FAIRY, a fay; an imaginary being or spirit, supposed to assume a human form, dance in meadows, steal infants, and play a variety of pranks; an en chantress. In the traditional mythology of the nations of western Europe, fairies (the elves of the Anglo-Saxons) were generally believed to be a kind of inter mediate beings, partaking both of the nature of men and spirits, having mate rial bodies, and yet possessed of the power of making themselves invisible. They were remarkably small in stature, with fair complexions, and generally clothed in green. Their haunts were be lieved to be groves, verdant meadows, and the slopes of hills; and their great diver sion, dancing hand-in-hand in a circle. The traces of their tiny feet were sup posed to remain visible on the grass long afterward, and were called FAIRY RINGS or CIRCLES (q. v.). They were regarded as being sometimes benevolent and some times mischievous. Croker in his "Fairy
Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland," describes them as being "a few inches high, airy, and almost trans parent in body; so delicate in their form that a dewdrop, when they chance to dance upon it, trembles, indeed, but never breaks." They are supposed to live in large societies, governed by a queen; and the peasantry never speak of them but with caution and respect, as the good people and friends, believing them to be present and to hear what is said. The fairy superstition belongs to modern Europe. The pure fairy tales first became popular in the latter part of the 17th century, and the Italians ap pear to have been the first to take the lead. They afterward became very pop ular in France; and, at the present, they are more extensive and popular in Ger many than in any other country.