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The term sprite is a broad term referring to a number of preternatural legendary creatures. The term is generally used in reference to elf-like creatures, including fairies, dwarves, and the likes of it; but can also signify various spiritual beings, including ghosts. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Look up Sprite in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The preternatural or praeternatural are phenomenon which appear outside (Latin praeter) the realm of nature as currently explained by science. ... A legendary creature is a mythological or folkloric creature (often known as fabulous creatures in historical literature). ... For other uses, see Elf (disambiguation). ... by Sophie Anderson For other uses, see Fairy (disambiguation). ... This article is about the legendary race. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... For other uses, see Ghost (disambiguation). ...

Etymology & Use

The word "sprite" is derived from the Latin "spiritus" (spirit). Variations on the term include "spright" (the origin of the adjective "sprightly", meaning "spirited" or "lively") and the Celtic "spriggan". The term is chiefly used in regard to elves and fairies in European folklore, and in modern English is rarely used in reference to spirits or other mythical creatures. For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ... Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. ... Note: This page or section contains IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. ... The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus (breath). // The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus, meaning breath (compare spiritus asper), but also soul, courage, vigor, ultimately from a PIE root *(s)peis- (to blow). In the Vulgate, the Latin word translates Greek (πνευμα), pneuma (Hebrew (רוח) ruah), as... A legendary creature is a mythical or fantastic creature (often known as fabulous creatures in historical literature). ...

Belief in Sprites

The belief in diminutive beings such as sprites, elves, fairies, pixies, gnomes, Japanese yōkai and various Slavic fairies has been common in many parts of the world, and might to some extent still be found within Neo- spiritual and religious movements such as "Druidism" and Ásatrú. The belief in spiritual beings, particularly ghosts, is almost universal to human culture. For other uses, see Elf (disambiguation). ... by Sophie Anderson For other uses, see Fairy (disambiguation). ... Pixies are mythical creatures of English folklore, considered to be particularly concentrated in the areas around Devon and Cornwall. ... This article is about the mythical creature. ... ukiyo-e print of yōkai, by Aotoshi Matsui Yōkai apparitions, spirits, or demons, also romanized youkai, or yokai) are a class of obake, creatures in Japanese folklore (many with Chinese origins) ranging from the evil oni to the mischievous kitsune or snow woman Yuki-onna. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... ... Druidry or Druidism was the religion of the ancient druids, the priestly class in ancient Celtic and Gallic societies through much of Western Europe north of the Alps and in the British Isles. ... Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor, is one of the major symbols of Ásatrú. This article is about the reconstruction of Norse paganism in particular. ... For other uses, see Ghost (disambiguation). ...

In some elemental magics, the sprite is oft believed to be the Elemental of air (see also Sylph). Another variation is the water sprite. Sylph is a faux-mythological creature in the Western tradition. ... The term water sprite or water faery may refer to a creature of general lore which resembles a human female, but is the color of the sea. ...

Sprite Traps

A sprite trap is a magical device used to capture troublesome or harmful spirits and ghosts. These devices refer to a sprite as a preternatural creature. Not to be confused with Magic (illusion). ... The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus (breath). // The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus, meaning breath (compare spiritus asper), but also soul, courage, vigor, ultimately from a PIE root *(s)peis- (to blow). In the Vulgate, the Latin word translates Greek (πνευμα), pneuma (Hebrew (רוח) ruah), as... For other uses, see Ghost (disambiguation). ... The preternatural or praeternatural are phenomenon which appear outside (Latin praeter) the realm of nature as currently explained by science. ...

The sprite trap is created from a blackthorn stave and copper wire that has never carried electricity. During a ritual process, the copper wire is bound to the stave with red thread and the stave is marked with a Dag (or D) rune. For other uses, see Blackthorn (disambiguation). ... A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value, which is prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. ... Rune redirects here. ...

Sprite traps are used at night, when the trap is set at the entrance to a home, church, graveyard, or other location where disturbances are taking place. To attract the troublesome entity, a cleft blackthorn stave with a lighted candle is placed in front of the trap.

After the sprite trap has captured a spirit, it is removed from the location and the red thread is cut with a consecrated knife; the thread is then placed into a prepared witch bottle. If the bottle has been prepared to imprison the spirit, a spell is recited while the thread is placed in it. Finally, the bottle is corked and sealed with red wax before being buried. A thorn bush will be planted on the site. The Witch Bottle is a very old spell device that has stood the test of time. ... The spell is a magical act intended to cause an effect on reality using supernatural means of liturgical or ritual nature. ...

It is said that if a witch's bottle containing a sprite is opened, a very angry spirit will escape.

Sprites in Popular Culture

• Famous fictional sprites include Shakespeare's Ariel and Puck.
• In Power Rangers Mystic Force, the Pink Ranger turns into the Sprite Titan. This is based upon MagiFairy, the Majin form of MagiPink in Mahō Sentai Magiranger
• In the animated film Fantasia 2000, there is a segment based on Igor Stravinsky's ballet The Firebird, about a Spring Sprite and her elk companion bringing the spring season to life until they wake up the fire bird sprite, whereas he destroys the forest. The forest is soon brought back by the sprite. In this Disney adaptation, the sprite is shown to be more of a goddess of the forest rather than an elf or fairy.
• In Harvest Moon, it is possible to have 7 sprites help around the farm
• In The Legend of Zelda cartoon series, Sprite is the name of Link's small flying friend
• In Commander Keen IV Sprites are underwater creatures
• In Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series, sprites are one of the eight fairy families; they are small and green with wings. There are also water sprites. Chix Verbil is a sprite that is wounded by a bullet to the left wing and rendered unable to fly.
• In "Golden Sun" (Game Boy Advance game) a player collect sprites (called Dinji) to increase his or her magical power.
• In R. A. Salvatore's book Sojourn a sprite is an enemy of Drizzt Do'Urden and an ally of a barghest.
• In Riviera: The Promised Land (a game boy advance game) sprites are inhabitants of Riviera.
• In The Heroes of Might and Magic series of computer games, Sprites are the weakest troops available to the Sorceress class.
• The song 'Red Rabbits' by The Shins includes the line 'we've pissed on far too many Sprites and they're all standing up for their rights'.
• The children's television show Johnny and the Sprites, as the name implies, is focused on the lives of several muppet sprites.
• In Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You, there are 12 individually named sprites.

Ariel taking on an illusionary form, at Prosperos command Ariel is a fictional sprite who appears in William Shakespeares play The Tempest. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Puck (mythology). ... Power Rangers Mystic Force is the Power Rangers series for 2006, using footage from Mahou Sentai Magiranger. ... Magic Squadron Magiranger ) was Toeis 2005-2006 production of the Super Sentai television series. ... Fantasia 2000 is an animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. ... Igor Stravinsky. ... The Firebird (French: LOiseau de feu; Russian: Жар-птица, Žar-ptica) is a 1910 ballet by Igor Stravinsky. ... For other uses, see Spring. ... For other uses, see Elk (disambiguation). ... For the 1934 film, see, see The Goddess (1934 film). ... For other uses, see Harvest Moon. ... The Legend of Zelda was an American animated series loosely based on the first and second Legend of Zelda games for the Nintendo Entertainment System. ... Commander Keen is a series of video games developed by id Software in the early 1990s, which was successful at replicating the side-scrolling action of the NES Super Mario Bros. ... Eoin Colfer (pronounced Owen, IPA: )(born May 14, 1965) is an Irish author. ... Artemis Fowl is a series of fantasy novels written by Irish author Eoin Colfer. ... This is a list with all known information of the minor Artemis Fowl characters. ... Golden Sun ) is the first installment of a series of role-playing video games developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo. ... Drizzt DoUrden (IPA: ) is a fictional character in the Dungeons & Dragons-based Forgotten Realms setting. ... The Barghest is as outsider in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game that comes from the Bleak Eternity of Gehenna. ... Heroes of Might and Magic II Heroes of Might and Magic (sometimes called simply Heroes or HoMM) is a series of turn-based computer games developed by New World Computing, a division of The 3DO Company. ... A sorcerer (from Old French sorcier; fem. ... Johnny and the Sprites is a musical television show aimed for preschoolers that airs every weekend on the Playhouse Disney program of The Disney Channel. ... The Spiderwick Chronicles Notebook for Fantastical Observations is a book that co-creators of The Spiderwick Chronicles Tony DiTerrlizzi and Holly Black have compiled from from kids stories about their own encounters with faeries. ...

External links

• Fae Dictionary
• Swedish Myths