INTRO:
Hello and welcome to Myth Monsters, my name is Erin and I’ll be your host for these little snack bite size podcasts on folklore and mythical monsters from around the world.
These podcasts focus on the actual cryptids, folklore and mythic monsters from global mythology, rather than focusing on full stories of heroes and their big adventures.
I’ll also be dropping in some references that they have to recent culture and where you can see these represented in modern day content so you can learn more, and get as obsessed as I am about these absolute legends of the mythological world.
Spring is really taking hold in the UK at the moment, the sun is shining and it’s warming up - honestly a lovely time to get out and sit in the garden.
DESCRIPTION:
Also perfect weather for fairies, and we have a lovely rich history of fae in the UK, but this week - we’re looking at the fairies of another culture and even religion. Yes, we are talking about the Peri!
Peris are generally described as humanoid beings with fairy-like wings that are exceptionally beautiful and benevolent. They’re not like European or English fairies though, and they are considered to be human-sized, rather than the miniscule ones you’re most likely picturing. They also don’t have elvish features either, and just look like normal people - if that’s a thing I suppose. They lived within the mountains and valleys of Ancient Persia, which now considered Iran but the empire spanned as far as Greece and Egypt in its heyday in the 6th Century BCE.
Peris are usually female, however, can appear as male on occasion - and are often wearing feminine style clothes. They can be born as well as made within folklore and are considered the children of Watchers, which are the Islamic angels and fairies. There is another argument that they are born of fallen angels and fairies - making them more neutral creatures, but this is limited in terms of research and publication.
The other theory of their creation is that they were created by Allah to counteract their evil counterpart, the Div. These evil creatures will have their own episode at some point - but the summary is that they are kind of like ogres or giants who ate humans. The Div hunt the Peri, and will lock them in iron cages - which is highly toxic to fairies in most cultures. They believe that the Peri are not confident in themselves enough to rebel against humans and their perversions - which is why they hunt them. Because of this ideology though, Peris are not allowed to enter paradise until they atone for their penance, which is just allowing humans to live as sinfully as they like.
The Peri were not originally described as benevolent - they were originally classed as mischievous and were very often considered the good type of Jinn - another Persian and Islamic monster that we covered last year, the actual name for a genie. Peris would punish humans who wasted resources or disrespected the mountainous locations they called home and sometimes would abduct humans - just for the fun of it, like traditional Western fairies.
However, they do have some good traits - they are believed to help women with miscarriages in some Chinese traditional tribes, in Pakistani tribal culture such as the Kho people; they can cast love spells and someone amongst them is called the Peri-khan or master of fairies.
Lastly, they can actually fall in love with humans, marry and have children with them too and become mortal for the time being - this is also undue in Islamic lore. The mortal must also take and hide the wings from the Peri, which apparently are detachable. However, much like our beloved Selkies and most recently the Fossegrimen from last week - if there is any conflict in the relationship, they will regain their wings and leave their family for good. It’s even said that the Queen of Sheba or Bilqis, was the child of a Peri and a human, and the relationship of her parents also failed due to this.
ORIGIN:
Onto etymology, the word Peri comes from the Middle Persian word pari which is derived from the Old Persian par meaning ‘wing’. However, the more interesting part is that the English word fairy has its origins within this, as in Arabic, there is no letter p and therefore when Arabic replaced Persian - peri became feri. This was then introduced to the Crusaders and brought to Europe and the Western world - fun fact right.
I will say that there was also the Latin verb fato meaning to enchant and in French, this became faer and the noun faerie meaning illusion. So it’s a bit of both really - but a very interesting etymology this week, I think it’s super tasty at least.
In terms of history, it’s a little dicey in terms of timelines I’m afraid - what we do know is that they are first introduced in the epic poem Shahnameh or the Book of Kings by Persian poet Ferdowsi between 977 and 1010 CE. They were brought in as an avatar of the divinity Sorush to warn Keyumars, the first man and his son of the threats posed by a being called Ahriman, or the first vision of the Devil. Eventually Keyumars has an army of Peris against the Devil, and seemingly defeats him with them. In a later part of the poem, a princess is referred to as ‘peri-faced’ as she is wearing a veil - and it’s debated whether the word peri can also be used as a word for disguise or being hidden from this too.
Now I talk about Persia like it’s a very ancient thing, but it was actually only renamed to Iran in 1935 if you can believe it - the Persian empire was brought down in 330 CE but Iran continued to call itself Persia til the 1930’s. So I know I said that they had their heyday in the 6th century which is 500 BCE - but this is just when the Empire was at its biggest and it only really began in 559 BCE, because remember it goes backwards - I’m sorry this is confusing but times are wild before the start of the actual year tracking.
Interestingly, there are European representations of Peris such as in the Irish poet Thomas Moore’s poem Paradise and the Peri, where a peri gains entrance to heaven after three times of being denied because they did not bring the right gift for God. Important part here is that the Peri is an Islamic rooted creature, and this story is Christianisised - this is not my doing, it’s just what it was - so note that God is the Christian God, I’m not calling him Allah on purpose. The first gift they try is a drop of blood from a soldier who was killed after an assassination attempt on the founder of the Iranian Ghaznavid dynasty. The second, a sigh stolen from the dying lips of a woman who died of plague with her lover, rather than live without him. The last, a tear of an evil man who repented when he saw a child playing in the Temple of the Sun in Balbec, Syria. This apparently did it and the Peri was finally admitted. This work was turned into a musical piece by Rober Schumann in a German version too.
CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Now onto modern media, there’s not much in regards to Peris in particular - but I will cover fae folk that are similar and make a point of presenting the actual Peri ones.
For art, there is tons of classic art around these monsters - however, most of them do not have artists or ages linked to them and some of them don’t even have names. So I’m trying my best before you judge me. Have a look at Peri flying with cup and wine flask by Sahkulu, Peri holding a unique animal from the 19th century, Paris in Paradise from the 15th century and Peri, a Khaligat painting from 1875.
There is also as mentioned the German Paradise and the Peri musically, the French ballet La Peri, the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta Iolanthe or The Peer and the Peri too for some classic art but in an entertainment form that doesn’t fit the other categories.
In movies, we have; The Adventures of Prince Achmed for actual Peris - then for more fae films check out The Secret of Kells, Maleficent, Sleeping Beauty, Song of the Sea, Spirited Away, Pan’s Labyrinth, Labyrinth, Peter Pan, Shrek, Strange Magic, Wizards, Hellboy, Barbie Fairytopia, Barbie: A Fairy Secret, Barbie Presents Thumbelina, X-Men First Class, Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest, The Dark Crystal, FairyTale: A True Story & Willow.
For TV, we have; Vary Peri for Peri then Berserk, Digimon, The Ancient Magus’ Bride, Fairy Cube, The Dark Crystal, Soul Eater, Durarara, Nasuverse, Carnival Row, Lost Girl, Charmed, The Other Kingdom, Shadow Hunters, The Magicians, Merlin, Once Upon a Time, Supernatural, The Haunting Hour, Gargoyles, Fairly Odd Parents, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, The Witcher, The Owl House, Winx Club & Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
In video games, we have ones such as; Wylde Flowers for the Peri but others include, Fate/Grand Order, The Elder Scrolls, Tomb Raider Chronicles, World of Warcraft, Undertale, Unavowed, Pathfinder: Kingmaker, Wizardry, Lusternia, Dragon Quest, King’s Quest, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, ZanZarah: The Hidden Portal, Dungeon Keeper, Atelier, Faery: Legends of Avalon, Eternal Senia, Incursion, Touhou Project, Runescape, Tactics Ogre, Terraria, Folklore, Arena of Valor, Fire Emblem Heroes, Songs of Conquest, The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy 14, Panel de Pon, Rayman, Tale of Two Kingdoms, Shin Megami Tensei, Fe, Rune Factory, Dragon Age, RIFT, Quest for Glory, Bravely Default & Pokemon.
My book recommendation this week is Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology by Theresa Bane for a great selection of fae and fairy stories or you can look more into Persian and Islamic mythology in Persian Myths & Legends: Tales of Heroes, Gods & Monsters by J.K Jackson and Dr Sahba Shayani.
DO I THINK THEY EXISTED?
Now it’s time for, do I think they existed?
I don’t know about this one, I think fairies are generally a bit tricky because they are so universally loved and actually believed in. The Peri specifically is a great one, because it’s so unique in the idea that this is a story within a religion and an Ancient society that technically no longer exists.
I do like the idea of a fairy who just refused to give in to demands of a higher power by turning their backs on humans and their sins - it’s super rebellious and I respect it. I also like that they have that whole Swan princess thing of being trapped by a mortal marriage until they find the item that releases them - I really do love these stories whilst feeling terrible for the victim creature in all of these types of myths.
A personal story with fairies - not with Peris for me is that my aunt used to give the girls in my family fairy power when I was a kid when we’d go to bed. She’d read us a story then poke our backs and tell us the colour and shape of our wings, and it was the best thing ever. My sister and I loved this til we were probably way too old to still have it done - but it’s a fond memory.
But what do you think? Did the Peris roam the Earth? Let me know on Twitter!
OUTRO:
A really interesting monster this week, I really love touching on something different and finding out how similar they are to other monsters from other cultures with little interaction throughout the ages - it just really satisfies something in me and I’m not sure what it is exactly.
Next week, we’re doing a surprise special! This is because it’s our official 100th episode if you can believe it, and it should really be an event - so I’ve made it one. So next week, we’re doing something very different and we are technically looking at a singular myth from a singular hero, but focusing on the monsters noted throughout - and going for a deep dive with the monsters of Heracles. Make sure that you’re invoking that demi-god feeling next Thursday and thank you for sticking around for 100 episodes!
For now, thank you so much for listening, it’s been an absolute pleasure. If you enjoyed this podcast, please give it a rating on the service you’re listening on - I’ve got the twitter for any questions, or suggestions on what monsters to cover next and I’d love to hear from you. The social media handles for Tiktok, Youtube and Instagram are mythmonsterspodcast, and twitter is mythmonsterspod. But all of our content can be found at mythmonsters.co.uk - you can also find us on Goodpods, Buymeacoffee and Patreon if you want to help me fund the podcast too.
Come join the fun though and share this with your pals, they might love me as much as you do.
But for now, stay spooky and I’ll see you later babes.