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Angels, Faeries & Nature Spriits
The term
'angel', from the Latin
angelus, entered the English language in very early times when it denoted a supernatural being of kindly qualities. In the Bible it translates Hebrew and Greek words meaning
'messenger'. The earliest angels were heavenly nymphs, like Hindu
apsaras, who dispensed sensual bliss to the blessed ones. Vikings called them
Valkyries. Greeks called them
Horae. Persians called them
Houris or
Peris (fairies), which came to be the term used to describe nature spirits.
Fairy stories, before Shakespeare, always referred to creatures that were the same size as humans & usually involved a human marrying a fairy. Asian folk stories also refer to faeries as being human size. In fact, anyone that was ‘charming’ or ‘enchanting’ was considered to be ‘fey’ or ‘faerie’.
