If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? I would go to the land of the faeries. Faeries have provided countless stories for authors, poets, minstrels, and bards to write or sing. They have been popular topics for as long as humans can remember.

There are many different views and opinions on faeries. The most contrasting and common views are on the actual existence of faeries. Most people no longer believe in faeries. Even children are beginning to give up their fascination with the only creatures they understand better than adults. Why? One of the most common arguments presented against the existence of faeries is the burden of proof. There are two things wrong with that argument. The first is the person making the argument usually believes in a god or spirit who governs or watches over the world. The same burden of proof may be used on these beings as well. This leads to the second problem with the argument. Literature may be used as evidence of existence for both of these beings, even if currently belief in god(s) is stronger than belief in faeries. Actually, there is a rise in the following of the Faerie Wicca religion, which shows that belief in faeries is beginning to increase. Where people will refer to the Bible as evidence of existence for God; folklore, which has its origins from before the Bible, may be referred to as evidence of existence for faeries. There is no proof as to the existence of these beings, either. However, the only way to receive "hard" proof for the existence of faeries would be to believe in them and take steps to have an "encounter" with faeries.

Most people are not willing to take the argument that far, and so must resort to literature and history. There has always been a belief in faeries in many different cultures around the globe. Each culture gave these amazing creatures different names. Some of the most common names and spellings currently used are: Faerie, Faery, Fae, Faye, Fairy, Sidhe, The Good Folk, The Little Folk, and The Seelie Court or Unseelie Court. All the cultures with histories of faeries have similarities in their descriptions of faeries. Most have races that are mischievous, good, evil, neutral, helpful, and harmful. Processional races are often found, whether in the form of the Wild Hunt or courtly processions. Dwarves, Gnomes, Brownies, and other short craftspeople or metalworkers are commonly recognized. There are water faeries, earth faeries, wood faeries, and air faeries. There are so many faerie races it would be folly to try and list them all. But the point is, if so many cultures believe in these creatures, how can they be mythical? Why will people not accept that they merely choose to remain unseen? Why will faeries not reveal themselves to those who do not believe? Perhaps someone should go and ask the faeries!