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Paper short abstract

Water, as an ambiguous element, relates to the Welsh narrative traditions of the Tylwyth Teg. Water-related motifs describe otherness and liminality. In social discourse, these motifs are projected onto marginalized or foreign groups. Evidence is provided from folklore collections and literature.

Paper long abstract

Water is an element indispensable for life, yet it can also appear in life-threatening ways. It can both unite and separate. It can manifest in the most lovely and wondrous forms, but also in terrifying ones. Given this ambiguity, it plays a central role in Welsh narrative traditions connected with the Tylwyth Teg (the Welsh fairies) and the appearances of otherworldly realms.

This paper will provide examples of how water and its various forms—such as rivers, wells, rain, mist, clouds, and inundation—are used to describe the supernatural character of otherworldly realms and their denizens. It will also demonstrate that liminality is a key characteristic of these realms and explain how an understanding of liminality is created through references to water. Moreover, the relationship between water and the Tylwyth Teg serves as a key characteristic of otherness.

However, this otherness does not remain confined to an imagined landscape, nor do the narrative motifs. Appearances of the supernatural relate to the physical landscape. Furthermore, these narrative motifs are transported into social discourse and projected onto marginalized social groups and perceived threats from foreigners. Evidence will be provided from both folklore collections and the literary use of narrative motifs connected with the Tylwyth Teg. The literary examples span a broad range from the Middle Ages to the present time and encompass various genres.