The Origins of Faeries

Where did faeries come from? One theory suggests that they were the Tribes of the Goddess Danu, or Tuatha de Danaan, a seafaring people who lived near the Aegean Sea. The Danaans were a magical race, and adept at blacksmithing. Invaders drove them northward, out of Greece, and eventually they arrived in Ireland.

The legend says that the Danaans came to Ireland on a ship of dark clouds. They brought with them three treasures: the stone of destiny, the spear of Lugh, and the sword of Nuada (Light).

More than two centuries later, when the Milesians invaded, the Danaans retreated into the hills and mounds (sidhe). They made their homes in raths (circular enclosures surrounded by an earthen wall), invisible to human eyes.

Thus, the Danaans became the faery folk of Ireland, also called “aes sidhe” the people of the mounds, or the “grey ones.”

source: http://www.kelleyheckart.com/Tuatha_de_Danaan.html

The Bunyip

The bunyip is a creature from Australian Aboriginal legends. Its name means “devil” or “spirit.” According to the legend, the bunyip is a water monster that lives in rivers, swamps or billabongs. The early Aboriginal drawings depict the bunyip as a beast with a horse tail, tusks, and flippers.

Said to be nocturnal, the bunyip comes out of the water to snatch and eat all kinds of animals, including women and children.

The bellowing cry attributed to the bunyip could also be the calls of other animals, like the koala or barking owl.

Is the bunyip real or imaginary? You decide.

Image from planetetheria.com

(A bunyip appears in my book, Pursued by Magic)

Welcome to the Tangled Magic Blog

where we will have:

• fantastic and legendary creatures
• reviews of good reads
• stories of wonder
• ideas for writers

and whatever else is crazy, magical, and interesting.