Faeries K-O

Keshalyi: These are the benevolent faeries of the Romany Gypsies of Transylvania. The live in the remote yet beautiful forests and mountains. Their queen was Ana and they resembles beautiful, small, fragile humans.

Klippie: A brown-faced elf or faerie in Scottish lore.

La Dormette de Poitou: See Dormette

Lady of the Lake (see also Morgan le Fée): A mysterious faerie queen who inhabits the lake around the Isle of Avalon in the tales of King Arthur. Apart from the description of a graceful hand and arm extending from the water, little is known of her physical appearance. She is one of the four faerie queens to take Arthur to Avalon after his death. There are several other tales of the Lady of the Lake. One of them lives in Somerset, England. Another is Lady of Little Van Lake, a Welsh faerie known for her magical herb cures. In Austria, the Lady is described as a beautiful woman riding a horse that seems to have been lashed. She can be seen in the reflections of the Traunsee at noon or by the waterfall at night. To see her causes great misfortune, and many fishermen have disappeared without a trace.

Leanan-sidhe (Lhiannan-shee):  The Lhiannan Shee of the Isle of Man is said to be a vampirish faerie who attached herself to one man, to whom she appeared irresistibly beautiful, but invisible to everyone else. If he yielded to her, he was ruined body and soul. The Irish Leanan Sidhe is known as the inspiration of poets and minstrels. She would roam the night, searching for romantic men to inspire with eloquence of word and beautiful music while in her embrace, and would draw from their life force until he would die. Both names mean "Faerie Sweetheart". In Scotland, the Leannan Sith was a term used to denote a faerie lover of either sex. In fact, the translators of the Bible into Scots Gaelic used this term, and the Scots took this as Biblical proof of the existence of faeries. The Lhiannan Shee of Ballfletcher was the tutrelary faerie of the Fletchers, and gave them the faerie cup, which was drank from every Christmas in her honor. She is said to haunt wells and springs.

Licke: She is an English faerie whose duties are that of a cook. She appeared in The Life of Robin Goodfellow.

Little Fawn: See Oisin

Loireag (Lorreag): In the Scottish myth of the Hebridean Islands, she is much similar to Hebetrot with the exception of the deformed lip. She dresses in white, and is an expert at spinning, more than willing to punish whoever is lax or careless at it. She also love music, therefore, will cause mischief upon anyone singing off key.

The Love Talker: See Gan Ceanach

Lugh: He came to their aid when the Tuatha dé Danaan were oppressed by the Fomorians. He was refused entrance to the hall of their king, Nuadha, but eventually was allowed in because of his many skills. He became the substitute king in place of Nuadha when he had lost his hand in battle. After Nuadha's death Lugh himself became the Tuatha's rightful king.

Lull: A female faerie nurse who cared for the fae babies and children.

Mab: She is traditionally known the Queen of the Faeries in English literature. She is describes as being tiny, about the size of an agate stone, and travels in a coach led by insects. She has also been described as a tiny flower fairy or as a trickster pixie like figure, robbing dairies and stealing babies.

Macha: An evil female faerie who represents death and battle. She is a member of the Tuatha dé Danann and would take the shape of a large crow to fly over the bodies of men who had died in battle.

Malekin (Malkin, Mawkin): The name of a faerie that inhabited a castle in Suffolk, England. She seemed to be very friendly and intelligent, able to converse with the lord of the castle in English, the servants in dialect, and the priest in Latin. She revealed herself to the servant girl that would leave her a plate of food nightly. The servant relays her as looking like a very small human child, dressed in a white tunic.

Mallebron: In France, he was a faerie servant of Oberon, the king of the faeries. He would travel with the knights to the Holy Land and would often save them from death.

Manannan Mac Lir (Manawydan ap Llyr, Barinthus): He has been known as the sea god of Ireland, the father of Niamh, and the King of Tir Nan Og (Land of the Young).

Mawkin: See Malekin

Mebd (Meadhbh): In Irish myth, she is queen of the Tuatha dé Danann and of the Sidhe. She had several husbands, never allowing one man to rule by her side. Queen Mab probably derived from her character.

Melusina (Melusine): She was the daughter of the faerie Pressina and a mortal king. Her mother cursed her to become a serpent from feet to waist once a week. She would never fall in love until she found a man who agreed never to see her on that day. She met and married Count Raymond of Poitiers and all their children were born horribly deformed but for the last two. One day, the Count saw her as half snake, and as the curse goes, she turned into a winged serpent mermaid and leapt out the window and flew away, never to be seen again.

Micol: The faerie evoked by medieval sorcerers in Europe, who claimed her to be the Faerie Queen of the trooping faeries.

Midar (Midhir, Midir): One of the kings of the Irish Tuatha dé Danann. There are two different accounts as to how he won the love of the mortal queen called Etain. One version is the he won her in a game of chess against her mortal husband, Eochaid of Munster. The other version states that Midar took Etain as a second wife, and his first wife, in a fit of jealousy turned her into a fly. She then went back to the human world, and united with Eochaid. When Midar found her, he challenged Eochaid to a game of chess, and won her back. Midar then changed them both to swans and flew back to his home, only to encounter Eochaid and his armies. After many long battles, Midar released Etain to go back to Eochaid.

Mistress Venus: See Holle

Monaciello: Monaciello means little monk in Italian, which describes their cloaked appearance. They are male faeries who live in wine cellars and are always drunk. They are a happy bunch, but are known to steal a human's clothing for fun.

Morgan le Fée (Fata Morgana, Morgaine, Morgana, Morgane, Morgan le Fay, Morganetta, and Morgue la Faye): In the legends of Arthur, she was the Lady of the Lake. Her magic is said to be responsible for the mirages in the Straights of Messina, which are aptly named Fata Morgana.

Muma Padura: A wood faerie in the Rumanian and Slav folklore. She is kindly and benevolent towards humans, helping children who become lost in the forest back home and to their parents.

Mrs. Bedonebyasyoudid and Mrs. Doasyouwouldbedoneby: Both are faeries in Charles Kingsley's Water Babies, and are portrayed as elderly and strict tutors.

Nanny-Button-Cap: A nursery faerie in Yorkshire, England. She ensures that all children are safely and warmly tucked into bed for the night.

Niamh: There are two different accounts of the life of this faerie. One is that she was a member of of the Ireland's Tuatha dé Danann who went to live in the land of Tir Nan Og (Land of the Young) when she married Oisin. The other accounts her as being the daughter of Manannan, the king of the Land of the Young. She fell in love with Oisin and convinced him to move with her to her fathers land, where they lived happily together for 300 yrs.

Nigheag na h-ath: See Bean Nighe

Nos Bonnes Méres: See Bonnes Dames

Nuadha: He is the King of the Tuatha dé Danann who had to give up his reign when he lost his hand in battle. His successor to the thrown was Lugh.

Nuala: Although in most Irish tales Onagh is Finvarra's consort, some tales tell of Nuala being his High Queen and consort instead.

Nucklelavee (Nuchlavis): They are Scottish sea faeries. They are ill-tempered, hideous in appearance, and extremely malevolent toward humans. They can take on any appearance they wish, but their natural appearance is that of half man and half horse, with fins for feet. People can tell when one is coming for them by the smell they emit - that of rotten eggs and spoiled fish.

Oberon: He is known as the Faerie King, and was introduced to English literature by William Shakespeare. He appears as a dwarf with a beautiful face and lofty behavior. He enjoys playing pranks on his fellow faerie subjects and on unsuspecting humans. He spends his days in the forest with Puck and other sprites. Humans are warned to not speak to him, for whoever does, will remain forever in his power.

Ogma: The son of Dagda, the great warrior. He, himself, was a faerie warrior who fought beside Nuadha. He was also known for his inspiration and learning.

Oisin (Little Fawn): Son of Sabdh and loved by Niamh. He spent 300 yrs in The Land of the Young or Tir Nan Og, in which time he became homesick. Niamh presented him with a horse and the warning not to step off from the horse, lest he wouldn't be able to find his way back. When he got to Ireland, he helped the mortals move a rock, upon which he changed before their eyes into an aged man.

Ole Luk Øj (Ole Luk Öie): A tiny Danish faerie dressed in a silk jacket which changes color according to the light and carries two magic umbrellas. His name means Ole Close Your Eyes. He tiptoes into the children's room and blows faerie dust into their eyes and necks, which makes them fall asleep. He will then open one of his umbrella over the good children, which have beautiful pictures painted on the underneath, and they'll have beautiful dreams. To the bad children, though, he will open the other umbrella, which has nothing on it, and they will have dreamless sleep.

Onagh: She is Queen of the Irish Sidhe and Finvarra's consort. She received alliance from tributary queens Aine, Aoibhinn, and Cliodna. She has long golden hair that reaches the ground and wears a silver spun dress. Despite her great beauty, her consort is unfaithful with the mortal women he seduces with his music.

Oosood: A female birth faerie in the belief of the Serbian people. She becomes visible only to the mother of the child on the seventh day after his/her birth. She then proceeds to  predict the child's fate.

Oreande la Fée: A benevolent faerie who made many appearances in romantic legends throughout the 1400s.

Ouphe: A mountain nymph, elf, or fairy in European folklore. They appeared to be slightly dim-witted compared to the Trooping Faeries, and hence were left as changelings. The term "Oaf" came from these beings.

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