in the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth centuries, Saxo the Danish historian in
the twelfth, and a series of romances, running through
Celtic-Breton-French-English languages from the twelfth to fifteenth
centuries--all combine to alter or add to the popular conception of
fairies. Celtic Mider is of human stature, beautiful, powerful, dwelling
beneath the earth; he attempts to carry off a mortal bride. Teutonic
Alberich is a dwarf, presumably not handsome, but well disposed to mortals.
But when we come to _Huon of Bordeaux_ we find Oberon's characteristics are
derived from varying sources. He himself describes[79] to Huon, in a
fantastic romance-style, which attempts to associate him with as many
classic heroes as possible, his parentage and birth:--

"I shall show thee true, it is Julius Caesar engendered me on a lady of the
Privy Isle ... the which is now named Chifalonny [Cephalonia] ... after a
seven year Caesar passed by the sea as he went into Thessaly whereas he
fought with Pompey; in his way he passed by Chifalonny, where my mother
fetched him, and he fell in love with her because she showed him that he
should discomfit Pompey, as he did." We are almost supplied with the date
of Oberon's birth.

He proceeds to narrate how all the fairies but one were invited to his
birth, and that one, in anger, said that when he was three years old he
should cease to grow; however, she repented immediately and added that he
should be "the fairest creature that nature ever formed." Another fairy
endowed him with the power of seeing into the minds of all men; and a third
enabled him to go whither he would at a wish. "Moreover, if I will have a
castle or a palace at my own device, incontinent it shall be made, and as
soon gone again if I list; and what meat or wine that I will wish for, I
shall have it incontinent."