FAUNUS, an old Italian rural deity (the "kindly," from Lat. f avere) , the bestower of fruitfulness on fields and cattle. As such he is akin to or identical with Inuus ("fructifier") and Lupercus (see LUPERCALIA). He was also called Fatuus, and with him was associated Fatua. He is represented as having prophetic powers, and is not unlike the fairies, pucks, etc., of British mythology. Under Greek influence he was identified with Pan. Rationalizing mythologists made him into an early king of Latium, the son of Picus and father of Latinus, the teacher of agriculture and cattle-breeding, and the introducer of the religious system of the country, honoured after death as a tutelary divinity. Two festivals called Faunalia were celebrated in honour of Faunus, one on Feb. 13 in his temple on the island in the Tiber, the other in the country on Dec. 5 (Ovid, Fasti, ii. 193 ; Horace, Odes, iii. 18, Io).