Sometimes the pixie world can be confusing. There are so many of us! That's why Tracey West put together these helpful definitions for you.

Dwarf: These small, stocky men are found in many cultures in Europe, but mainly in Germany. They are said to live in dark forests, and are famous for working with metals. They're often shown with white beards--like the seven dwarves who befriended Snow White!

Elf: Originally, this word was used to describe all kinds of fairies, especially tiny humans. In England, the word elf was used for fairy boys. Elves are sometimes described as being good, but are often described as causing trouble for humans. They live in forests and woods. Of course, some elves live in the North Pole, where they are famous for making toys (just like Fixit, the angry elf!)

Fairy: When they hear the word "fairy," many people think of tiny, pretty little girls with wings. That is just one kind of fairy. Today, fairy is the most popular word used to describe a separate race of beings or "spirits" that people have reported seeing for centuries. Fairies are different in many ways. Fairies can be good to humans, or bad. Some fairies, called "trooping fairies," travel in large groups; other fairies live alone, often in houses or under bridges. Fairies can be very tiny, or very large.

Gnome: This word is used to describe small, stocky little people who are earth spirits, and can be found underground or near rocks. They're related to dwarves in that way. In recent times, the most popular gnome is the cheerful garden gnome, a white-bearded fellow with a red cap and a smiling face. These gnomes can be found in lawns and gardens everywhere, and Robert B. Gnome was inspired by this type of gnome.

Goblin: This is a general name for an ugly, evil-tempered spirit that likes to cause trouble for humans. They wear tattered clothes. The gnome's cousin, the hobgoblin, usually live in human homes, and are kind to people, rather than mean.

Gremlin: This fairy is a creature of modern times, since pilots in the British Royal Airforce invented them to explain why their planes were having trouble. Today a gremlin is thought to be any creature that causes technical problems with all kinds of machinery.

Leprechaun: A native of Ireland, this shoe-making elf dresses in green and carefully guards his hidden crocks of gold.

Pixie: Traditionally, a pixie is a kind of fairy found in southwest England that has red-hair, and is found in fields. Pixies will often work for others, but they will be insulted if they receive payment for their help. Today, the word pixie has broadened a bit to mean much the same as the word fairy, and those two words are used in the same way in Pixie Tricks.

Queen Mab: The Fairy Queen. Poets in England and Wales used the name Mab for the queen of the fairies in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Sprite: This is a general name for a fairy, although it is not usually used for fairies that are connected to the earth (like gnomes or dwarves). That's why in Pixie Tricks, I use the word sprite to describe fairies with wings. Sprites can either be good or bad.

Troll: This is the Scandanavian term for elf. Sometimes they are described as being hairy and ugly, although they are able to change their shape into anything they please. They are said to have lots of treasure, and live in beautiful palaces.

Sources:
Arrowsmith, Nancy with George Moorse. Field Guide to Little People, Macmillan London Limited, 1977.
Briggs, Katharine. An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Pantheon Books, 1976. Rose, Carol. Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins: An Encyclopedia, W.W. Norton and Company, 1996