Romanian Fairy Mythology Archives

The Myth

The Iele were beautiful feminine supernatural beings who appeared as young, voluptuous women with an enchanting presence. They could be visible or completely incorporeal, and were sometimes said to fly with wings and sometimes without them. They gathered in groups, most commonly three or seven, and could travel through the air at incredible speed, sometimes riding fiery chariots. They inhabited forests, caves, isolated mountain cliffs, springs, ponds, crossroads, and the open sky. At night, especially under the moon, they appeared in secluded places and danced in circles, often naked with their disheveled hair covering their bodies, bells around their ankles and candles in their hands. Their voices and music were extraordinarily beautiful, and anyone who heard their songs could become enchanted. The places where they danced were left scorched, with blackened ground and withered or burned vegetation.

The Iele were not necessarily evil, but they were proud, dangerous, and easily angered. They punished anyone who watched them dancing, imitated their movements, disturbed their sacred places, slept beneath trees belonging to them, or drank from their springs and wells. Those who refused an invitation to dance could suffer terrible supernatural punishment, while someone who accidentally heard their songs could lose the ability to speak. A person caught watching the Iele dance might be surrounded by their frantic Hora until he fell into sleep and delirium, after which the fairies would carry him away and he might disappear forever. Their beautiful voices could lure people like the songs of sirens, while their dancing could leave a victim confused, entranced, or driven into madness. In some traditions they were also spirits of vengeance, acting on behalf of God or the Devil and forcing those they were sent against into the center of their dance until the victim died from madness or torment.

The Iele could be appeased by respecting the days dedicated to them, particularly the festivals associated with Rusaliile. Those who worked when such days were supposed to be kept sacred risked their anger, which could bring vertigo, paralysis, mysterious deaths, hail, floods, withered trees, or fires. People protected themselves with garlic and mugwort worn on the body or hung from their clothing, while other protective customs included displaying a horse’s skull outside the house. The most important defense was the ritual dancing of the Călușari, whose movements were believed to protect people from the power of the Iele. In this way, the Iele remained both beautiful and dangerous beings of the Romanian landscape: enchanting spirits of the night who could grant no simple distinction between benevolent fairy and terrifying supernatural avenger.

Tradition / Region: Romanian Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Fairy

The Myth

In the old town of Timișoara there once lived two fairies, Mazura and Detta. Mazura was cruel and ill-tempered, while Detta was gentle and beautiful. The two quarreled constantly, for Mazura wished to rule the city alone and often threatened to destroy her rival. Detta, who longed for peace and would not live in hatred, finally chose to leave.

One morning she rose early and walked out into the open countryside, not knowing where she would go. She crossed fields and meadows, always heading west. By evening the sun burned red in the sky, and Detta came upon a small river whose waters murmured softly. Pleased with the place, she said, “Here I will stay. I like it here.”

She lifted her hands and whispered a spell, and at once a splendid house appeared on the riverbank. Yet Detta soon felt lonely and wished for human company. The next day she spoke another charm, and an inn sprang up beside her home. Still, she feared no one would pass that way, so she cast a third spell, and a country road formed, running close to the inn.

Now Detta was content. Travelers came along the road and stopped at the welcoming inn of the kind and beautiful hostess. A year later a band of Swabian settlers arrived from the Black Forest, searching for a place to live. Detta urged them to remain, telling them the land had forests, fields, and water enough for all. The Swabians liked what they saw and settled there.

Before long, the bravest and most handsome young hunter among them, Franzl, fell in love with Detta. When he asked her to marry him, she answered, “Franzl, I love you, but you must promise me one thing: never walk beside me in the street and never touch me in public or before strangers. If you break this promise, great misfortune will follow.” Franzl agreed, and they wed.

Ten years passed, and they had two children. One day they were invited to a wedding. Detta told her husband she would go ahead and meet him there, as always. But Franzl felt ashamed. The villagers whispered that husband and wife never appeared together and must not truly love each other. Determined to silence the gossip, he decided to ignore her warning. He believed her fears were only fancy.

He left the house and hurried after her. When he caught up, he slipped his arm around her shoulder and smiled.

Detta turned pale. “Franzl, why did you do that? Now I am lost…”

At once a blinding flash burst forth. In that instant the beautiful fairy, her grand house, and the inn vanished forever.

In memory of her, the settlers named their village Detta. And the place bore that name for generations afterward.

Sources

sagen.at contributors. (n.d.). Die bildschöne Detta. In sagen.at, from https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/rumaenien/banat/detta.html