Nymphs

nimfs, in Greek mythology, inferior divinities in the form of beautiful maidens. They were ever young, and were in the train, or at least under the protection, of some higher divinity, as Venus, Diana, or Pan. They possessed the gift of foretelling future events, and the power of inspiring the poet. They were of several classes. The Naiads dwelt in rivers, brooks, and springs. They wore garlands of flowers and were lighthearted, musical, and kindly. Scott speaks of Ellen, in The Lady of the Lake:

The Dryads lived in grass and trees. They danced around the old oak. If a fountain dried up, the nymph inhabiting it might go elsewhere, but, if a monarch of the forest fell, the dryad living in it perished. It was a serious act, therefore, to fell an aged tree. The perpetrator of the dastardly deed ran the risk of calling down the vengeance of Ceres or some other divinity to whom the nymph might appeal. The nymphs of the mountains, caves, and grottoes were called Oreads. The Nereids were the nymphs of the sea. The botanist calls the fragrant white water lily Nymphaea.