Real-Life Pygmies and Fairy Legend

Fairies have always had a pervasive presence in myths, legends and folklore throughout the world. In the modern day, fairy encounters have become akin to UFO sightings: persistently reported, often by credible witnesses, but nearly impossible to verify. Regardless of this dearth of evidence, many people remain convinced of the reality of the Little People. In many areas of Europe, this belief is so profound that people are averse to traveling in - or disturbing - places that are reputed to be fairy "haunts".

There have been attempts to relate the wealth of fairy lore and tales with what is known of authentic diminutive peoples in our world, both in ancient times and in the present day. Pygmies are generally defined as people who attain a height of no more than 150 centimeters and who do not mingle (i.e., breed) with neighboring peoples. The word comes from the Greek pygme, a word that refers to the length of the forearm. The pygmies in Greek mythology were a tribe of diminutive humans, often depicted bearing spears and slings and riding on the backs of goats. The ancient Egyptians venerated a race of pygmies from the African rainforest, who they referred to as "god-dancers" and from whom they learned the worship of the goddess Bes.

Do fairies, in fact, represent races from mankind's primitive past?

Smaller versions of humans have existed in far-flung areas of our world, from the Australian bush to several countries in Africa (the Agogue of Tanzania and the Sehite of Ivory Coast, who grew no taller than 4 feet), from the jungles of Malaysia to South and Central America (the Maricoxi were small, hairy humans who dwelt in areas of Brazil; the long-armed and hairy Dwendis live in the Belize forests of Central America). Some scientists have postulated that the term "wee folk" in old folklore might refer to Australopithecus, a forerunner of modern man who was similar to us in build, and walked upright, but stood no taller than 4 feet.