Fairy v. Faery

beautifulmemory-blog:

“I am often asked the difference between the Celtic word faery, and the more common word fairy. Both refer to mysterious beings encountered by chance in green forested places. But while fairies are generally viewed as sprightly, shy, diminutive, charming, and endearing, Faeries are daunting immortal beings resembling humans, but exceeding us in stature and beauty, and awing us with their enigmatic powers. Faeries dwell in magnificent palaces underground, and in the mystical land of Faery, a mysterious place difficult for humans to access. Some find their way there by accident or through the use of incantation. One may enter Faery by entering the fog, or a hillside cave. To enter faery is to enter another dimension, betwixt and between everyday reality, and unfettered by the limitations of time and space.”

Erica Helm Meade, “The Moon in the Well”