Thread by @FemboyFolklore

Many people are familiar with the Seelie and Unseelie fae courts, but did you know there are actually six courts? They are the Seelie, Unseelie, Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter courts. In this short thread I will give a brief summary of each of them #FairytaleTuesday 1/

The Spring & Summer courts tend to be grouped in with the Seelie, & the Autumn & Winter courts get associated with the Unseelie, although they are distinct groups. The fae divided when a group broke off from the larger hierarchy to form the Unseelie court. #FairyTaleTuesday 2/

Seelie means "blessed" or "holy" These faeries tend to be more benevolent & will always repay favors, but they also avenge insult. They are prone to mischief & the word "silly" comes from their name. They are typically kinder & have a brighter disposition. #FairyTaleTuesday 3/

The Unseelie Court is typically viewed as the opposite of the Seelie court. They are more malicious and nearly always unfavorable to humans. These faeries are not always evil but they tend to prefer harming rather than helping. #FairyTaleTuesday 4/

Unseelie faeries like to travel in a group at night and assault travelers physically, mentally, and emotionally, especially if they are spiritually ignorant. #FairyTaleTuesday 5/

The Spring court is subordinate to the Summer court, and they share key values. Spring court fae are very focused on nature, growth, and life. They are cheery, peppy, and calmer than the Summer court. They embody the qualities of Spring. #FairyTaleTuesday 6/

The Summer court gains power at the Spring equinox. They represent mature life & their focus is on sustaining life, making more pragmatic decisions than the Spring court. They tend to be more arrogant and are capable of cruelty, but are polite & mannered. #FairyTaleTuesday 7/

The Autumn court is subordinate to the Winter court. They are associated with death and decay and are as equally malevolent as the Winter court. They do a lot of the "dirty work" and trooping for the Winter court. They believing in expressing all emotions. #FairyTaleTuesday 8/

The Winter court gains power at the Autumn equinox. They epitomize the qualities of Winter. They tend to be more malevolent, but view life & death both as important forces. They are sensible and calculating with a darker disposition. They can be quite cruel. #FairyTaleTuesday 9/

There are also Solitary fae who are not associated with any of the courts. They are neutral fae and are viewed as outcasts and unpredictable. #FairyTaleTuesday 10/

And there you have it! A summary of the various types of fae. It's important to note that like most of folklore and mythology, there's is disagreement on exact details in regards to the fae courts. I have tried to present balanced information on this topic.

Sources/Further Reading:

The Faerie Courts faeriepedia.weebly.com/the-faerie-cou…

Fey Friday: The Seelie & Unseelie Courts hauntjaunts.net/seelie-unseeli…

On the Fae Court System, or Which Fae is Which? google.com/amp/s/sacredli…

Image sources:
1- YesterdayCafe
2- Arthur Rackham
3- James C. Christensen
4- Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
5- Brian Froud
6- Brian Froud
7- o-l-i-v-i.deviantart.com
8- Aditya Ikranegara
9- Julia Jeffrey
10- Brian Froud

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