Glossary

Glossary

This glossary serves to offer insight into the origin of the creatures and entities in Mountains Made of Glass.

Crone/Witch:In fairytales, a crone or a witch is often an old woman. She can have evil intentions, but I find she can take on a more ambiguous role. She sometimes curses or gives tasks to the hero, who then must overcome the obstacle by demonstrating their morality. She is usually the catalyst to the hero’s change, which makes her a very powerful creature in stories.

Red Caps:A type of goblin. In MMOG, these goblins are called red caps because they soak their hats in the blood of their victims. However, in other fairy tales, they are called red caps only because their hats are red. There are variations of redcaps depending on the origin of the fairytale and not all are malevolent.

Sprite:A type of fairy. Sprites are very tiny and are usually attracted to water. They are temperamental and can inflict madness upon a person.

Pixie:A type of fairy. Pixies can be household fairies and are sometimes described as mischievous. They often like to play tricks.

Brownie:Brownies are described as spirits, often those of a dead relative. They are sometimes classified as fairies or hobgoblins, which is why I used them in this retelling. They are usually male, but there are a few females, and they are said to keep house.

Magic Mirror:A reference to the story of Snow White. In particular, it is said that the tale was based on a real person, Maria Sophia Margaretha Catharina von Erthal, who resided near a glass-making region. It was said that the mirrors they made were of such “extraordinary quality, with the glass being of such excellence that people said the mirrors ‘always spoke the truth.’”

Elves:A type of fae. I used two types of elves in this story: basically “human-like” elves and “fairy-like” elves, meaning small ones. Both seem to exist within folklore depending on origin. I identified the creatures in the wardrobe as elves as a reference to “The Elves,” which is a fairytale about a shoemaker who is very poor and helped by little elves who make shoes.

Selkie:The Selkie comes from Irish myths and legends. Their true form is that of a seal, but on land they can shed their skin and become human. If they do not have their seal skin, they cannot return to sea.

Faun:A half-human, half-goat creature. They are more like nature spirits, especially in reference to Greek mythology. In this retelling, I considered them a type of fae.

Fairyland:Reference to Irish fairy tales by W.B. Yeats in which he refers to the land of the fairies as Fairyland. In Mountains Made of Glass, all land inhabited by fae is considered Fairyland.

The Glass Mountains:The Glass Mountains take on various roles in fairytales across the world. They sprout trees with golden apples, offer refuge, or serve as an obstacle to the hero who must overcome them to obtain a princess (usually). Within Grimm fairytales, they appear in “The Iron Stove,” “The Seven Ravens,” “The Raven,” “The Drummer,” and “Old Rinkrank.”

The Enchanted Forest:In fairytales, the Enchanted Forest is a symbol of change and transformation.