Fairy lore concerns beliefs about elves, dwarfs, gnomes, trolls, mermaids, brownies, pixies, leprechauns, and many other beings found in world folklore. While such beliefs stretch back to antiquity, they also appear throughout contemporary popular culture. Written for students and general readers and extensively illustrated, this book is an introduction to fairy lore from around the world. The first part of the handbook defines and classifies different types of fairies. It provides numerous examples of fairy lore along with excerpts from different traditions, then examines various approaches to the study of fairies. A final chapter looks at the presence of fairy lore in literature, art, film, and popular culture. The handbook closes with a glossary and a bibliography of print and electronic resources for student research.