Fairy Dictionary -R

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The Red Cap, Roanes, Robin Goodfellow, Rubezahl, Rusalki

The Red Cap

Land of Origin: Scotland.
Other Origins: Red-capped faeries are common throughout Europe, though unlike this one, most are friendly to humans.
Other Names: In Northern Ireland he is called Fir Larrig.
Element: Fire.
Appearance and Temperament:
The Red Cap, an emanciated man with a leathery body and little or no hair, carries a sharp wooden scythe to strike down all who invade the area he has decided to guard for the time being. Solitary and hateful in nature, we can all be grateful there is only one of him.
Time Most Active: All year.
Lore:
The Red Cap moves from place to place on a whim throughout the extreme lowlands of Scotland along the English border. He haunts the ruins of old castles and cairns which he guards with his life. The Red Cap he wars, and for which he was named, is said to be made of dried human blood.

Some sources say he is a cannibal who will consume faeries and humans alike.

The Red Cap may be a fear-form stemming from the dangers of old castle ruins and cairns. If this is true, then he is a fear-form who is very strong: there have been documented sightings of him.

The first cousins of Red Cap are the Dunters, who live in the keeps of old castles and defense towers. They are very noisy, and their moaning and whining will usually keep an entire castle awake at nights when they choose to cry. They do not attempt to harm human beings like their cousins, and seem often not to notice our presence. Modern folklore says the Dunters are the earthbound ghosts of ancient Pictish victims.

If you meet up with Red Cap in your Faeryland travels it is wise to turn the other way.

Where to Find Them: Unknown.
How to Contact: Contact not advised!
Magickal and Ritual Help: None.

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Roanes

See Selkies.

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Robin Goodfellow

Land of Origin: England.
Other Origins: Greece, Celtic Lands, and possibly Germany.
Other Names: Puck, Pan. He is also called Jack Robinson, as in the expression, "Before you can say..."
Element: Earth, but he may be any and all of them.
Appearance and Temperament:
Robin goodfellow looks like a Greek Satyr, with the head of a young male and the body of a goat. He has a playful, lusty nature, and loves to play pranks on humans. He has small horns on his head, and he carries with him pan pipes which he loves to play while he dances.
Time Most Active: All year, except between Samhain and Ostara.
Lore:
In Greece Robin Goodfellow was probably the God Pan, as their appearance is virtually identical. In Shakespeare's play A Midsummers Night's Dream, Robin becomes Puck and again displays the frolicking nature of Pan.

But above all esle, in pagan circles he is very much associated with the Great Horned God, the most well-known and persistent of the European pagan God-forms. The fact that he is never seen between Samhain (when the God dies) and Ostara (when he is again an adolescent) underscored this association.

Robin Goodfellow is always seen with a legion of animal followers dancing merrily to his pipes. The Great Horned God has also been known as Lord of the Greenwood, and this may be another of his guises. A popular Elizabethan ballad called "Robin Has to the Greenwood Gone" may have been a thinly disguised song about this deity.

In the English legends, Robin is the son of a faery father and a mortal mother who loves to play tricks on humans who venture into his woods. Some have claimed to hear his laughter after the trick is successfully completed. He is also adept at animal and bird calls.

As the Greek Satyr, he symbolizes the faery folk of Greece.

Where to Find Them:
Look for him at the spring Sabbats and in the spring of Faeryland. Look for him in woodlands which are populated with animals.
How to Contact:
Evoke him as you would a God, petition him with a ritual designed for that purpose, or approach him in Faeryland.
Magickal and Ritual Help:
If Robin is indeed a disguised Horned God, he can offer you any help a God could. Invite him to your circle and request his aid with whatever you need.

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Rubezahl

Land of Origin: Germany.
Other Origins: Eastern Europe.
Other Names: Hey-Hey Men, Hoioimann, He-Manner, Ropenkerl, Huamann, Schlocherl, Rubheyzahl.
Element: Air.
Appearance and Temperament:
They are male dwarf faeries in short black cloaks who each carry a thin, spiky walking stick. They are mean to human travelers. They wear loarge cloaks which hide their faces and seem to not want humans to know just what they look like. Because of this it is believed that they cannot shapeshift.
Time Most Active: All year.
Lore:
The Rubezahl (Roo-bee-zahl) was once credited with being able to summon the wind or the rain, if only for a brief time. They would bring whichever one would most annoy a human traveler in their woods. If the human had no water they would summon a hot sun, and if he or she had no shelter they would sommon a cold rain. They like to yell confusing noises so that travelers lose their way. They make their homes in the mountains.

Where to Find Them: In the German and Eastern European mountains and dense woodlands, and near little-used roads.
How to Contact: Contact not advised!
Magickal and Ritual Help: None.

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Rusalki

Land of Origin: Russia.
Other Origins: None known.
Other Names: None known.
Element: Water.
Appearance and Temperament:
Rusalkis are lovely female water faeries with long green hair who like to play water games with people. They do not seem deliberately malicious, but sometimes their games get rough and dangerous.
Time Most Active: Evening.
Lore:
Rusalkis share similarities to the other beautiful female water faeries in both Europe and the Orient, and the concept may be on which originated in India or northern Africa.
Where to Find Them: In shallow pools.
How to Contact: Approach them with caution on the inner planes. Leave their presence if their games get rough or frightening.
Magickal and Ritual Help: Undetermined.

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