Tradition: Irish Mythology
Alternative Names: Leannan Sìth, Lhiannan Shee, Fairy Lover, Fairy Mistress
Category: Fairy
The Myth
The Leannán Sí was a beautiful fairy woman of the Aos Sí who sought the love of human beings. She would take a mortal as her lover and bind him to the fairy world through their supernatural relationship. Although she could appear as a beautiful and inspiring companion, her love was dangerous. Human lovers of the Leannán Sí were said to live short lives, even when their time with her brought extraordinary inspiration and creativity. A male Leannán Sí was also known in tradition, with at least one account describing such a spirit troubling a mortal woman.
The Leannán Sí became particularly associated with artists and poets, appearing as a supernatural source of inspiration. In the later tradition surrounding her, the artist who accepted her love could produce remarkable works under her influence, but the relationship gradually consumed him. Her inspiration came at the price of his devotion, and the longer he remained under her influence, the more his life was diminished. She was therefore both muse and captor, giving artistic brilliance while drawing the vitality of her mortal lover away.
In the version popularized by W. B. Yeats, the Leannán Sí became an especially sinister fairy mistress. She sought the love of mortals, and once a person accepted her, he belonged to her and could escape only if another mortal took his place. She was said to live upon the life of her lover, causing him to waste away, while even death could not necessarily free him from her influence. As a supernatural muse, she gave inspiration to poets whom she claimed, but her restless nature allowed them little time in the human world. Thus the gifted poet became the price of the fairy’s inspiration, his creativity flourishing while his life slowly burned away.
Sources
“Leanan sídhe.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 4, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leanan_s%C3%ADdhe