English version | I do believe in fairies*

Thus cried Peter Pan to save the life of one of those little foot high creatures with a pair of wings. Yes, we want to believe in fairies. After all, we are all in need of someone who, as if by magic, will give us everything we could ever wish for.

This could not be an issue truly dedicated to fairy tales if it were not to dive into the origin of what gives it its name. When we talk about princesses and princes, dragons and villains, the sparkle that only fairies can give cannot be missing - It is not by chance that all these legends and stories of universal folklore always have their touch of magic. But not all of them are like Tinker Bell, short, grumpy, and friendly. The word "fairy" is an "umbrella" term: under it fit dozens, perhaps hundreds of creatures that fit the basic description of what a fairy is, that is, something out of mythology, usually associated with nature and supernatural magic. So this category includes nymphs, elves, gnomes, and everything that is enchanted (but not necessarily enchanting). The 21st century fairy is a human-looking being with a human appearance, a slender figure of the female gender with long hair, a shiny porcelain face, and, of course, a pair of translucent wings. In short: a mysterious enchanting woman, beautiful and enviable (just look at the Fairy Godmother in the new version of Cinderella, or any of the Winx). But it was not always like this. 

The fairy is a mythical creature that has its origin in folklore of Galician and Germanic peoples, that is, it has existed since the Middle Ages - and we know that very little in medieval Europe was beautiful. At that time, they were beings that most resembled what we now call elves, with a humanoid appearance, very short in stature, and who lived in harmony with nature. In fact, if there is a key feature that distinguishes the human from the fairy (besides magical powers, of course), it is the relationship they maintain with their environment. According to several legends, these creatures can live in groups, but they have not evolved into a technological civilization unlike humans. Fairies have always lived far from people and closer to what is more natural - like a kind of Amish community, but considerably more aesthetic and mystical. So much so that in visual representations they are likely to be barefoot, with as little clothing as possible, and with long hair, as if they were allowed to exist without ever intervening in their appearance. Not only do they organize themselves far from humans but are extremely sensitive to their presence. It doesn't take much to offend a fairy, and proof of this is Tinker Bell who was so upset with Peter Pan, as if she were a jealous girlfriend. By the way, in Scottish folklore these creatures are divided into two categories: seelie or unseelie. The former are described as kind and understanding, easily relating to humans and even seek help from us. On the other hand, the unseelie are more sinister and dangerous. While the former retaliate only when they feel offended, you don't have to do anything to this second category to be attacked. This is why, according to the common imagination, there are certain things that you can do to prevent being the target of a spell or assaulted by a group of fairies by a group of fairies: wear your clothes inside out or have a clover wear your clothes inside out, or have a four-leaf clover and St. John's wort. In Canada, protection is done with bread, either dry or fresh, which is carried in the pocket or left at home, since it represents the taking of nature. The Celtic people have a more friendly approach - they cultivate good relations with fairies through offerings of sweets and pastries as well as butter and cream. Also the Christian religion has its own perspective on these mythical creatures. Legend has it that a group of angels rebelled against God, who ordered the gates of heaven to be closed. Those who remained inside remained angels, those in hell became demons, and the fairies are the ones left in the middle: beings who are neither divine nor demonic enough to fall into one of the two categories. Other accounts point to the conception of fairies as angels who have been demoted (it turns out that it is really a job). Arthur Conan Doyle, in his work The Coming of the Fairies, talks about a theologian who conceives them as little beings whose function is to provide the essential link between the energy of the Sun and the plants on Earth. As far as their physical appearance is concerned, there are a thousand ways to represent a fairy. In their genesis, they were everything but the ethereal beings we see in movies today - the original stories describe them with long, clawed fingers, sharp teeth, and grayish or greenish skin. Before they had wings, fairies flew simply by magic, or rode on small birds. small birds. Later, the image evolved into a figure more and more and more like a human being, with less exaggerated features and maintaining a height of a palm. As for the slender, elegant fairy, the true princess with wings, this is a creation that can be attributed to romantic art and literature. In this artistic current that describes itself as idealizing nature and recovering the past culture, folk tales could not be left out. Fantasy gained protagonism and, already at the beginning of the 20th century, some of the great works that still define the genre were born. The Little White Bird, by James Matthew Barrie, was the book that introduced Peter Pan to the world in 1902 (the boy who did not want to grow up may be the protagonist, but in this story he is Tinker Bell's sidekick). Sir Arthur Conan Doyle also contributed to the to the trend with The Coming of the Fairies, a work in which he explains the origin of fairies, and where he expresses his strong belief in their

existence. In 1937, The Hobbit, the prequel to J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, is published, in which the characters fall somewhat under everything that the term "fairy" encompasses. Later, in 1950, the first book of C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia is published, deeply inspired by folk tales and the mythical creatures that are the protagonists. But it is to Queen Mary of England that we owe the image we have today of the woodland fairy. In addition to her interest in fantasy and mythical and mythical stories, the monarch had a special curiosity for these creatures. And it is already known that members of the royal family are the original influencers: what the Queen liked was widely (and must) be appreciated by the court and the highest levels of society. King George VI's mother was known for her taste for fairy illustrations, specifically those by Cicely Mary Barker. In 1923, the artist published Flower Fiairis of the Spring, a book with 24 illustrations of tiny beings, little larger than the grass on which they are painted. Here begins to consolidate the fairy as a figure on a (much) smaller scale, with butterfly wings and dressed in what nature gives her, such as flower petals and green leaves. 

In more recent fiction, what used to be a broadband term becomes more and more restricted to the ethereal and delicate female being who flies through the forest, sprinkling magic dust to the animals around her. The contemporary fairy remains a creature of the woods, although she lives ever closer to humans - often hidden among us. In contrast to more traditional tales, today's creatures are predominantly kind and less and less dangerous. In stories told in books or in movies, the fairy godmother is a common trope: the one in charge of a child's safety, who makes sure that the child achieves all his or her dreams. Princess Aurora, in Sleeping Beauty, is lucky enough to have not one, not two, but three fairy godmothers who, in addition to educating her in the forest far away from everything and everyone, grant her the gift of beauty and song. It is in a moment of distress that a real fashionista with a magic wand that makes the most iconic blue dress in the Disney universe and the infamous crystal shoes that earned her the title of Princess. Elegance and mystery may not be the most appropriate words to describe this character-type, which best fits the warm, helpful, maternal figure. And speaking of fairies popularized by Disney, you can't miss OG, the main sidekick of the fantasy world. Although she is a creature of good - her function is always to help those who need it most - Tinker Bell is not altruistic as the princesses' godmothers. Although the theory has been denied by Margaret Kerry, the actress who voiced her in the 1953 film, it seems obvious the passion that the fairy dressed in green has for Peter Pan: she easily has a jealousy crisis if another girl gets close to the boy who doesn't want to grow up. In fact, the dependence is such that Tinker Bell (a real drama queen) was at risk for lack of attention from Peter Pan. The stingy character is an exception to the rule that dictates that the fairy should be a graceful woman committed to using her magical powers for the benefit of those around her - just like the Winx. Bloom, Stella, Flora, Tecna, Musa and Layla each have a gift from birth, but in this universe, being a fairy requires a degree. The group of friends study at college, where they learn to perfect their powers, to then fight villains. Besides being the example of the contemporary fairy, who goes to class and has a cell phone, the Winx are the epitome, the inspiration, the canon of Y2K Fashion in cartoons. These days, and especially of TikTok, no one can call themselves a 2000s trend enthusiast if you don't look to these fairies as a role model (and, given this key cartoon factor, it's no surprise that the live action version of the series, released in 2021, was so poorly received by those who so eagerly anticipated the return of Winx). From times where the memory does not reach, we see that the fairy also does not escape the inevitable natural evolution of the species. What started to be a sinister creature, a true antagonist of a fairy tale, is today a fashion icon and a femme fatale of the woods.

*If we have learned anything from fairy tales, it is that certain things exist only if we believe in them - that's how Tinker Bell was saved in Peter Pan. in Peter Pan. And, because a little magic is always needed in our lives, this text was written under the belief that fairies not only exist but live among us. I do believe in fairies.

Translated from the original on The Fairytale Issue, from Vogue Portugal, published May/June 2022.

Full stories and credits on the print issue.