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Zână (pluralzâne;zînă andzîne,d̦ână andd̦âne inold spellings) is the Romanian equivalent of the GreekCharites or thefairy godmother.[1] They are the opposite of monsters such asMuma Pădurii. These characters make positive appearances infairy tales and mostly reside in the woods. They can also be considered the Romanian equivalent offairies and the Germanicelf. They vary in size and appearance and can transform to blend into their surroundings for protection and cover. They can appear openly in the woods and coax travelers to follow them in order to help them find their way. They can also hide in the woods and quietly guide those who need help through signs and "breadcrumbs" through the forest.
They give life tofetusesin utero and bestow upon them great gifts like the art of dancing, beauty, kindness, and luck. In folk tales, it is told not to upset them because they also have the power to do bad things or put a curse on the wrongdoer. They also act likeguardian angels, especially for children who enter the woods or other good people.[citation needed]
The wordzână comes from the Roman goddessDiana (as does Astur-Leonesexana). She is the one who has all the beauty, and is the one that gives it away.
Zână is also used in current Romanian slang to refer to an attractive girl.
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