Tylwyth Teg (Middle Welsh for "Fair Family" or "Beautiful Ones") is the most common term in Welsh folklore for mythological beings corresponding to fairies or the "fair folk". Unlike the small, winged pixies often found in modern stories, they are traditionally described as human-sized or slightly smaller, often with golden hair and a majestic, if sometimes dangerous, presence.
Key Characteristics
- Appearance: They are frequently depicted as beautiful, golden-haired beings with very pale skin. While some modern interpretations give them wings, older legends describe them as indistinguishable from humans except for their supernatural aura.
- Habitats: They are said to live in hidden realms, such as under hollow hills (mounds), in deep crevices, or beneath lakes like Llyn y Fan Fach.
- Nature: They can be both benevolent and malevolent. They are known for dancing in "fairy rings" and sometimes rewarding humans who keep a clean home or provide fresh water. However, they are also associated with kidnapping mortals and leaving "changelings" (stolen or swapped children) in their place.
Five Main Varieties
In Welsh mythology, the Tylwyth Teg is an umbrella term that includes several distinct types of beings:
- Ellyllon: Tiny elves or sprites who frequent groves and valleys.
- Coblynau: Mine fairies believed to help or warn miners by knocking on the walls of caves.
- Bwbachod: Helpful but easily offended household spirits, similar to brownies.
- Gwragedd Annwn: Beautiful female lake spirits or underwater fairies.
- Gwyllion: Gloomy mountain spirits or hags that lead travellers astray in the mist.
Common Folklore
- Iron: Like many Celtic fae, the Tylwyth Teg have an intense aversion to iron, which can be used as a protective ward against them.
- Time Distortion: Time in the realm of the Tylwyth Teg moves much slower than in the mortal world; a single day spent dancing in a fairy ring could equate to a hundred years in human time.