Originating in Scottish folklore, the Seelie court is a group of fae folk who are generally considered to be “good” since they are somewhat tolerant of humans. Still, they won’t hesitate to test or torment anyone who gets in their way. This Seelie faerie lives deep within the backcountry of west Texas, occasionally coming out from patches of prickly pear cactus to light the way for lost hikers. Follow the glow at your own risk.

In English and Welsh folklore, Pillywiggins are playful, winged creatures who come out most during Springtime to tend to wildflower fields. Texas has more than 800,000 acres of wildflower fields and 5,000 native species, so any Pillywiggins inhabiting this great state will have their work cut out for them! This particular fae features our state flower - the bluebonnet- and our state insect -the monarch butterfly.

The Hyldermoder is a Scandinavian tree guardian- watching over ancient trees and their magicks. In Texas Gothic Fae lore, she lives deep within the Big Thicket National preserve - there are over 100, 000 acres and nine different ecosystems in this patch of Texas and it needs all the protection it can get.

In Welsh and Cornish mythology, Tommyknockers are dwarves who live deep underground and come out into mines to commit random acts of mischief. In some tales they warn miners of impending cave-ins, but in other stories, they cause them. In Texas, these mine-dwellers breach the surface in the Grand Saline salt mine- seismic tests show the salt dome goes down 20,000 feet so who even knows what else is lurking down there.

Small, hairy, mischievous, but helpful English faeries, Hobgoblins typically live under or around houses.

In Texas, these little guys may look scarier than actually they are. They roam the property at night to help keep unwanted pests under control. Leave a few fallen pecans on the ground as an offering and he’ll leave you alone. Probably.

In Scottish folklore, the Unseelie court is the more darkly-inclined fae, those with no tolerance for humans. Even though they are known to cause trouble, I hesitate to call them “evil” ... like death and decay aren’t inherently “evil”processes, they’re just indiscriminate. That’s why this Texas Gothic Fae prefers the rotten underbelly of every landscape, reclaiming the departed for the soil. Texas may not have a state mushroom, but there is a species that exists ONLY in TX & Japan - the Texas Star Chorioactis. How nuts is that??

In English folklore, Boggarts are unpleasant earth faeries who either haunt a household or a specific outdoor biome, like marshes or caves. In Texas, they lurk among the 5 million acres of wetlands, a de facto conservationist. He’ll typically skim the water like an alligator, but when approached, he stands forebodingly tall.

In traditional Irish folklore, the Banshee’s mournful wails warn of an impending death: she is a harbinger of doom. However, some accounts of the Banshee see her presence as a Protector, meant to guide you away from death. It’s just that no one pays her much attention until the telltale shrieking starts, and at that point, it may be too late. In Mexico and the Southwestern United States we do have the folkloric parallel of La Llorona, a ghost mourning for her drowned children. She has both benevolent (warning children away from dangerous waters) and malevolent (kidnapping children to replace her own) facets to her folklore. So in this interpretation of Texas Gothic Fae, the Banshee haunts the Rio Grande, both as a silent guide across the perilous waters and a wailing warning of imminent danger.

The Leanansidhe is an siren -like faery of Irish folklore who serves as a deadly muse to mortals. In Texas, this faerie enjoys hiking to the top of Enchanted Rock — a pink granite mountain in TX Hill Country named for the ghostly lights and noises once reported by native tribes.

Wag-by-the-Way are small creatures with a long furry tail that are often found in the Scottish lowland roads, observing and protecting travelers. They enjoy a warm fire, and if you are kind to them, they can even be convinced to guard your home. In Texas, they manifest as the friendly, magickal neighborhood cat, protecting passersby at night but always home for breakfast in the morning.

In British folklore, Piskies (also “pixies) are mishevious creatures with large heads and pointed ears. They are fond of dancing and gathering in large groups around sacred Celtic sites. In Texas, Piskies like to live in colonies under bridges and fly about at night. (Side note: did you know 33 different species of bat live in Texas?)

In Scottish folklore, the brownie is a hairy household spirit. If they feel appreciated, they will come out at night to help around the house. Which in Texas, means getting out the molcajete to prep a texmex spice blend (pictured here, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, garlic and cilantro leaf for garnish)