Tradition: French Mythology
Alternative Names: Danserien-Noz, Dañserion-Noz, Night Dancers
Category: Fairy
The Myth
The Tréo-Fall are small goblin-like fairies said to gather at night on the cliffs of Ushant, where they dance beneath the moonlight. Their appearance is only vaguely described, but they are consistently portrayed as very small beings. In some accounts they wear large round hats and dance around a copper basin. They invite passing humans to join their mysterious dances, sometimes promising them great treasures in return. The invitation is dangerous, however, because those who become caught up in their dancing may suffer terrible injuries.
A person who encounters the Tréo-Fall must know how to escape their enchanted dance. The traditional protection is to stick a knife into the ground and touch it at every circle of the dance. If the dancer manages to complete the required circles while maintaining this ritual, the Tréo-Fall will grant whatever request is made of them. Those who fail to escape can be subjected to their cruel tricks, with some unfortunate dancers said to end up with broken kidneys. Their behavior therefore shifts between generosity and malice: they may reward someone who willingly joins their dance, while punishing or cursing those who insult them.
Stories of the Night Dancers were also told around Plouaret in the Côtes-d’Armor. One tale tells of two half-sisters, one beautiful, graceful and kind, the other ugly, mean and spiteful. The good girl was deliberately sent along a road where the Night Dancers gathered at the Croaz-ann-neud crossroads. She encountered a crowd of little men dancing in the moonlight and accepted their invitation. Pleased by her kindness, they showered her with gifts. Her jealous stepmother then sent the wicked girl along the same road, expecting her to receive the same rewards. When the little dancers invited her to join them, however, she insulted them, and they cursed her instead. Another version tells of seven dwarfs wearing large hats, six of whom danced with the good girl and kissed her in gratitude, while the seventh remained apart.
Sources
“Tréo-Fall.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 4, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tr%C3%A9o-Fall