The Fairy Guardians are mythological figures from Romanian popular culture. They are considered wise elderly women who have powers of divination and foretelling the future. According to popular tradition, they are usually associated with important events in a person’s life, such as a wedding or a birth.
The origins of these mythological creatures are latin, as other latin countries also have them. One popular example is France, where the famous “Sleeping Beauty” story of Disney has its origins – we can see that this story also includes the 3 Fairy Guardians.
It is believed that fairy guardians can influence a person’s fate, but they cannot change the decisions made by him. They are described as wise women who understand the laws of the universe and can interpret signs and symbols to give advice and make predictions.
Fairy Guardians are often invoked through specific rituals and incantations, and their explanation may be different depending on the region or culture. They are generally considered to be protective and bring good luck, but they can also be severe and may impose conditions to offer their help.
Fairy Guardians carry out their activity in the first three nights after the birth of the child. On the first night the Spinner works, who is assisted by the other two, spinning the wire of the baby’s life. On the second night, the Troubleshooter brings the wire of life to attention, and on the third night, the Curator cuts the wire of life with a sickle.
On the third night of the new-born child’s life, the godmother invites the Fairy Guardians and makes a meal of cakes, candies, wine, water, flowers and anything else she thinks they might like. At night, female Fairy Guardians appear at the gate of the house where mother and child are sleeping, and predict the child’s fate. The next morning, the godmother asks the mother about the dream she had and tells her if the Fairy Guardians came, and what they predicted. Nowadays, all these things happen in a hospital, because children are no longer born at home, but sometimes the godmother still puts the offerings at the hospital window.
According to some beliefs, the Ursitoare or the Three Fairy Guardians are also called:
The Spinner is the Ursa who spins the life thread of the newborn. Fate or the Troubleshooter is the fairy that wraps the thread spun by the first fairy on the ball of life. She is the one who predicts the fate of the baby. Death or the Curator is the fairy who sets the limit of the infant’s life in time.
Article by: Roxana Nut
