Tied to the power of nature and natural spirits, the magic of elves and fairies comes in many forms. If approached with kindness and respect, they have been known to bless farmers with outrageoursly large fruits and vegetables, heal the sick, and bring good fortune. The fairy tale "The Legend of Knockgrafton" illustrates this point quite well. In this tale a happy-go-lucky humpbacked man named Lusmore hears the fairies singing, and when they stop, he beautifully carries on thier song. In their delight they transport him to the fairy realm, where he sings and dances with them, and they end the evening by relieving him of his budensome hump.

Descended from the Tuatha D'annan of Celtic Mythology and the light elves of Norse Mythology, elves and fairies continue to excite our imaginations as evidenced by the popularity of Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. The world of magic filled with elves, fairies, dwarves, dragons, and the like is alive and well. The CIG to Elves and Fairies bridges the gap between mythology, popular culture, and spirituality while providing a glimpse into the magical realm of elves and fairies.

Irish Author James Joyce once remarked that parts of Connaught, a province in western Ireland were more thickly populated with fairies than with mortals. This is not suprising, as Connaught is said to be the home Medb, queen of the fairies.

In the Irish tale "The Mountain Elf," the story teller describes meeting what he called "a wee boy," who was left by the fairies. He says, "This boy could do anything. He could go out and fly from one house to another, rise up and fly as far as he liked. He was seen here, and he was seen there, miles and miles away."

Forward by R. J. Stewart and Forward by Phyllis Curott.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Elves and Fairies is available on-line at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and many of the sites listed on our links page.