Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon my Darlings. Today’s blog post is about the colors of Faery that hold magickal significance, specifically the three colors that we see over and over signaling an animal from Faeryland in folklore! Those three colors are white, black, and red. I will go over each color and some animals in folklore and legends that are the color.
WHITE
~Swans, Doves, Rabbits, Harts (aka Stags or Bucks), Owls, and the Cwn Annwn (the Hounds of the Otherworld) are all white animals that are intrinsically linked to being Otherworldly in nature! I began with white animals because they are the most frequently described animals found in folklore and legends that are commonly used to signal the presence of the Otherworld or Faeryland. The White Hart of Arthurian legend is famed for beginning a quest. I always see Blodeuwedd in her Owl form as white, which is why I included Owls on the list. The Cwn Annwn go on the Wild Hunt with Gwyn Ap Nudd. The white animals of Faery signal the presence of the Fae and the Otherworld when they appear. Their appearance often serves as a call to action, the beginning of a quest or journey, the emboldening of the soul to embrace the energy of the limitless potential found in the Otherworld!
BLACK
~Cats and Corvids are the most important examples of black animals that can be shown as symbols of the Otherworld. Black Cats are always prime examples of the iconic Witch’s Familiar! Now, in the Scottish Witch Trials, there was the famous case of accused witch Isobel Gowdie confessing to being a witch, and even stating that she had a pact with a Faery Queen, having traveled to the Faeryland of Elphame in the form of a black crow. I bring this up, as it proves a link that has always been there between Witches and the Fae Folk, and by extension Faeryland! Now, as for Corvids, they are the most Otherworldly and Faery of the two examples of black animals I have here. Crows and Ravens are often stated to be messengers of the Otherworld, and are sacred to Faery Queens, like my most beloved Morgan le Fay! The black animals of Faery signal diving into the depths of the emotional abyss, having a dark night of the soul to gain tremendous insights, much what the color black is for Faery more generally.
RED
~Foxes are the most obvious example of red-colored animals associated with Fae energy, as they are often seen as powerful spirit animals in Celtic culture, plus their cunning and trickster nature alone can show them being aligned with the Fae! However, I will also note that the Cwn Annwn, although they are the White Spectral Hounds of the Otherworld that run with Gwyn Ap Nudd during the Wild Hunt, they have red-tipped ears, which is what truly sets them apart as animals of the Fae. Red is the color of the fiery life-blood energy of the Otherworld, and this very energetic nature of the color aligns so well with the Fox, as they appear in myth and folklore!
~I hope you have enjoyed this short look at the Colors of Faery Animals. What is your favorite Faery Animal? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is a lovely image of a crow and a white stag. I found the image on https://www.pinterest.com/pin/562457440933528565/.
Tarot Note: I have a page offering tarot and oracle readings for those interested in these services! I am very happy to be offering these readings to my treasured readers at White Rose of Avalon! Link to page: https://whiteroseofavalon.life/tarot-and-oracle-readings/
Further Reading
- The Faery Gates of Avalon by Gareth Knight
- The Fairy Bible by Teresa Moorey
- Blodeuwedd: Welsh Goddess of Seasonal Sovereignty by Jhenah Telyndru
- Le Morte D’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory
- The Secret Power of Spirit Animals by Skye Alexander
- https://spookyscotland.net/isobel-gowdie/
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