In Scottish folklore, fairies are divided into two courts: the Seelie Court and the Unseelie Court. These courts are seen as opposing forces, like winter and summer. Fairies are designated as “Seelie” or “Unseelie” based on their behaviour towards humans and whether they’ve fallen out of favour with the broader Seelie Court. This post discusses the meanings of the terms “Seelie” and “Unseelie” and provides examples of Scottish fairies from each category.
Seelie vs Unseelie fairy courts:
Seelie fairies are typically indifferent or good-natured towards humans, while unseelie fairies are typically malevolent. Some Unseelie fairies may have began as members of the Seelie court, but were exiled for their dishonourable behaviour.
| Attributes | Seelie fairies | Unseelie fairies |
| Attitude towards humans | Indifferent, kindly, or mischievous | Malevolent, hostile or outright dangerous |
| Associated seasons | Spring and summer | Autumn and winter |
| Individual relationship with Seelie court | In positive favour with Seelie court | Exiled or fallen from Seelie court |
| Meaning of name | “Seelie” means happy, blessed, holy, and good | “Unseelie” means unblessed, unholy, and evil-doing |
Seelie court
The Seelie Court is a group of fairies and other mythological creatures who are good-natured to humans or unconcerned with them. Some Seelies may lend a hand with household chores, or even perform acts of heroism, such as when the Ghillie Dhu saved a lost girl named Jessie from the woods. However, Seelies are not to be trifled with; if a human should offend or upset them, they won’t hesitate to seek retribution.
In order to gain favour with the fairies, it was believed that you should only ever use positive descriptors to describe them. One should always be mindful of their presence as they may be listening to your conversations. In Southern Scotland, fairies were said to be most pleased with being referred to as “Seelie Wight”, which translates to ‘blessed being’. In this sense, the term “Seelie” was used to refer to fairies not because they were inherently good, but rather to appease them and avoid their wrath.
Examples of Seelie fairies from Scottish folklore:
- Loireag
- Ghillie Dhu
- Selkie
- Pech
- Wulver
- The Gruagach
- Queen of Elphame
Seelie Seasons
The Seelie court governs the spring and summer seasons, during which their powers are at their strongest. Legend has it that Seelie fairies are most likely to reveal themselves during summer twilight, when they embark on magnificent processions across the land. Although they are less overtly hostile than the Wild Hunts of the Unseelie Courts (see below), their summer fairy rades can still be dangerous to humans who happen to cross their path.
Where does the word “seelie” come from?
The word “seelie” comes from the Old English word “sǣl“, which means “happy” or “prosperous”. It is thought to be related to the Old Norse word “sæll”, which also means “happy”. The Proto-Germanic word “sēliz” is the root of both words. “Unseelie” is an antonym (a word opposite in meaning) to the term above, derived from the Old English word unsǣliġ.
Unseelie court
The Unseelie Court is made up of sinister or malicious fairies who have been exiled from the Seelie Court. They are said to be hostile towards humans and will intentionally seek to harm them, even unprovoked. It is important to note that, although some fairies are generally considered to be malevolent and Unseelie (such as Kelpies), there are folktales that suggest a more complex and morally ambiguous side to these creatures. For example, one story tells of a Kelpie who gave up his ruthless ways after falling in love with a human girl. Nevertheless, most legends advise us to err on the side of caution – especially with Unseelie fae.
Examples of Unseelie fairies from Scottish folklore:
- Redcaps
- Kelpies
- Bogles
- Nuckelavee
- The Sluagh
The Sluagh and the Wild Hunt
In Scottish Highlands folklore, the Sluagh are a group of unseelie fairies, dark-intentioned mythological creatures, and unforgiven human souls. They are considered to be the darkest and most malevolent of all faeriekind. Around the Winter Solstice, they would conduct a fearsome procession known as the Wild Hunt. This procession would form great storm clouds over the land, consisting of unseelie fairies, fearsome riders on horses, and ghostly dogs. The Sluagh would disorient humans, steal babies, and hunt the dying, taking them to the afterlife.
Unseelie Seasons
The Unseelie court rules over the autumn and winter seasons. Some members of the court, such as the Cailleach Bheur, were believed to have control over the weather, bringing storms, frost, and snow. In other cases, the Unseelie court was simply seen as a personification of the harsh winter weather. The cold could be deadly, and the snow and ice could make it difficult to find food and other resources.
This post was all about Seelie vs Unseelie fairies!
