Seelie is a term for fairies in Scottish folklore, appearing in the form of seely wights or The Seelie Court. The Northern and Middle English word seely (also seily, seelie, sealy), and the Scots form seilie, mean "happy", "lucky" or "blessed."[1] Despite their name, the seelie folk of legend could be morally ambivalent and dangerous. Calling them "seelie," similar to names such as "good neighbors," may have been a euphemism to ward off their anger.[2][3]
The word derives from the Old English sǣl and gesǣlig and the Proto-West Germanic*sālīg (“blissful, happy”). The ModernStandard English word "silly" is also derived from this root.
The antonym, unseely (also unsall,[4]unsell[5]) means "unhappy", "misfortunate" or "unholy."
Seelie wightsedit
Many Scottish ballads and tales tell of "Seilie wichts" or "wights," meaning blessed beings.[1] Julian Goodare theorized that these were legendary nature spirits, similar to but distinct from fairies. Goodare additionally hypothesized that there was a sixteenth-century shamanistic cult centering around these beings, comparable to the Italian Benandanti and donas de fuera. One of the earliest pieces of evidence comes from the sixteenth-century theologian William Hay, who complained of witches and local pagans claiming to meet with fairy-like women called "celly vichtys." The name is also similar to the Swiss-German "Sälïgen Lütt."[3]
Seelie and Unseelie courtsedit
The Seelie Court is a group of fairies, often specified as good fairies who contrast with the wicked Unseelie Court.[6] As described by British folklorist Katharine Mary Briggs, the Seelie Court were those fairies who would seek help from humans, warn those who have accidentally offended them, and return human kindness with favors of their own. Still, a fairy belonging to this court would avenge insults and could be prone to mischief.[7]
Conversely, the Unseelie Court were the darkly-inclined fairies who would attack without provocation. Briggs equated the Unseelie Court with the Sluagh (who abducted travelers at night and fired elf-shot) as well as the shellycoat, nuckelavee, redcaps, baobhan sith, and various other wicked fairies from English, Scottish and Irish lore.[8]
The "seely court" is mentioned in the ballad of "Allison Gross," where they play a benevolent role.[9] "Allison Gross" was recorded from Anne or Anna Gorden of Aberdeen, Scotland, sometime around 1783.[10][11] The seely court is also named in at least one fragmentary version of "Tam Lin," where they are more negative figures.[12]
Welsh folkloreedit
A possible equivalent to the Scottish "seelie" appears in the Welsh "sili," used in some individual fairy names. In a Welsh tale, "Sili go Dwt" was the name of a Rumpelstiltskin-like fairy whose name had to be guessed.[13] In a possibly related fragmentary story, a fairy woman was heard singing the words "sili ffrit" while she spun thread. Sir John Rhys found that "sili ffrit" was sometimes used as a term for a child of the Tywlyth Teg or for anything small.[14]
Rhys proposed that "sili" came from the English "silly" (in this sense meaning happy) and "ffrit" from "fright," thus a term for a ghost. The term would have come to Wales via the Welsh marches. He also suggested that "Sili go Dwt" was a corruption of English fairy names featuring the syllable "tot" (such as Tom Tit Tot).[15]
^ ab. Dsl.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2014-05-13. Retrieved 2014-05-11.
^Briggs, Katharine Mary (1976). An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Brownies, Boogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures. Pantheon Books. pp. xi.
^ abGoodare, Julian (2012). "The Cult of the Seely Wights in Scotland". Folklore. 123 (2): 198–219. doi:10.1080/0015587X.2012.682483. ISSN 0015-587X. JSTOR 41721541. S2CID 161104856.
^Dunbar, William (1860). The Life and Poems of William Dunbar. W. P. Nimmo. p. 295.
^Lindsay, David (1879). The Poetical Works of Sir David Lyndsay, Volume 2. W. Patterson. p. 305.
^"On Good and Bad Fairies". Edinburgh Magazine. 5: 16–19. 1819.
^Briggs, Katharine Mary (1976). An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Brownies, Boogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures. Pantheon Books. p. 353.
^Briggs, Katharine Mary (1976). An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Brownies, Boogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures. Pantheon Books. pp. 419–420.
^Kekäläinen, Kirsti (1983). Aspects of Style and Language in Child's Collection of English and Scottish Popular Ballads. Suomalainen tiedeakatemia. ISBN9789514104589.
^Publications of the Edinburgh Bibliographical Society: Papers, 1890-95. Edinburgh Bibliographical Society. 1896.
^Child, Francis James, ed. (1890). Tam Lin. Vol. I Part 2. Boston: Houghton Mifflin and Company. pp. 507–508. Retrieved 2017-11-19. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
^Thomas, William Jenkyn (1907). The Welsh Fairy-book. T.F. Unwin. pp. 178–179. ISBN9787250005481.
^Rhys, John (1901). Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx, Volume 1. Clarendon Press. pp. 64–66.
^Rhys, John (1901). Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx, Volume 2. Clarendon Press. pp. 590–593.
January 01, 1970
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Seelie is a term for fairies in Scottish folklore appearing in the form of seely wights or The Seelie Court The Northern and Middle English word seely also seily seelie sealy and the Scots form seilie mean happy lucky or blessed 1 Despite their name the seelie folk of legend could be morally ambivalent and dangerous Calling them seelie similar to names such as good neighbors may have been a euphemism to ward off their anger 2 3 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Seelie wights 3 Seelie and Unseelie courts 4 Welsh folklore 5 See also 6 ReferencesEtymology editThe word derives from the Old English sǣl and gesǣlig and the Proto West Germanic salig blissful happy The Modern Standard English word silly is also derived from this root The antonym unseely also unsall 4 unsell 5 means unhappy misfortunate or unholy Seelie wights editMany Scottish ballads and tales tell of Seilie wichts or wights meaning blessed beings 1 Julian Goodare theorized that these were legendary nature spirits similar to but distinct from fairies Goodare additionally hypothesized that there was a sixteenth century shamanistic cult centering around these beings comparable to the Italian Benandanti and donas de fuera One of the earliest pieces of evidence comes from the sixteenth century theologian William Hay who complained of witches and local pagans claiming to meet with fairy like women called celly vichtys The name is also similar to the Swiss German Saligen Lutt 3 Seelie and Unseelie courts editThe Seelie Court is a group of fairies often specified as good fairies who contrast with the wicked Unseelie Court 6 As described by British folklorist Katharine Mary Briggs the Seelie Court were those fairies who would seek help from humans warn those who have accidentally offended them and return human kindness with favors of their own Still a fairy belonging to this court would avenge insults and could be prone to mischief 7 Conversely the Unseelie Court were the darkly inclined fairies who would attack without provocation Briggs equated the Unseelie Court with the Sluagh who abducted travelers at night and fired elf shot as well as the shellycoat nuckelavee redcaps baobhan sith and various other wicked fairies from English Scottish and Irish lore 8 The seely court is mentioned in the ballad of Allison Gross where they play a benevolent role 9 Allison Gross was recorded from Anne or Anna Gorden of Aberdeen Scotland sometime around 1783 10 11 The seely court is also named in at least one fragmentary version of Tam Lin where they are more negative figures 12 Welsh folklore editA possible equivalent to the Scottish seelie appears in the Welsh sili used in some individual fairy names In a Welsh tale Sili go Dwt was the name of a Rumpelstiltskin like fairy whose name had to be guessed 13 In a possibly related fragmentary story a fairy woman was heard singing the words sili ffrit while she spun thread Sir John Rhys found that sili ffrit was sometimes used as a term for a child of the Tywlyth Teg or for anything small 14 Rhys proposed that sili came from the English silly in this sense meaning happy and ffrit from fright thus a term for a ghost The term would have come to Wales via the Welsh marches He also suggested that Sili go Dwt was a corruption of English fairy names featuring the syllable tot such as Tom Tit Tot 15 See also editClassifications of FairiesReferences edit a b SND Seil Dsl ac uk Archived from the original on 2014 05 13 Retrieved 2014 05 11 Briggs Katharine Mary 1976 An Encyclopedia of Fairies Hobgoblins Brownies Boogies and Other Supernatural Creatures Pantheon Books pp xi a b Goodare Julian 2012 The Cult of the Seely Wights in Scotland Folklore 123 2 198 219 doi 10 1080 0015587X 2012 682483 ISSN 0015 587X JSTOR 41721541 S2CID 161104856 Dunbar William 1860 The Life and Poems of William Dunbar W P Nimmo p 295 Lindsay David 1879 The Poetical Works of Sir David Lyndsay Volume 2 W Patterson p 305 On Good and Bad Fairies Edinburgh Magazine 5 16 19 1819 Briggs Katharine Mary 1976 An Encyclopedia of Fairies Hobgoblins Brownies Boogies and Other Supernatural Creatures Pantheon Books p 353 Briggs Katharine Mary 1976 An Encyclopedia of Fairies Hobgoblins Brownies Boogies and Other Supernatural Creatures Pantheon Books pp 419 420 Francis James Child The English and Scottish Popular Ballads Allison Gross Kekalainen Kirsti 1983 Aspects of Style and Language in Child s Collection of English and Scottish Popular Ballads Suomalainen tiedeakatemia ISBN 9789514104589 Publications of the Edinburgh Bibliographical Society Papers 1890 95 Edinburgh Bibliographical Society 1896 Child Francis James ed 1890 Tam Lin Vol I Part 2 Boston Houghton Mifflin and Company pp 507 508 Retrieved 2017 11 19 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a work ignored help Thomas William Jenkyn 1907 The Welsh Fairy book T F Unwin pp 178 179 ISBN 9787250005481 Rhys John 1901 Celtic Folklore Welsh and Manx Volume 1 Clarendon Press pp 64 66 Rhys John 1901 Celtic Folklore Welsh and Manx Volume 2 Clarendon Press pp 590 593 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Seelie amp oldid 1172259151, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
