Fairies of the World

I just wanted to share some cuties that I illustrated for a project that focused on fairies and magical creatures from around the world!

This little guy is Le Petit Souris, or in English, “The Little Mouse”; who is much like the tooth fairy in French speaking countries. He’s a popular character who collects the baby teeth from little children and rewards them with coins under their pillow, and many other cultures have similar legends, and the popular French story is likely to date to the 18th century in a fairy tale written by Madame d’Aulnoy.

A yumboe is a spirit from Wolof mythology who are said to be ancestral spirits who are pearly white and stand about two feet tall. They are known as the “good people” and are helpful spirits who will invite strangers to their midnight feasts. Native to Senegal, they live under hills called “paps” which are natural rock formations in the shape of a bump, and are known to steal corn and wheat from humans, though they do their own fishing.

In the fairy stories from Germany, we have the ”moosleute” or moss folk, who are described in varying ways, but are forest spirits who are protectors of the trees and plants. Like many fairies, they can be helpful and generous, but are quick to anger and should be treated with respect. Some say the moss folk look like green, mossy dwarves, while the “woodwives” are said to be beautiful maidens with herbal healing powers. They are also said to particularly hate caraway bread!

Of course, the tooth fairy is a classic and popular character in many Western cultures. Superstitions around the milk teeth of children are present around the world, and in Europe, it was recommended to either hide or destroy these teeth for fear they may be used in a spell by a witch. Interestingly, the amount received by children for their lost teeth is also effected by inflation, so the tooth fairy appears to be financially savvy! I chose a rather traditional depiction of the tooth fairy, but there is actually no real consensus on how the fairy looks - some believe it is a pixie, a small dragon, a ballerina or even a tiny dental hygienist!

Many cultures around the world have a mythos about mermaids or a mermaid like creature - these two represent two different cultures; the Celtic mermaid, known as the “morgen”, and the ancient fertility goddess Atargatis from Syria. The name morgen may come from words meaning “sea-born”, and their origins and stories vary. Some tales say they are like selkies, and may be raised by humans, but will always wish to return to the sea. Others say that they are like sirens, and will lure unsuspecting travellers to their doom with their beautiful voices.

Atargatis was a chief goddess during the Classical period of ancient Syria. She was attributed with love and beauty, and had many aspects of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, though she was more closely associated with water and was depicted with the tail of a fish. Fish were sacred to Atargatis, and a surviving pool dedicated to her and her fish survives in the modern city of Urfa.

I would love to illustrate even more fairies and mythological creatures from around the world - I find it so interesting that you can often find similiar tales from places that are culturally and physically quite different, and I love to read the history of these creatures that have held such a special place in folklore from around the world!