There is a concept that permeates some fantasy stories, though not all, where some magical creatures, but again not all, have an aversion or weakness to iron. The idea is often stated as a blatant fact within fantasy worlds and more recent examples include The Name of the Wind, The Witcher, and many of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books. Over and over, I have wondered where such a concept originated. I admit I expected a specific story of note, maybe a historical event which influenced the creation of the idea. There is something like an answer, but like the concept itself, this answer is spread across different myths and stories, and came to fruition in a time of superstition.
Let’s distinguish that there are different types of magical creatures. The particular branch that fears iron refers to those called fae folk, or more commonly, faerie folk. Overall, the faerie tend to include dryads, nymphs, satyrs, brownies, trickster changelings, and typically, elemental creatures that tend to live in unison with nature-bound settings. A distinction here is that creatures of the faerie tend to have human qualities, whether they are big or small. So typically different to something like a dragon, or unicorn, and different from other human-like monsters such as vampires or werewolves.
I must also mention that the common and modern use of the word fairy is different from faerie. Our modern idea of a fairy is a tiny winged creature. The pre-eminent example comes from Peter-Pan, which of course has been around long enough to have influenced all living generations. Similar confusion can be tied to videogames, where a fairy is usually used for healing, with The Legend of Zelda a good example. These creatures would better be called sprites or pixies for distinction, but fairy stuck to them, and here we are.
Onto metals, metallurgy followed several historic ages. Labels such as the copper age, tin age, gold age, all refer to time periods where new methods of mining ore and smelting influenced time periods and civilizations. More advanced smelting allowed for sturdier metals and combinations/alloys allowed for vast advances. For example, the Bronze Age came about when copper and tin were combined. Blacksmithing was historically seen as an almost mystical art, requiring specific knowledge and skill, and was often at the height of human achievement. It was also seen as a way of keeping societies safe from potential threats of outside invaders and this is where it lines up with folklore.
The bulk of faerie folklore traces back to Western Europe, and mainly the British Isles. The British did not create all creatures of this kingdom, and the word “faerie” is French in origin, though it also owes to the Latin word, “fay.” Many creatures later pulled into the faerie kingdom come from earlier tales, like satyrs, dryads, and nymphs from Homer’s Odyssey and Greek mythology.
Faerie were not typically pleasant. They played all sorts of tricks, often leading to people’s displeasure or death. For one, they were said to swap out human babies for their own evil little changelings. They liked to lure people into forests or mountains in hopes of getting them lost. They sometimes posed as one’s lover to gain sexual access. Sometimes whole villages would be afflicted with some curse or poison attributed to a faerie. One can look to concepts like extra-terrestrials or bigfoot to see how societal beliefs can take hold. It’s not hard to imagine that living in a confined world, having less access to information, and overall just having darker nights with less option for security, it could lead to cautionary beliefs.
So how did people defend themselves from creatures that hid in shadows, lurked in forests, or had the advantage of magic? Well, they turned to the art that that had kept them safe from invaders and barbarians. They turned to blacksmithing, and in particular, iron. Out of all historical periods referred to as belonging to a certain metal, the Iron Age came last in terms of development because iron ore requires extremely high temperatures to smelt.
Iron weapons may have been kept for defense, but not all people, especially working classes, could afford weaponry. Instead, an old tradition still seen today is to create an iron barrier to the home. Hanging an iron horseshoe over the door is probably the most recognized method. Similar can be done with an iron knife or nail, which might be buried under a doorframe. Faerie folk’s aversion to iron was believed so strong that these simple defenses were enough. Sure the horseshoe is often referred to for luck, but that idea originates in finding an old horseshoe along the road and using it for this specific purpose.
These superstitions were part of the British Isles for many centuries. Arthurian legends (with oldest records of writing dating to 830 CE) are peppered with mentions of faerie type creatures and curses. Shakespeare and his contemporaries often included faerie folk in their stories. A Midsummer’s Night Dream (late 16th century CE) is primarily focused on this kingdom. One of the more comprehensive books, and recent in terms of ancient history, is The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns, and Fairies (written 1691-92, and published in 1815). This book collects information about the mystical faerie, and helps to establish the idea of a kingdom of like creatures.
Mysticism has persisted in centuries since, and it seems modern fantasy writers enjoy incorporating the concept of faeries fearing iron into modern stories. Even some of the most famous fantasy of the last century, Lord of the Rings, Conan stories, and A Song of Fire and Ice (aka A Game of Thrones) have ideas of creatures fearing different types of metals.
Besides, humans, and all earthly beings use iron in the body to transport oxygen and produce energy. Iron is essential to our life, not just as a tool, but something that permeates our bodies and the food we consume. Iron pulled from the Earth represents human ingenuity. It represents an idea of aligning ourselves with earthly roots. Or perhaps it all just does come down to superstition. Then again, if one imagines the idea of being alone in a forest at night, surely a good strong iron-based rod or blade is bound to make the night a little less frightening.
