What Do We Know About Fairies?

The What Do We Know About? series explores the mysterious, the unknown, and the unexplained. Are fairies supernatural helpers or mischievous tricksters? Find out everything we know about the history of these magical and mythical creatures.

For centuries, the presence of fairies has been both debated and celebrated. To many cultures, their existence is as true as the sky is blue! In British and Spanish folklore, fairies sometimes live in barns and houses, helping with household chores for free, while in Celtic culture, fairies are frightening spirits who put curses on people. Some fairies are shy, hiding from humans in the forests, while others help hikers lost in nature. 

Fairies have been depicted in fairy tales such as Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, and other classic literature. In modern stories, fairies are often beautiful, magical winged creatures with a variety of powers and capabilities. Whether we call them fae folk, fair folk, or fairies, the question remains: Are fairies real, and, if so, where can we spot them?Ben Hubbard is an accomplished nonfiction author for children and adults with over 160 titles to his name. He has written about many subjects, from space, the samurai, and sharks, to poison, pets, and the Plantagenets. His books have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookshops, schools, and libraries around the world. He currently lives in British Columbia, Canada.