Shy

It is obvious that fairies do not like to be seen by humans; for although they live in every rock and tree, they almost never appear to humans. Instead, it is within their nature to hide from mortals. Why should this be? Why is it that fairies always appear to be nervous around humans? It is, of course, possible that the reason is the danger humans present to fairies. After all, there are a number of stories in which people take fairies hostage to force them to marry them, provide gold, or to grant other forms of wishes.

Yet the fairies’ fear of humans stems from more than simply our ability to harm them. Fairies which fly at a distance should know they are safe from humans yet they too are rarely seen.

What exactly is it about human sight that scares them? Is it perhaps the natural power which humans have, the ability to essentially give the evil eye? Or is it perhaps a form of embarrassment? There is a tale in which the dwarfs who helped humans all ran off never to be seen again because one person saw that they had the feet of geese. In ancient mythology, people believed that humans came from fairies; that we essentially chose to be grounded, to mature, to grow, and to change. Fairies, however, never grew and so are like shy children, like spirits that can never pass on. Fairies are forever caught in a realm between being humans and gods, between eternity and momentary bliss, between life and death. Perhaps it is the solidness, the stability of humans that disturbs fairies. Perhaps fairies feel the discomfort of our solid gaze just as a child would. The times then when fairies seek out humans are those times when humans join them in the realm of in-between; at puberty, parts of childhood, birth, and death.