This article is about the type of fairy called asrai. For the band, see Asrai (band). For the wood elves of the Warhammer fantasy setting, see Wood Elves (Warhammer).
The asrai is a type of aquaticfairy in English folklore and literature. They are usually depicted as female, live in lakes and are similar to the mermaid and nixie. Rather than originating from folklore, the asrai may have been invented by the Scottish poet Robert Williams Buchanan.[1]
The etymology of the word "asrai" is unknown. "Asrey"[2] or "ashray"[3] sometimes appear as spelling variants.
It is unclear whether the asrai was ever part of folk belief. Their oldest known appearance in print was the poem "The Asrai" by Robert Williams Buchanan, first published in April 1872, and followed by a sequel, "The Changeling: A Legend of the Moonlight."[4] The English journalist Robert Francillon, who commissioned the second poem for a special Christmas edition of The Gentleman's Magazine, had originally requested a piece inspired by legends about Bala Lake in Wales. He believed that the asrai were Buchanan's original creation.[1]
The asrai gained renewed attention through the works of British storyteller Ruth Tongue, whose reliability as a folklorist has been questioned.[5] Tongue's collected tales often show signs of drawing from popular fiction.[6]
Characteristicsedit
In Buchanan's poetry, the asrai are pale, gentle beings, older than humanity, who fear light and live beneath a lake. Buchanan's poem "The Changeling" features a male asrai who inhabits a human body, becoming a changeling in search of an immortal soul.
Ruth Tongue attributed stories of the asrai to Cheshire, Shropshire, and the Welsh Border. In her collected work, the asrai are timid and shy, very beautiful, and have webbed feet and green hair. They live for hundreds of years and come up to the surface of the water once each century to bathe in the moonlight. They are long-lived, only aging when exposed to moonlight. Tongue recounts the story of a fisherman who captured an asrai and put it in his boat. It seemed to plead for its freedom in an unknown language, and when the fisherman bound it the touch of its cold wet hands burned his skin like fire, leaving a permanent mark. He covered the asrai with wet weeds, and it continued to protest, its voice getting fainter and fainter. By the time the fisherman reached the shore, the asrai had melted away leaving nothing but a puddle of water in the boat, for the asrai perish if directly exposed too long to the sun.[7][2][8] Their inability to survive daylight is similar to that of trolls from Scandinavian folklore.[9]
Numerous folktale collections have reprinted or retold Tongue's stories. Nancy Arrowsmith describes asrai as always female and standing 2–4 ft (0.61–1.22 m) tall.[10] In a retelling by Rosalind Kerven, the asrai appears with a fishtail instead of legs, and attempts to lure a man with promises of gold and jewels into the deepest part of the lake to drown or simply to trick him. However, she cannot tolerate human coarseness and vulgarity, and this will be enough to frighten her away.[11] This tale had previously been told of a Shropshire mermaid without the term asrai.[12]
^ abFrancillon, R. E. (1913). Mid-Victorian memories. pp. 223–226.
^ abTongue, Ruth (1970). Forgotten Folk-Tales of the English Counties. Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 24–26. ISBN0710068336.
^McCoy, Edain (1994). A Witch's Guide to Faery Folk: Reclaiming Our Working Relationship with Invisible Helpers. Llewellyn Worldwide. pp. 176–177.
^Buchanan, Robert Williams (1884). The Poetical Works of Robert Buchanan. Chatto & Windus. pp. 201-204.
^Simpson, Jacqueline, and Stephen Roud (2000). A Dictionary of English Folklore. Oxford University Press.
^Harte, Jeremy (2001). "Ruth Tongue the Story-Teller". 3rd Stone. 41: 20.
^Briggs, Katharine (1976). An Encyclopedia of Fairies. Pantheon Books. pp. 10–11. ISBN0394409183.
^Briggs, Katharine (1978). The Vanishing People: Fairy Lore and Legends. Pantheon Books. p. 81. ISBN0394502485.
^Lindow, John (2014). Trolls: An Unnatural History. Reaktion Books. p. 40. ISBN9781780232898.
^Arrowsmith, Nancy (2009) [1977]. Field Guide to the Little People. Llewellyn. p. 56. ISBN9780738715490.
^Kerven, Rosalind (2008). English Fairy Tales and Legends. National Trust Books. pp. 120–123, 186–188. ISBN1-905400-65-9.
^Hope, Robert Charles (1893). The Legendary Lore of the Holy Wells of England. Llanerch. p. 139. ISBN9781861430922.
January 19, 2024
asrai, this, article, about, type, fairy, called, asrai, band, band, wood, elves, warhammer, fantasy, setting, wood, elves, warhammer, asrai, type, aquatic, fairy, english, folklore, literature, they, usually, depicted, female, live, lakes, similar, mermaid, n. This article is about the type of fairy called asrai For the band see Asrai band For the wood elves of the Warhammer fantasy setting see Wood Elves Warhammer The asrai is a type of aquatic fairy in English folklore and literature They are usually depicted as female live in lakes and are similar to the mermaid and nixie Rather than originating from folklore the asrai may have been invented by the Scottish poet Robert Williams Buchanan 1 Contents 1 Etymology and origin 2 Characteristics 3 See also 4 Links 5 ReferencesEtymology and origin editThe etymology of the word asrai is unknown Asrey 2 or ashray 3 sometimes appear as spelling variants It is unclear whether the asrai was ever part of folk belief Their oldest known appearance in print was the poem The Asrai by Robert Williams Buchanan first published in April 1872 and followed by a sequel The Changeling A Legend of the Moonlight 4 The English journalist Robert Francillon who commissioned the second poem for a special Christmas edition of The Gentleman s Magazine had originally requested a piece inspired by legends about Bala Lake in Wales He believed that the asrai were Buchanan s original creation 1 The asrai gained renewed attention through the works of British storyteller Ruth Tongue whose reliability as a folklorist has been questioned 5 Tongue s collected tales often show signs of drawing from popular fiction 6 Characteristics editIn Buchanan s poetry the asrai are pale gentle beings older than humanity who fear light and live beneath a lake Buchanan s poem The Changeling features a male asrai who inhabits a human body becoming a changeling in search of an immortal soul Ruth Tongue attributed stories of the asrai to Cheshire Shropshire and the Welsh Border In her collected work the asrai are timid and shy very beautiful and have webbed feet and green hair They live for hundreds of years and come up to the surface of the water once each century to bathe in the moonlight They are long lived only aging when exposed to moonlight Tongue recounts the story of a fisherman who captured an asrai and put it in his boat It seemed to plead for its freedom in an unknown language and when the fisherman bound it the touch of its cold wet hands burned his skin like fire leaving a permanent mark He covered the asrai with wet weeds and it continued to protest its voice getting fainter and fainter By the time the fisherman reached the shore the asrai had melted away leaving nothing but a puddle of water in the boat for the asrai perish if directly exposed too long to the sun 7 2 8 Their inability to survive daylight is similar to that of trolls from Scandinavian folklore 9 Numerous folktale collections have reprinted or retold Tongue s stories Nancy Arrowsmith describes asrai as always female and standing 2 4 ft 0 61 1 22 m tall 10 In a retelling by Rosalind Kerven the asrai appears with a fishtail instead of legs and attempts to lure a man with promises of gold and jewels into the deepest part of the lake to drown or simply to trick him However she cannot tolerate human coarseness and vulgarity and this will be enough to frighten her away 11 This tale had previously been told of a Shropshire mermaid without the term asrai 12 See also editFuath Glaistig Kelpie Melusine Morgan le Fay Morgen Naiad Nakki Nymph Rusalka Selkie Siren UndinesLinks editThe Changeling A Legend of the MoonlightReferences edit a b Francillon R E 1913 Mid Victorian memories pp 223 226 a b Tongue Ruth 1970 Forgotten Folk Tales of the English Counties Routledge amp Kegan Paul pp 24 26 ISBN 0710068336 McCoy Edain 1994 A Witch s Guide to Faery Folk Reclaiming Our Working Relationship with Invisible Helpers Llewellyn Worldwide pp 176 177 Buchanan Robert Williams 1884 The Poetical Works of Robert Buchanan Chatto amp Windus pp 201 204 Simpson Jacqueline and Stephen Roud 2000 A Dictionary of English Folklore Oxford University Press Harte Jeremy 2001 Ruth Tongue the Story Teller 3rd Stone 41 20 Briggs Katharine 1976 An Encyclopedia of Fairies Pantheon Books pp 10 11 ISBN 0394409183 Briggs Katharine 1978 The Vanishing People Fairy Lore and Legends Pantheon Books p 81 ISBN 0394502485 Lindow John 2014 Trolls An Unnatural History Reaktion Books p 40 ISBN 9781780232898 Arrowsmith Nancy 2009 1977 Field Guide to the Little People Llewellyn p 56 ISBN 9780738715490 Kerven Rosalind 2008 English Fairy Tales and Legends National Trust Books pp 120 123 186 188 ISBN 1 905400 65 9 Hope Robert Charles 1893 The Legendary Lore of the Holy Wells of England Llanerch p 139 ISBN 9781861430922 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Asrai amp oldid 1193096749, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
