Creature Feature – Piexies: Not Just Another Creature by A. Fae

You’re about to learn that all that flutters are not fairies.  Pixies – also known by a plethora of other names like pixy or even pigsies – originate from Celtic roots. The mischievous pixies, in today’s world, are often confused with sprites or fairies, but throughout history, there were said to be even wars between the groups of fluttery ones.  The similarities between the races don’t stop there; it is thought that the name pixie, originating from the Swedish dialect, actually means little fairy.  Oh, will the similarities ever stop.  Perhaps not.

Today when one might look upon a pixie they’d see a short being that is very childlike.  Huge groups of them often gather outdoors dancing and even wrestling.  These gatherings often lasted all through the night.  What I found quite interesting is that when an actual description given in modern times, the pixie is described much like Peter Pan – pointed ears, dressed in green with a pointed hat.  Perhaps not an exact match, but that’s what I see in my mind.

The mythology of pixies is quite odd because it is so entwined with that of the fairy.  Even the origin of the name in the Swedish dialect means little fairy.  Pixies can often be clothed or unclothed.  It is said that in the medieval era when Christianity was prominent, pixie was often thought to be the souls of children who died without being baptized.  Once the clothing of the deceased child was placed in the clay funeral pots with their earthly toys, they would then change to pixies.

A super interesting fact to anyone who ever read, or was read, The Three Little Pigs might know that in 1853 there were actually three little pixies, not pigs.  Great Britain is where most of the myths of pixies come from, specifically Cornwall and Devon.  The legends say that pixies used to lure children into playing with them by disguising themselves as a bundle of rags.  These pixies were said to have normal relationship with people and loved music and dancing.  They were even said to be helpful to widowed women and other humans with their housework.

Although, they sound quite pleasant on the surface, they were also known, according to Wikipedia, for “misleading travelers.”  It was known as “pixy-led.”  The remedy, they say, was to turn your coat inside out.  However mischievous these pixies were, the queen of the Cornish pixies is considered to be good luck.

Pixies and fairies have battled each other throughout mythology.  The story goes that the pixies won and that by the 19th-century contact with humans had diminished.  In 1824, it was written that just as with chivalry, the age of the pixie was gone.   Does that mean they’re really gone?  Or are they lurking somewhere along the way of a weary traveler, or around the kids as they play?  Maybe they only come out on All Hollow’s Eve?  Watch out for them and tell me what you see!