The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries is an in-depth investigation of folklore beliefs from the Celtic nations of Europe: as well as fairies, the Celtic Gods and creatures such as elves, leprechauns, and pixies are examined.
Walter Evans-Wentz was a respected anthropologist famed for.
This edition contains the author\'s original notes in their entirety.
In all, this work is an eclectic and wide-ranging account which pieces together aspects of Celtic spirituality.
The investigation ranges between the various deities and personages the Celts had in their religious lore, and how these were related to mystical beings such as the titular fairies, and other beings such as the elves.
Although the author displays an occasional tendency to overzealously assert conclusions from limited knowledge, there is no denying the fact that this work is a comprehensive and ambitious investigation of the ancient Celtic belief system.
We also discover how Christianity co-opted aspects of Celtic tradition to increase its appeal; though paganism fell out of favor, there is evidence it shaped how Christianity established itself across Northern Europe.
Nature worship, such as veneration of the seasons and even large trees, is established.
The evidence for Celtic cults dedicated to the worship of certain unusual beings is growing; the remnants of the granges and priestly mounds shows there to have been much ritualism and activity.
Later in the text, we receive a broader examination of discoveries turned up in archaeology.
Some claim to have seen them, and the tone of these sightings vary: some fairies are beautiful and tranquil, while others are bizarre and fear-inducing.
How the traditions are practiced in the author\'s day are discussed in interviews obtained with elderly people familiar with the fairy beliefs.
The author strives to determine where the beliefs of the Celts originated, how they evolved over time, and what influence they carried in terms of spiritual beliefs and effects on culture.
The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries is an in-depth investigation of folklore beliefs from the Celtic nations of Europe: as well as fairies, the Celtic Gods and creatures such as elves, leprechauns, and pixies are examined
