Mụ bà (Mười hai Bà mụ)

The available sources do not provide a mythic origin story for the Mười hai Bà mụ. Rather than a narrated origin, they appear in tradition as an established group of twelve female supernatural figures integrated into household and lifecycle ritual practice. Their presence is asserted through domestic religious attention—especially surrounding childbirth and the infant’s first month—indicating their role is rooted in ritual responsibility for newborn welfare rather than a documented cosmogonic narrative in the supplied material.

The cited material refers to the group using English-language terms such as "fairies" and describes them as female deities, but supplies no detailed iconography, dress, or consistent physical description for individual members. From the source terminology one can only say they are represented as female supernatural figures (the term Hoa Nương implies a graceful or maidenlike aspect), while specific attributes, clothing, or visual depictions are not documented in the provided material.

According to the source, the Twelve are midwife-like deities who teach babies various prosperous traits and practical early-life skills—explicitly including sucking and smiling—and more generally the abilities deemed necessary for thriving life. They function during the newborn period and are the appropriate recipients of lifecycle ritual attention (notably a one-month ceremony in some regions). The source does not ascribe to them additional powers (such as punitive action or wider protective magic) nor list a comprehensive catalogue of skills beyond the examples given.