Difference Between Fairy and Faerie
Table of Contents
The words fairy and faerie are used by people in the same sense and is thought to be just a difference in spelling and nothing much. But there are several differences between fairy and faerie. They are both different mythical spirits.
Fairy vs Faerie
The main difference between fairy and faerie is that a fairy is a young, kind and pure spirit whereas a faerie is a mischievous, evil, and horrid creature.
The fairies are mythical creatures who can be described as small humanoid creatures with thin, membranous wings and who generally tend to stay away from all the humans and the human world. The faeries are mythical creatures who are like fairies except for their personality which is that they are evil and dangerously mischievous creatures.
They are also associated with stealing. They are immortal beings and can only be killed by some special methods. That is why, the ages of many fairies and faeries is more than a hundred years. Modern fairies are described to have a glow to them.
The portrayal of fairies from the older times to the modern times can vary depending upon the type of fairy tale they are a part of. For example, in the story of Cinderella, the fairy godmother is portrayed just like a human whereas in the story of Peter Pan, Tinkle Bell is portrayed as a small creature with a glow to her.
Comparison Table Between Fairy and Faerie
| Parameters of Comparison | Fairy | Faerie |
|---|---|---|
| Origin of the term | The word fairy has been derived from the Latin word “fatum” which means fate. | The word faerie has been derived from the Gaelic “fear shide” which means man of shee. |
| Personality | Fairies are young, pure and kind mythical creatures. | Faeries are evil, horrid and terrifying mythical creatures. |
| Looks | Fairies are generally very good looking and pretty | Faeries are not as good looking as fairies and they look evil. |
| Behaviour | They can be mischievous but they are not dangerous. | They are very mischievous and can also cause damage and are dangerous. |
| Example | Example of a fairy is Tinker Bell and the fairy godmother of Cinderella. | Example of a faerie is the banshees, goblins and elves. |
What is Fairy?
The origin of the word fairy is from the Latin word “fatum” whose meaning is fate. Fairies are small humanoid creatures with thin, membranous wings. They are very good looking. They are quite pretty, cute and handsome. They are kind, generous and pure hearted creatures.
Also, fairies tend to stay away from humans or from the human world. But they help small children and also play with them. They do not show up in front of adults. They can be mischievous but never can be considered dangerous in any way. Fairies are also immortal but they are not indestructible. They can only be killed by some special rituals or tools but never of illness and aging.
This is why some fairies are more than a hundred years old. Most fairies as portrayed today, have an iridescent glow to them and many of them are considered to be at least partially immortal. They live in their own world peacefully and help out each other. Examples of fairies can be the fairy godmother of Cinderella, the Tinker Bell in Peter Pan and many others.
What is Faerie?
The origin of the word faerie is from the Gaelic “fear shide” whose meaning is man of shee. Faeries are considered to be very evil and as horrifying and terrifying creatures.
These mythical creatures are not as pretty or handsome as the fairies. They are quite mischievous and they can also be very dangerous. They are associated with stealing of children who are then treated as slaves or pets by them. They have various powers to carry out such actions.
As fairies, faeries also are in fact immortal. They can only be killed by special weapons in specific situations. Faeries cannot die of old age or of any sort of illness. The examples of faeries can be the Banshees, goblins, elves and many more.
Main Differences Between Fairy and Faerie
Conclusion
Both the words fairy and faerie are similar to each other in spelling but they both represent two different creatures with different personalities. Fairy is a word that describes the pure hearted, kind and generous mythical creatures who help children while Faerie is a word that describes the evil, terrifying and horrifying mythical creatures that steal stuff.
In comparison with a fairy, a faerie is less good looking. Fairies are quite handsome, cute and pretty. They both are really mischievous but fairies don’t cause any danger while faeries cause great dangers due to their evil nature. Fairies can elevate to higher levels by doing good deeds and helping everyone around them selflessly.
Both fairies and faeries cannot die of natural causes such as illnesses or aging. They can be killed by some special spells or weapons only. Otherwise, they are immortal beings. There is a difference between modern fairies and older versions of them like the modern fairies have a glow to them. The fairy Tinkle Bell is shown to have a glow to her body and is very small while the fairy godmother is shown as a human sized fairy with no glow to her.
References
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