Which level 1 creature is better?

Personally, I don't mind fairies as such. I was just sharing my opinion on which unit is the strongest among the first-tier units, and I wasn't trying to downplay the power of a fairy in a state of rage :D. And if someone steps on her foot, she'll obliterate dragons :D!
But seriously, if we're talking about usefulness, then perhaps there are no equals to them (retaliation + high speed also affects tournament restrictions); however, if we consider the total damage inflicted on an opponent of the same level, then fairies are far from being in the top 3...:)