Dictionary of the Nature Spirits: Class A

Class A Nature Spirits are the smallest of the spirits, all less than 12” tall.

Abatwa:
Origin: South Africa

Appearance: Very small, so small they can ride on insects, but anatomically in complete human form. Look just like the native people of South Africa, resembling the Zulu people. They are so small they are said to live in the grass and anthills. They are trooping spirits who tend to hunt their pray with tiny poison arrows. They are rarely seen by human eyes.

Gender: Male and female

Personality: The Abatwa are very shy and elusive. However, they are also seen as very wise. However they are warriors as well therefore they will defend their tribes with poison arrows if provoked.
Relations: The shy and fearful Zips are also warrior troopers who shy away from humans.

Human Interaction: The Abatwa can only be seen by three types of humans: Magicians, children under four and pregnant woman. If a pregnant woman sees a male Abatwa, she will give birth to a boy. Magicians value the Abatwa for their vast knowledge of nature.

Dryads:
Origin: Greece, associated with air

Appearance: Wispy lights that are seen in old trees.

Gender: female

Personality: aloof. Known mainly for playing, and tend to have a prankish nature. They live in old trees, and are associated with the Ancient Druids.

Relatives: The Belas of Indonesia live in old trees and will protect them.

Human Interaction: Pagans use the dryads to communicate with the Old Gods. They may aid in astral projection.


Ellyllon:
Origin: Welsh

Appearance: Tiny thin human-looking and attractive, water element

Gender: both male and female, but have a queen named Mab

Personality: Trooping, jovial and basically happy and helpful. They like cleanliness and order. They’re also very honest and love a good time while they clean the homes of the downtrodden.

Relatives: The Scottish Brownie, who will clean a home and look after a family in exchange for a small portion of food is a close relative.

Human Interaction:Will help poor people down on their luck. Been known to clean homes and look after livestock as long as they’re not seen. If seen, they will vanish, but will not take revenge like many of their cousins.

Gnomes:
Origin: Various parts of Europe, associated with land

Appearance: About one foot tall. Dressed like peasants. Males grow beards when they marry, and wear red caps. Females have blue caps and cover their hair upon marriage. Can live for 1,000 years but always appear as middle-aged. They are also the elementals of high Magic. They live in ancient oak trees.

Gender: both male and female

Personality: Very intelligent, care about animals passionately. Their main enemy is the owl. The only time they may cause problems is when their homes are chopped down and a house is built over their sacred tree spots.
Relatives: Zips, who also care for forest animals.

Human Interaction: Have been spotted by humans, mainly those who live in the wooded areas. Pagans invite them in magical rituals, and offerings are made to them for assistance in healing wounded animals.


Jimaninos:
Origin: Mexico, associated with land

Appearance: Cherubic. They actually look like little cherubs or cupids. They’re small, chubby, winged and all look like small children. They tend to be dark-haired and are trooping spirits.

Gender: both genders, but females are called Jimaninas

Personality: Act very much like small children. Just picture your typical four-year-old. They generally don’t interact with people but they do participate in the Mexican Day of the Dead. Similar to Samhain they revel in the festivals with the locals. Though Pagan lore sees them as nature spirits, some believe they are the ghosts of the many babies and small children who die due to the high mortality rate. Before Roman Catholicism, they were believed to worship the Goddess. In fact, images of Our Lady of Guadalupe have the image of a cherub under the Virgin which may be a Jimanino.

Relatives: In Germany there is the Putti, who, though anglicized to have the same physical description and temperament as the Jimaninos, though they are mainly seen in Renaissance art.

Human Interaction: They avoid human with the exception of the day of the Dead Festival.

Menehunas:
Origin: Hawaii, associate with land

Appearance: 3”-12” tall, with stocky bodies and pointed ears. They wear the traditional Hawaiian clothing. They resemble the native Hawaiians, only very small. They also carry horns used to summon the birds of the Islands, which they use for transportation. Hawaiian legends says seagulls with ruffled feathers may have a Manehuna on his back. They are very rarely seen by humans (but reveal themselves to select lucky ones), and are always active at night.

Gender: male and female

Personality: The Manehunas are very benevolent. They are wise, patient kind and respectful of people, especially the Natives. They are very protective of the Islands and the natives who live there. Like many spirits they have a tendency to play pranks, but mainly help the Islands and the residents. Legends says they will fight tidal wave and major storms, and have a lot of power.
Relatives: Manehunas also guard treasure and grant wishes when caught, similar to the Irish leprechaun.

Human interaction: They love people, especially the Islanders. They are said to help lost travelers with guidance and food, and fight off sharks. They also aid the natives with magic and self-discovery. Some stories say these little people mate with Islanders and some Hawaiians are endowed with psychic and supernatural powers.


Portunes:
Origin: England, associated with land.

Appearance: One of the smallest of the astral, about an inch tall, They appear as tiny old men.

Gender: Male

Personality: Pranksters, but also associated with horses and farming. Have been known to drive horses into lakes.

Relatives: The Portunes are cousins of the Irish leprechaun. Portunes are also wish granters, and will grant a wish if captured. They are known to guard treasure.

Very little, often will only free horses and play pranks.


Pixies:
Origin: Scotland

Appearance: About 4”tall, with small bodies and very large heads, look top-heavy. They have very large eyes, and some reports say red hair. They can also change size. Some wear flower caps of foxglove. They also have wings, point ears, pointy noses and big eyebrows. They have been known to have golden auras.

Gender: Androgynous

Personality: friendly, yet prankish. Love music and dancing, but can get out of control. They are the “party folk”.

Relatives: The Greek Dryads are known for their love of music and no gender differentiation.

Origin: Egypt, associated with the wind

Appearance: About 2” tall, transparent, and very light. They almost look like floating glass. They resemble humans, but due to their transparency their resemblance is more like a crystal angel. They have small wings which vibrate like hummingbirds.

Gender: Perceived as female

Personality: Philosophical, mystical, and “deep”. They tend to be very disciplined and are the elementals of the air

Relatives: Probably the Jimaninos of Mexico

Interaction with humans: Mystics will invoke these creatures for assistance in philosophical thinking.

Tengu:
Origin: Japan, associated with the Air

Appearance: About 6” tall, winged and usually seen wearing red robes and carrying fans made out of feathers. The Tengu have wings, long red noses, and mouths that are almost beak-like. They are master sword fighters. They tend to form a hierarchy, with the larger members as the chiefs, who look similar but have very scary, fierce facial expressions.

Gender: MalePersonality: Tend to be fierce and ready for a fight. The Tengu are said to be the men who died arrogant and proud in their human life, and are now punished in the form of the Tengu as a result of their bad Karma. Therefore, they can be vary malicious and angry. The Tengu are said to have many secrets regarding magic, but will not share them with humans. They are also known to shape-shift.

Relatives: The Abatwa are similar, since they will fight if provoked.

Human Interaction: Rare, but the Tengu will teach their swordfighting skills to potential heroes. Some say they will kill when provoked or even if they encounter a traveler in the woods. Some say they are terrifying and kill on contact but others say they have little interest in humans.


Undines:
Origin: Middle East, associated with water

Appearance: Hybrid, a combination of human and seahorse. Undines have human heads and seahorse bodies. They’re only about 2” tall.

Gender: Neutral

Personality: Mainly strict, but playful or even sensual depending on their moods and how they are approached. They’re generally serious, as they are used in
ceremonial high magic. They represent the elementals or water.

Relatives: Any of the Sidhe associated with water

Human Interaction: Undines have been invoked in magic from the Greeks to the mystic branches of monotheistic religions. They can assist with any issues regarding water, such as losing items in rivers.

Zips:
Origin: Mexico, associated with landAppearance: Very small, about 4” tall, male and wearing armor helmets and carrying spears. Though they’re known to be afraid of humans. It is believed by some that Zips came with the Spaniards to Mexico but also may have been part of the original Indian peoples.

Gender: Male

Personality: Zips sole function appears to be to assist forest creatures, mainly deer. Folklore says deer protected by Zips cannot fall to hunters.

Relatives: Dinnshenchas, who guard cattle

Human Interaction: Zips avoid humans. They are very shy and very fearful.

-Al Tyas

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