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the fey. fairies. the (un)seelie. every fan of tales about fey worth his bread knows that these creatures cannot tell an outright lie. it's a known trope: fairies can dance around the truth, can lie by omission, but they cannot tell an outright lie. They're not capable of it.

Has it happened,ever, in any fantasy book or other medium that a fairy was capable to tell a lie while knowing that he is giving false information?

I am curious what is the earliest occurence of such a thing.

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  • Just to be clear, are you asking about the first example of a Fey lying? Would you also be willing to accept proof of a work where the Fey can lie?
    – FuzzyBoots
    Commented May 7, 2020 at 17:08
  • @FuzzyBoots sure, why not.
    – hey you
    Commented May 7, 2020 at 17:36
  • In most of the Grimm stories (as an example) there is no mention of whether or not they can or cannot lie. The idea that they cannot lie seems to be a modern expansion as far as I have seen.
    – sabbahillel
    Commented May 7, 2020 at 20:21

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Yes, the fairies in Sleeping Beauty can lie.

Maleficent claimed to bear no ill will.

Maleficent, the evil fairy in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, claims she was not offended and bears no ill will at not being invited to the princess’s christening - but she was indeed offended and she does indeed bear ill will towards them.

Queen: And you're not offended, Your Excellency?

Maleficent: Why, no, Your Majesty. And to show I bear no ill will, I, too, shall bestow a gift on the child. Listen well, all of you! The princess shall indeed grow in grace and beauty, beloved by all who know her. But… before the sun sets on her sixteenth birthday, she shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel...and DIE!
- Sleeping Beauty (1959)

After saying she was not offended and does not bear ill will, Maleficent cursed the princess as her revenge - so she was indeed offended and did bear ill will due to this slight.

The three fairies say they need berries.

Also in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather all lie to Aurora by telling her they need her to pick some berries.

Briar Rose: Well, and what are you three dears up to?

Merryweather: Up to?

Fauna: Up to?

Flora: Up to?

Flora: Eh, eh, eh, we, we, well, we, we ...

Merryweather: Want you to pick some berries.

Flora: That's it, berries!

Briar Rose: Berries?

Fauna: Lots of berries.

Briar Rose: But I picked berries yesterday.

Flora: Oh, we need more, dear.

Fauna: Lots, lots more.
- Sleeping Beauty (1959)

All three of the fairies lie - they did not need berries, they just wanted to get Aurora out of the cottage so they could prepare surprises for her sixteenth birthday.

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  • That is a Disney change. I believe in the original story she does not lie but just shows up to cast her curse on the infant. Similarly, Sleeping Beauty is also a Disney insertion that was not part of the originale story.
    – sabbahillel
    Commented May 7, 2020 at 20:05
  • @sabbahillel Yes, that is why I said this is what happens in the Disney movie. Several parts of Disney’s story are unique to them. All the fairies are given names, Maleficent follows up on her curse, and Maleficent turns into a dragon. None of this is in any previous version.
    – Obsidia
    Commented May 7, 2020 at 20:13
  • In most of the Grimm stories (as an example) there is no mention of whether or not they can or cannot lie. The idea that they cannot lie seems to be a modern expansion as far as I have seen.
    – sabbahillel
    Commented May 7, 2020 at 20:20
  • @sabbahillel While there is nothing in medieval fairy lore that states fairies cannot lie, the question asks for an example of a work in which a fairy does indeed lie, which I have provided. It does not ask whether it is true in fairy lore that fairies cannot lie, so I did not attempt to answer that separate question.
    – Obsidia
    Commented May 7, 2020 at 21:18

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