On certain nights when their bruthain, bowers, are open and their lamps are lit, and the song and the dance are moving merrily, the fairies may be heard singing light-heartedly-
Variations of the fallen angel story are told in Western fairy lore. In some, the angels who become fairies were the unwitting dupes of the Proud Angel, and they fall into a netherworld where they are too wicked for heaven and too virtuous for hell; over time, they become increasingly dark and demonic in nature.
In these stories, we find strong parallels between the djinn and fairies: the fairies were angels in heaven who rebelled and vowed to form their own kingdom and they fell into holes on earth. The djinn rebelled and were banished and formed their own kingdoms, preferring to live in holes in the ground and caves. Deprived of their place and status, both djinn and fairies developed deep and long-standing grudges and the desire for revenge.
Some fairies and djinn removed themselves deeper into their own realm, content in the knowledge that foolish humans would at some point bring about their own demise, and they would be able to reclaim their places in the world. Others find opportunities to strike out against humans.
They Are Linked to the Demonic
As we see in the sections above, both djinn and fairies have become associated with the demonic and devils. As punishment for disobeying God's order to bow before Adam, Iblis was thrown out of paradise and became Shaitan, or Satan, and his djinn followers came to be regarded as demonic in nature. In fairy lore, fairies are sometimes described as servants of the devil and witches, helpers in the carrying out of hexes, curses, and harmful magical spells.
Both djinn and fairies are also agents of possession.
They Are Hidden
The djinn are called the Hidden Ones because they are obscured from human sight. The Qur'an states, "He [the devil] and his tribe see you, while you do not see them."3
A story given in Celtic lore says that fairies are the offspring of Adam and Eve,' and earned their nickname "the hidden people" because of Eve's sin. After the fall, Adam and Eve have a great many children. One day, God was walking through the world, and he called on Eve and asked her to present her children. Ashamed at the great number of them, Eve sent half of them to hide, and presented the ones she thought were the best. God was not fooled, and said, "Let those who were hidden from me be hidden people."5 So the fairies became invisible and hidden from sight-just like the djinn.
They Believe They Are Superior to Humans
Iblis proclaimed to God that the djinn, made of smokeless fire, were superior to humans, made of mere clay. Iblis went to Adam and made his attitude clear: " [Adam] if you are given mastery over me, I will surely disobey you. And if I am given mastery over you, I will destroy you."6 After Iblis was cast out of Paradise, he sized up Adam and found him to be hollow and without self-control; in other words, an easy target. He vowed revenge on Adam's descendants and told God: "Now, because You have sent me astray, verily I shall lurk in ambush for them on Your right path. Then I shall come upon them from before them and from behind them, and from their right and from their left, and you will not find most of them beholden [to You]." 7
Fairies consider themselves to be superior to humans and know they have the ability to destroy them. Y.W. Evans-Wentz, an American anthropologist who collected fairy lore in the British Isles, Ireland, and Europe, heard many such descriptions. In the area around Ben Bulben Mountain in County Sligo, Ireland, a man gave him this description of fairies, who called themselves the Gentry:
The folk are the grandest I have ever seen. They are far superior to us and that is why they call themselves the Gentry. They are not a working-class, but a military-aristocratic class, tall and noble-bearing. They are a distinct race between our race and that of spirits, as they have told me. Their qualifications are tremendous: "We could cut off half the human race, but would not," they said, "for we are expecting salvation." And I knew a man three or four years ago who they struck down with paralysis. Their sight is so penetrating I think they could see through the earth.8
They Have Long Life Spans, But Not Immortality
Time is something that fairies and djinn have in plenty. Both have much longer life spans than humans, though no one knows to what extent. As we noted in chapter 2, djinn live for thousands of years. In fairy lore, fairy life spans are much longer because of the different passage of time in their world than on earth. Time passes much more slowly for fairies, and a day to them can be a year to humans.
There is no immortality for either djinn or fairies, however, and at some point, both must die. Their fate in the afterlife is uncertain, since, according to lore, both are damned in the eyes of God. Djinn and fairies await their fate at the Last Judgment.
According to Lady Wilde, when that day arrives, the fairies "are fated to pass into annihilation, to perish utterly and be seen no more."9 Some of them nervously await salvation. Irish and Scottish stories tells of fairies asking a sympathetic human to inquire on their behalf about their fate. The human consults a sympathetic saint or priest, who always gives an unhappy answer: the fairies are doomed and have no hope of ever reentering heaven. Upon hearing this, the fairies always break out in great cries and lamentations.
When Iblis and the djinn were cast out of paradise, Iblis asked for reprieve until the Last Judgment Day when the dead are raised. However, he openly acknowledged that he would spend his time subverting and corrupting humans: "Do you see this [creation] that you have honored above me? If you give me grace until the Day of Resurrection, I will verily seize his seed, save but a few "10 Even so, God granted his request."
As for the fate of the djinn, the Qur'an states that djinn who become believers, that is, convert to Islam, will be taken to paradise while evil-doers will be sent into the hell fires along with evildoing humans.
They Are Organized Into Societies and Families
Djinn marry and have families that are organized in clans, and who are ruled by kings. Fairies also marry and have families, work at jobs, and are ruled by kings and queens. Both djinn and fairies keep pets, most notably dogs and cats.
They Must Pay Tributes to the Devil
In chapter 5, we noted that the djinn who serve a djinn king must pay him a tribute once a century. There are different kinds of tributes, but one of the most commonly cited is a human soul, which the djinn ensnare with enticements of physical pleasures, money, and power.
In fairy lore, fairies must pay a tribute to the devil every seven years, usually one of their own who is chosen by the devil himself. To avoid this terrible payment, stories tell of fairies kidnapping a human infant or sometimes a young child and offering it instead.
The famous story about Thomas the Rhymer, a Scottish laird and poet who lived in the thirteenth century, features this element of the Devil's tribute. According to the Ballad of True Thomas, which circulated in various versions through the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries, the handsome Thomas was kidnapped by the Queen of Elfland, who became infatuated with him. For seven years, he enjoyed himself in the beautiful realm of the elves. Toward the end of the seventh year, the fairies grew worried, for the devil's tithe was soon due, and they feared that the devil would choose Thomas because of his good looks. Reluctantly, the Queen of Elfland sent Thomas back to the Land Above (earth), and bestowed upon him the gift of prophecy.
They Have Supernatural Powers
Djinn and fairies possess supernormal strength and the power to be invisible at will. They can levitate themselves and whatever they carry and fly through the air. They materialize, pass through walls and solid objects, and can vanish into thin air. A woman in Ireland told Evans-Wentz about fairies, "When they disappear they go like fog; they must be something like spirits, or how could they disappear in that way?"12 Fairies especially do not like to be seen by humans, and will punish those who accidentally espy them. Evans-Wentz tells the story of an Irish man who noticed a group of small fairies playing hurley while he was watering his cow. They saw him watching them, and
immediately beat him so badly he could barely speak. During the night, however, they took pity on him and rubbed his face with a magical ointment to heal him.13 In other stories, fairies will temporarily or permanently blind the person who sees them, by striking them across the eyes.
One of the most famous powers attributed to both djinn and fairies is the ability to grant wishes: as the imprisoned djinn is bound to grant three wishes to whomever frees him, fairies grant wishes to humans who do them good deeds. For example, an Irish story tells of a woman who finds a fairy dog in a state of exhaustion. She takes it home and nurses it back to health. Eventually the fairies find out where their dog is and come to fetch it. In gratitude, they ask the woman if she would like a dirty cow yard or a clean cow yard. She answers "dirty," because a cow yard would have to be empty in order to be clean. The fairies multiply the number of cattle she owns.
Djinn wishes seldom work out well, and fairies have been known to rescind their wishes, owing to their capricious nature. A com mon story in fairy lore is of the fairy bride who bestows wishes and favors upon her human husband as long as certain conditions are met. If the conditions are broken-no matter how long they have been married-the fairy spouse and all the wishes, usually goods and livestock, vanish back into fairyland. Sometimes, the punishment seems impulsively devised. For example, fairies will pay for services rendered by humans, but with odd conditions, such as "do not look at your money until you get home." Of course the foolish person peeks at the money to see how much he has been given. Immediately, the money turns to something worthless, like dead leaves or ash.
Both djinn and fairies have supernatural healing abilities, and if motivated, may use them for our benefit, sometimes even granting us powers. Fairies sometimes give powers as an outright gift. Djinn are more likely to use powers as bargaining items in pacts, an exchange of favors for a soul.
They Are Masterful Shapeshifters
The djinn assume any form they wish, from animals to humans to angels. It is thought that instead of whispering to people directly, Satan will instead appear in human form, though usually with a strange-sounding voice or an indescribably strange appearance. Likewise, djinn may appear in front of humans and inform them of their nature, but they have been known to lie, often claiming to be angels. Sometimes they call themselves "invisible men" or they claim to be from the spirit world."14 The "invisible men" perform miracles in order to look like servants of Allah, and some of them aid the infidels against Muslims. 'I
Fairies also can assume any form they wish. They often shapeshift into extremely attractive humans, especially when trying to lure a man or woman as an object of romantic desire. In Ireland, a story is told about fairies who assumed the forms of flies to engage in great battle among themselves. When the battle was over, the number of dead "flies" could have filled 16
They Live in a Subterranean World
The djinn prefer to live in caves, holes, and other remote locations where they will not be bothered by people. In chapter 5, we saw the case of the man who was hiking and stepped on the "roof" of a hole occupied by a small man who may have been a green djinn. The description of the tiny man and his home in the ground might also be interpreted as a fairy emerging from his underworld den.
If mortals enter a djinn abode, they become trapped unless the djinn take pity and permit him to find his way out.
Fairies live beneath the ground in a secret land where they, too, will not be disturbed. The doorway to their world is often in a mound or fort, called a howe or knowe in Scotland, and a rath in Ireland. The doorway-akin to an interdimensional portal-is usually closed to mortals, but the occasional person may accidentally stumble through. Once through the door, the unlucky traveler becomes lost to the physical world, and is unable to find a way out without help. While in the fairy realm, people are subjected to fairy time, which is much slower than the way time passes for us normally. If the trapped people succeed in returning to the Land Above (as the mortal world is called), they may be shocked to find that their families and everyone they knew are long dead, while for them it would seem that only a week or two had passed.
Sometimes fairies forcibly bring people to their realm, such as in the case of Thomas the Rhymer. Sometimes they grant access to people they like. In 1692, a Scottish minister named Robert Kirk of Aberfoyle was said to have been given repeated entry to the fairy realm. He enjoyed great favor until he broke one of their cardinal rules by traveling into the court of the evil fairies. As punishment, he was sentenced to permanent captivity in the fairy realm.
The area of Cnoc Meadha in western Ireland was renowned as a fairy stronghold. Inside the hill was reputed to be an entrance to their underground realm, where cave-like excavated passages led to the palace of Finnbheara, the king of the Connaught fairies.
Some fairies live among rocks, and some like to live in mines. Mine fairies are called kobolds, knockers, and Tommyknockers, and are heard knocking away in the tunnels with their hammers. Sometimes they help miners, and sometimes they hinder them.
There are few descriptions of the djinn world; those who have been there describe it as a horrific, terrifying place. Fairyland, on the other hand, is usually described as beautiful and pleasant, with a dreamy, ethereal quality to it. All who live there have nearly eternal youth. However, the evil fairies of Irish lore, such as members of the Unseelie Court (Unblessed Court), live in a dark and gloomy realm.
Fairies who live in dismal places often glamorously disguise them if they are able to entice humans into them. A Welsh story concerns an elderly couple whose maid disappeared, and was believed to have been abducted by the fairies. When the maid gave birth, fairies summoned the elderly woman to come to their realm and attend her. She was led to a cave that opened into a fine and beautiful bed chamber. She was given a magical ointment to rub on the infant's eyes, and was cautioned not to let any of it touch her own eyes. She accidentally touched her left eye with the ointment:
And now a strange thing happened: with the right eye she saw everything as before, gorgeous and luxurious as the heart could wish, but with the left eye she saw a damp, miserable cave, and lying on some rushes and withered ferns, with big stones all round her, was her former servant girl, Eilian. In the course of the day, she saw a great deal more. There were small men and small women going in and out, their movements being as light as the morning breeze. 17
When the old woman was returned to the mortal world, she was warned not to tell anyone that she could see fairies. Every day she saw them, moving invisibly in the world right next to humans. One day she spied Eilian's husband stealing from the market and she confronted him. He took a bulrush and struck her left eye, blinding it for the rest of her life. Her fairy sight was gone.
They Are Territorial of Their Turf
Both djinn and fairies prefer privacy and do not appreciate humans trespassing on their territory, especially their homes. Both are found in remote areas-the caves, holes, and deserts characteristic of the Middle East, and secluded lakes, mountains, caves, forests, and glens elsewhere in the world.
Fairies are especially fond of certain kinds of trees on their turf, including elder, oak, ash, blackthorn, and hazel. They guard them jealously, and woe betide the person who cuts them down.
A cottager in Ireland once tried to cut a branch of a sacred elder tree that was hanging over a saint's well. The fairies who looked after the tree became angry. Twice they stopped the man by sending him a false vision that his house was burning. He raced home, only to find nothing amiss. He should have realized fairies were intervening, but he was determined to cut the branch, and he succeeded on his third try. Again he had a vision that his house was burning, and he went home. He found his cottage burned to the ground.18
Similarly, but with less harsh consequences, is a story about Heart Lake near Sligo, Ireland. The lake was renowned as a portal fairies used to travel between worlds. A group of men once tried to drain the lake, but stopped when they had visions of their homes burning down. Like
the cottager, they went rushing home, only to find everything intact. However, they had the sense to stop, and they left the lake alone."
An example with dire consequences concerns a man foolish enough to violate fairy turf and insult them as well. Around 1920, plans were made to clear land for a hospital in Kiltamagh, Ireland. Among the trees to be cut down were two hawthorns everyone locally knew belonged to the fairies. Not one of the residents would touch the hawthorns, so the task fell to a man from out of town. When warned that the fairies would punish him if he cut the trees down, he angrily replied, "I'll be back, never fear, and to hell with your bloody fairies!" That night, the man suffered a stroke and was crippled. He died within a year. He returned to the town as he had vowed-but in a coffin. The hospital was built, but it never opened.2o
The invisible paths that fairies use for their travel in the mortal world are called fairy tracks. It is especially risky to disturb them by building something upon them. The fairies will come right through the structure and create poltergeist-like phenomena, such as sudden openings and closings of doors and windows. Furthermore, the occupants will sicken, their crops will fail, and their animals will die. Z'
They Engage in Tricks and Acts of Malevolence
Both djinn and fairies punish people who displease them in many ways. Punishment may be slight, in the form of mischievous tricks that in older times meant things like stealing firewood, spooking livestock, or hiding lamp oil. In modern times, these creatures continue their pranks, affecting electricity in houses and interfering with lights, appliances, computers, and car batteries.
More serious punishments can adversely affect the health of people, animals, and crops. In the most extreme cases, djinn and fairies are not above murder. Acts of aggression against humans are usually the result of provocation, but some will strike on a whim.
The Vengeful Djinn: Unveiling the Hidden Agenda of Genies Page 13
