What is the difference between fairies and pixies?
Major differences in fairies and pixies stem from their origins. The word fairy is derived from fae, an Old French word from medieval Europe. Fairy is a term that encompasses a lot of beliefs and representations, usually of small creatures that resemble people, though usually more ethereal. Fairies are magical and can range from gnomes and goblins to changelings. Most legends of fairies center around ways to keep them at bay so they don’t harm or bother humans. Pixie by contrast comes from Cornwall and Devon and suggests a Celtic origin. They are usually pictured as small, elfin people who are wingless and mischievous in nature. The concept of pixie dust is that they leave trails of it when walking or flying. There is a great deal that pixies and fairies share in common from a mischievous nature, being repulsed by cold iron, stealing people way (babies usually in the case of fairies, specifically changelings and travelers in the case of pixies, this is known as being pixie-led), small
