Whether called "the good people", "the little people", or simply "them", fairies are familiar from their appearances in Shakespeare's plays, Disney's films, and points in between. In many cultures, however, fairies are not just the stuff of distant legend or literature: they are real creatures with supernatural powers. The Good People presents nineteen essays that focus on the actual fairies of folklore - fairies of past and living traditions who affected, and still affect, peoples' lives in myriad ways. The opening section details a large number of traditional customs, beliefs, and narratives. Other sections include analyses of fairy belief and religion, and the social functions of fairylore. Topics range from the medical analysis of "real" fairies - historical persons deemed to be fairies or changelings due to physical peculiarities or disorders - to the fairies of modern popular culture - the Tooth Fairy and the "little people" of UFO encounters. | The Good People by Peter Narváez, Paperback | Indigo Chapters