A little while ago I started reading Terry Brooks magic kingdom and started wondering about the mythological significance (I didnt know I knew those words) of one of his characters, Willow, or to be more exact what she was, a sylph.  So I found out a bit.

            The Rosicrucians and Cabalists first used these mythological creatures although the meaning of moth or butterfly is of Greek descent.

            Sylphs are, in mythology, like angels or rather the pictures artists paint of angels.  They are told to be female air spirits, protecting the mountains that they call home.  They are said to sing beautifully up on their mountains.

They, when seen for they can turn invisible if they wish, appear much like a tall girl around nineteen or so when youre caught right in the middle between your parents and the rest of your life.  They have feathered wings that are almost twice the size of their bodies (so no duh they can fly) but they can fold the wings so they fit neatly behind the sylphs back.

            Sylphs are also described as loner, quite content to have only the birds as companies (sometimes I could be too and then I remember that birds are the things that fly at me when I go in the garage 'disturbing' their nest).  They are sometimes described as soulless though not many describe them as that.  Some also said that those who were very vain in life were sent to the Sylphs when they died because they were too full of themselves to move on.