What is a Fairy in French?

The word fairy appears in English around 1330, and its first sense is of enchantment or magic. Later it comes to mean a magical or enchanted land, then the beings that inhabit such a place (generally thought of as fairy folk). Then in the 16th century the word begins to be used of a particular type of woman who has special powers, or at least who is attractive and seductive. Later it is also used, usually derogatorily, to describe a man who has particularly effeminate or homosexual characteristics.

In the 17th century, French fairy tales — or contes de fees — became a fashionable new genre. While literary history subsequently privileged Charles Perrault’s Mother Goose stories, it was in fact the female writers who inaugurated the vogue, known as les conteuses, who created 68 of the classic stories published between 1690 and 1709. They experimented with many forms of fiction and celebrated women’s writing while critiquing the oppressions that ruled their day.

They are a variety of supernatural beings in the folklore of France and other countries in Europe, including stories of changelings, pixies, gnomes, goblins, leprechauns, and other mystical creatures. They are often associated with forests, woodlands, and mountains, and with rivers and lakes. In some stories, they are said to be responsible for miracles and healing. They are also known for being able to change shape and appearance.

French folklore contains a great number of legends and mythological stories, especially those from the medieval period when the country was divided into several regions. Many of these stories are based on ancient legends and traditions of Celtic people that lived in the regions of France.

In modern times, the term fairy is used in many languages and cultures. In English, it is common to refer to a fairy ring or circle on the ground, which is often believed to be a mark made by fairies. Typically, these circles are circular marks in the grass that are different from the surrounding vegetation, or they may be caused by the growth pattern of certain fungi. Other explanations include the idea that they are left by fairies as dance markers for their whimsy and courtesies, or the notion that they might have been made by lightning or by ants. In Serbia, when parents finish a story with their children they usually say “Cica mica i gotova prica” (uncle Mica and the happy end). The same phrase is used in Czech to finish a fairy tale: “Et vidli srecno do kraja zivota.” (“And they lived happily ever after.”)