Classification of Welsh Fairies

British Goblins: Welsh Folk Lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions (1881)

Book 1 Chapter 2

by

Wirt Sikes

Examining the different types of Welsh Fairies, from the Pwca (and Shakespeare's Puck) to the Ellylldan, Coblynau, Knockers and household fairies. Sikes also looks at Dwarfs, bogies and hobgoblins as well as telling us a humourous story of the Preacher and the Bwbach.

Rowli Pugh and the Ellyl

Running Order:

• Section 1 0:42
  
  • General Designation 1:53
  • Habits of the Tylwyth Teg 3:43
    
• Section 2 5:38
  
  • Ellyllon, or Elves 5:42
    
  • Shakespeare's Use of Welsh Folk-Lore 7:41
• Section 3 8:28
  
  • Rowli Pugh and the Ellyll 9:24
    
  • Household Story Roots 12:22
    
• Section 4 13:42
  • The Ellylldan 13:44
• Section 5 17:19
  
  • The Pooka 17:20
    
  • Puck Valley, Breconshire 18:11
    
  • Where Shakespeare got his Puck 21:07
    
• Section 6 21:43
  • Pwca'r Trwyn 21:44
    
  • Usual Form of the Pooka Story 21:57
    
• Section 7 22:44
  • Coblynau or Mine Fairies 22:46
    
  • The Knockers 23:01
    
• Section 8 24:14
  • Miner's Superstitions 24:18
  • Basilisks and Fire Fiends 27:50
• Section 9 28:54
• • A Fairy Coalmine 29:20
  • The Dwarfs of Cae Caled 30:29
• Section 10 32:18
  • Counterparts of the Coblynau 32:18
• Section 11 34:36
  • The Bwbach, or Household Fairy 34:40
  • Legend of the Bwbach and the Preacher 35:33
• Section 12 37:20
  • Bogies and Hobgoblins 37:23
  • Carrying Mortals through the Air 37:47
  • Counterparts and Originals 38:04

 Charcoal drawn figure of the Pwca

 

Names Used in this Section

All proper names, and words in Welsh or other languages, are recorded here in the show-notes and we've done our best to get the pronounciations right for you.

Keightley
The Elves
The Dwarfs or Trolls
The Nisses
The Necks, Mermen & Mermaids
The Ellyllon (Elves)
The Coblynau (Mine fairies)
The Bwbachod (House fairies)
The Gwragedd Annwn (Lake Fairies)
The Gwyllion (Mountain Fairies)
Y Tylwyth Teg (yn y Coed), Tylwth Teg y Mwn
Bendith y Mamau
Eumenides
Sir Walter Scott
Dayak
Laplander
Ammam
El - 'spirit'
Elf - 'element'
Elihim (Hebrew)
Davydd ab Gwilym
Yr doedd ym mhob gobant
Ellyllon mingeimion gant
Ymenyn tylwyth teg
bwyd ellyllon
menyg ellyllon
Gwyn ap Nudd
Shakespeare
Mercutio
Mab
Cymric
mabgar
mabgath
mabiaith
mabinogi
Mabiogion
Peterston-super-Ely
Cardiff
Glamorganshire
Rowli Pugh
Ellyll
Catti Jones
Bwbach
Mr. Baring-Gould
Grimm's Witchelma(umlaut)nner
Hausma(um.)nner
Milton's L'Allegro
Ellylldan
Will-o'-wisp
Scandinavian Lyktgubhe
Breton Sand Yan y Tad (Saint John the Father)
Dan (fire)
ignis fatuus
Jack-muh-lantern
Iolo the Bard
Pwca, or Pooka, Puck

 

The Pwca

Cambrian fairies
Richard Price, son of Sir John Price
Brecon
Cym Pwca, Puck Valley
Clydach in Breconshire
Frere and Powell
Trwyn Farm, near Abergwyddon (Abercarne)
Pwca'r Trwyn
Campbell
Mrs. Fletcher
Mrs. Siddons
The Oswestry Advertiser
Cefn
Penrhyn
Priestley
Knockers
Newport, Monmouthshire
William Evans of Hafodafel
Beacon Mountain
Egbert Williams
Denbighshire
Cae Caled
Parish of Bodfari
Lanelwyd House
Barbara Jones
Wichtlein (little Wights)
Haus-schmiedlein (little House-smiths)
Heldenbuch
Catskill Mountains
Hendrik Hudson
Cardiganshire
Cwrw da
Bogie
Hobgoblin
Gobelin
'Le gobelin vous mangera, le gobelin vous emportera.'
hob, hopp, coblyn, goblin
Slavonic 'bog'
Baga of the Cuneiform Inscriptions
Professor Fiske
Aryan Bhaga, Sanskrit of the Vedas
Phrygian Zeus "Bagaios"
Xerxxes
Southey

Coblynau

 

British Goblins can be found on Sacred Texts.

You can find out more about Wirt Sikes on Wikipedia.

Try the Celtic Myth Podshow for the Tales and Stories of the Ancient Celts at http://celticmythpodshow.com or on Apple Podcasts.

Our theme music is "Gander at the Pratie Hole" by Sláinte.  You can find their music on the Free Music Archive.

 

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