around fairies shows this clearly.

We are influenced by the stories we take in, the stories we cherish, and the stories we tell.

Don't underestimate that power.

[carasidhe]

"It seems to me that no one of the various theories so far advanced accounts in itself for the Fairy-Faith. There is always a missing factor, an unknown quantity which has yet to be discovered."

- Sophia Morrison, the Manx Language Society, 1911

[carasidhe]

"Can you wonder that the People of the Hills don't care to be confused with that painty-winged, wand-waving, sugar-and-shake-your-head set of impostors?"

- Puck in Puck of Pook's Hill, Kipling 1906

[carasidhe]

Includes a link for a 40 page pdf of several of my articles

https://thepagancollective.com/2025/12/03/introducing-morgan-daimler/

[arethinn]

 As part of a book that I am currently working on I am doing a survey of modern changeling beliefs, particularly focused on people who ident

This is @carasidhe (Morgan Daimler) but they haven't posted here in about 10 months, so I thought I might spread the word over here.

As part of a book that I am currently working on I am doing a survey of modern changeling beliefs, particularly focused on people who identify as changelings. I am hoping to gather a range of responses that will help to illustrate the diversity of modern beliefs on this topic and the value of the concept to people who identify with it. If you are interested in taking the survey you can email me at [email protected] and I will send you the forms. One is the survey itself and the other is a consent to have your responses used in my research, either by name or anonymously. 

[carasidhe]

"When [fairies] were given butterfly wings they were reduced to almost the status of insects, and in the sheltered days of the early twentieth century every care was taken to render them unalarming."

- Katherine Briggs, The Fairies in Tradition and Literature

[carasidhe]

Exactly

[carasidhe]

So I saw on the selkie flash fiction you signed off as M. Daimler. Silly question to avoid incorrect assumptions, do you mean that you are Morgan Daimler???? I am so oblivious

Yes

[carasidhe]

you know, besides everything else, probably the best reason not to eat fairy food if it's ever offered to you is that it almost certainly isn't what you think it is.

# don't trust appearances # soylent green is people # seriously though

[carasidhe]

Selkie flash fiction

"Oops, dropped your coat," you say, handing the jacket back to the beautiful stranger. They look at you in shock as they take it from your hands.

"You didn't take it," they say as if they can't believe it.

You squirm, then awkwardly say, "of course not. It doesn't belong to me"

You walk away as they continue to stare at you, clutching the coat.

The next day you're walking to your favorite Cafe when the stranger appears at your side, wearing the same coat. They ask where you're going and before you know it you're seated at your favorite table with them, talking about your life over a latte. They try to pay for you but you insist on handling it, appreciating spending time with them. They ask if they can see you again and you eagerly agree.

The next day they show up during your lunch break, with fish & chips for you. It's the best you've ever tasted, but seeing they don't have anything to eat you insist on sharing. They are obviously delighted by this. You make plans to meet again.

So the months go, with you slowly falling in love with them, their generosity, their humor, their ability to make every day better. Finally late one night they tell you the truth: they are a selkie and you could have trapped them by taking their coat. It's what most humans would do. But giving it back intrigued them, made them want to know you better, to understand your kindness. With trembling hands they hold out a second coat, asking if you will marry them and join them among the seal folk.

You can't imagine a life without them, and quickly agree.

- m daimler

[carasidhe]

Fairy related thoughts:

Probably the most dangerous assumption that's embedded in the idea of 'good' and 'bad' fairies is the belief that the 'good' ones are on the side of humanity, and that all fairies must be either 'good' or 'bad'.

Fairies are always ultimately on the side of themselves. Or Themselves, as it were. They can and may aid humans or establish connections to them but they will still put their own agendas first.

Sentient beings are going to do what they choose to do, but generally that will be what is in their own best interests. Anthropocentricism is a misleading mindset when considering things that aren't human.