- Atomy
An atomy is a diminutive fairy creature or sprite of surprising smallness that was mentioned in some historic literature.
Literature
"
Romeo and Juliet " by William Shakespeare describes Atomies pullingQueen Mab 's carriage.O, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you.
She is the fairies’ midwife, and she comes
In shape no bigger than an agate-stone
On the fore-finger of an alderman,
Drawn with a team of little atomies
Athwart men’s noses as they lie asleep;
Her wagon-spokes made of long spinners’ legs,"
Fairy Land " by Edgar Allan Poe references atomies in the last lines:They use that moon no more
For the same end as before-Videlicet , a tent-
Which I think extravagant:
Its atomies, however,
Into a shower dissever,
Of which those butterflies
Of Earth, who seek the skies,
And so come down again,
(Never-contented things!)
Have brought a specimen
Upon their quivering wings.External links
* [http://www.scotstext.org/makars/alexander_montgomerie/words.asp Glossary for THE CHERRY AND THE SLAE by H. Harvey Wood]
*OED [http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50014209?query_type=word&queryword=atomy&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&search_id=mWx3-neonFq-3527&result_place=1 Atomy]
* [http://www.thefreedictionary.com/atomy The Free Dictionary: Atomy]
* [http://www.yourdictionary.com/atomy Your Dictionary: Atomy]
* [http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/ATOMY Wordweb: Atomy]
* [http://www.shee-eire.com/Magic&Mythology/Fairylore/Cluricaunes/Paddy0-Byrne&Devil'sGlen/Page1.htm Fairy Story referring to the a sprite as an Atomy]
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