Fairies and Unicorns – Are They Related?

Fairies, unicorns and mermaids are one of the most popular characters in children’s books. In a lot of ways fairies embody the characteristics of what children love to imagine themselves to be like – curious, magical, beautiful, mysterious and fun. Many people also choose fairies as a subject for their children’s bedtime stories because fairies are a magical creature that is often associated with sleeping. Many fairy tales are based on stories of little girls going to a strange fairytale land where they meet a magical fairy who grants them the magical ability of flight.

fairies unicorns mermaids

A lot of artists have chosen to represent fairies through paintings. Ariel the mermaid is by far the most popular fairy theme for children. Other fairies themes include the wild animals of unicorns and the rivers of unicorns. The most common color for fairies is blue. The most common design for fairies is a magical white horse with a rainbow of colorful wings. Fairies have always been an important part of folklore and magic and children love to imagine themselves as fairies.

The invention of fairies is linked to the Greek god of wine and revelry, Dionysus. He created a number of mythical creatures, among them the nymphs, satyr and minnows. He also learned that by Means of spells and potion he could turn into any animal. As time passed, the popularity of fairies waned and their role in myth became that of a charming prankster. It was not until the middle ages that fairies started to appear more prominently in folklore and stories.

When fairies were first portrayed in print, the traditional fairies were demure and shy. The nymphs had no wings and were usually portrayed as beautiful young women, sometimes with the head of a goat. Some fairies had the ability to fly, while others could breathe ocean air. However, this was only a general description and little in evidence has revealed that fairies actually did have wings and could fly.

From early writings we do know that fairies and unicorns have grey wings, though it is unclear whether this was intended or not. The term ‘unicorn’ does appear to have been derived from Greek mythology and has a meaning relating to ‘one horn’. Fairies’ traditional dresses are usually a bright green with sometimes gold accents. The exact meaning of the word fairies may be unknown but it is generally assumed that they are female animals with magical powers.

In popular literature fairies are often shown as hideous creatures with deformed horns, strange colors and few distinguishing features. Some of these creatures may have been real, but it is more likely that fairies were inspired by the traditionally fabulous nymphs of Greek mythology. The nymphs were semi-conscious and beautiful women who had the ability to hypnotize men. This feature was later taken on by the Disney fairies and although they still retain their magical powers their appearance has been changed.