Relationships between Fairies and Humans in Irish Folktales
2020 年 11 巻 p. 72-78
詳細
2020 年 11 巻 p. 72-78
The origins of fairies in Irish folktales have been variously considered. They can be summarized into the five dominant theories as follows: the theory of the dead or the ancestor’s soul, that of mythical and ancient gods/goddesses, memories of a more primitive race, human creation, and fallen angels. The purpose of this research is to review these theories by looking at the relations between fairies and humans in Irish folktales. In order to figure out the relationships between fairies and humans, it is effective to collect concrete examples and analyze their frequencies from the three aspects below: plot patterns relating to the encounter and interaction between fairies and humans, fairy abduction, and marriages between fairies and humans.
