Fairy cup legends are classified under Reidar Thoralf Christiansen's scheme as migratory type 6045.
[n 1] Stories of this type originate from England, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Isle of Man, and Scotland.
Tales often begin with a hole in the ground or similar opening up mysteriously, revealing "little people" living underground.
There is a Scottish folktale from the 17th century of a man who sees a whirlwind in a field and hears voices saying "Horse and Hattock" - he repeats the phrase and is swept up by the wind and wakes up the next day in the King of France's cellar with a silver cup in his hand.
In the legend, which may have been invented in the 18th century, the cup was obtained when fairies were interrupted drinking at a well at Eden Hall (Edenhall), and left the glass behind.