fairy diddle
A little mountain squirrel or chipmunk, quick as a dart.
Also called fairydiddle, ferrididdle, ferrydiddle, mountain boomer.
Updated September 21, 2026
fairy diddle pronunciation
/FAIR-ee DID-uhl/
Meaning
In Appalachia, especially West Virginia, a fairy diddle is a small, noisy woodland critter. Most folks mean a red squirrel (pine squirrel). Others point at flying squirrels or chipmunks. Tall tales dress it up as half-myth. Kids get compared to one when they won't sit still.
How folks use it
- “Stop dartin' around like a fairy diddle.”
- “Somethin' tore into that bird feeder. Reckon it was a fairy diddle.”
Origin and etymology
DARE records ferrididdle / fairydiddle from the 1890s for a red squirrel or flying squirrel. The West Virginia Encyclopedia says northern WV favors fairy diddle for the red squirrel, while farther south you may hear mountain boomer. Spellings wander: fairydiddle, ferrydiddle, ferrididdle. Exact root is murky, but the name stuck to something small and fast in the woods.
Frequently asked questions
Is a fairy diddle a real animal?
Yes. It is usually a red squirrel, flying squirrel, or chipmunk, depending on who is talking and where they grew up. The folklore around it runs thicker than the biology.