Chapter 17

The Fr. follet, It. foletto, is a diminuitive of fol, fou; which, like follis (bellows), seems to be derived from an obsolete follere (to move hither and thither), and brings us to a fresh contact of the home-sprite with the fool. (140) Then lutin, also luton, perhaps from the Lat. luctus: a sprite who wails and forebodes sorrow? Lithuan. bildukkas, bildunas, bildziuks (noisy sprite), from bildenti (to racket, rattle); grozdunas from gródzia (there is a racket made). Sloven. ztrazhnik, Serv. strashilo, Boh. strašidlo, Pol. straszydlo, from strašiti (terrere); Boh. bubák (noisy sprite). Somewhat stronger is the Pol. dzieciojad, child-eater, like the Lat. manducus. Irish home-sprites are called Cluricauns (Elfenm. p. 85-114), Leprechaun, Logheriman (Keightley 2, 179; and see Suppl.).

But enough of these names: no doubt many more could be added. It is time to consider the nature and functions of these Home-sprites.

In stature, appearance and apparel they come very near to elves and dwarfs; legend loves to give them red hair or a red beard, and the pointed red hat is rarely missing. Hütchen, (Hodeke, Hoidike), the Hildesheim goblin, and Hopfenhütel, Eisenhütel take their names from it. A broad-topped mushroom is in Dan. called nissehat. The Norwegian Nissen is imagined small like a child, but strong, clothed in grey, with a red peaky cap, and carrying a blue light at night. (141) So they can make themselves visible or invisible to men, as they please. Their fairy shoes or boots have been noticed, p. 503; with these they can get over the most difficult roads with the greatest speed: it was just over mountains and forests that Hütchen's rennpfad extended (Deut. sag. 1, 100), and the schratweg (p. 479) means much the same. (142) With this walking apparatus and this swiftness there is associated now and then some animal's form and name: Heinze, Heinzelmann, polterkater, katermann, boot-cat, squirrel; their shuffling and bustling about the house is paralleled by the nightly turbulence of obstreperous cats. (143) They like to live in the stable, barn or cellar of the person whose society they have chosen, sometimes even in a tree that stands near the house (Swed. bo-trä, dwelling-tree). You must not break a bough off such a tree, or the offended goblin will make his escape, and all the luck of the house go with him; moreover, he cannot abide any chopping in the yard or spinning on a Thursday evening (Superst. Swed. no. 110). (144) In household occupations they show themselves friendly and furthersome, particularly in the kitchen and stable. The dwarf-king Goldemar (pp. 453. 466) is said to have lived on intimate terms with Neveling of Hardenberg at the Hardenstein, and often shared his bed. He played charminly on the harp, and got rid of much money at dice; he called Neveling brother-in-law, and often admonished him, he spoke to everybody, and made the clergy blush by discovering their secret sins. His hands were lean like those of a frog, cold and soft to the grasp; he would allow himself to be felt, but never to be seen. After a stay of three years he made off without injuring any one. Other accounts call him king Vollmar, and they say the room he lived in is called Vollmar's kammer to this day: a place at table had to be kept for him, and one in the stable for his horse; meats, oats and hay were consumed, but of horse or man you saw nothing but the shadow. Once an inquisitive man having sprinkled ashes and peas to make him fall and to get sight of his footprints, he sprang upon him as he was lighting the fire, and chopped him up into pieces, which he stuck on a spit and roasted, but the head and legs he thought proper to boil. The dishes, when ready, were carried to Vollmar's chamber, and one could hear them being consumed with cries of joy. After this, no more was heard of king Vollmar; but over his chamber-door it was found written, that from that time the house would be as unlucky as it had been prosperous till then, and the scattered estates would never come together again till there were three Hardenbergs of Hardenstein living at once. Both spit and gridiron were long preserved, till in 1651 they disappeared during the Lorrain war, but the pot is still there, let into the kitchen wall. (145) The home-sprite's parting prophecy sounds particularly ancient, and the grim savagery of his wrath is heathen all over. Sam. Meiger says of the wolterkens: 'Se vinden sik gemeinichlich in den hüseren, dar ein god vörrad (store) van allen dingen is. Dar schölen se sik bedensthaftigen (obsequious) anstellen, waschen in der köken up, böten vür (beet the fire), schüren de vate, schrapen de perde im stalle, voderen dat quik, dat it vet und glat herin geit, theen (draw) water und dragent dem vehe (cattle) vör. Men kan se des nachtes hören de ledderen edder treppen (or stairs) up und dal stigen, lachen, wen se den megeden efte knechte de decken aftheen (pull off), se richten to, houwen in, jegen (against) dat geste kamen schölen, (146) smiten de ware in dem huse umme, de den morgen gemeinliken darna verkoft wert.' The goblin then is an obliging hardworking sprite, who takes a pleasure in waiting on the men and maids at their housework, and secretly dispatching some of it himself. He curries the horses, combs out their manes, (147) lays fodder before the cattle, (148) draws water from the well and brings it them, and cleans out the stable. For the maids he makes up fire, rinses out the dishes, cleaves and carries wood, sweeps and scrubs. His presence brings prosperity to the house, his departure removes it. He is like the helpful earth-mannikins who lend a hand in the field labour (p. 451 n.). At the same time he oversees the management of the house, that everything be done orderly; lazy and careless workers get into trouble with him (as with Holla and Berhta, pp. 269. 273), he pulls the coverlets off the beds of sluggards, blows their light out, turns the best cow's neck awry, kicks the dawdling milkmaid's pail over, and mocks her with insulting laughter; his good-nature turns into worrying and love of mischief, he becomes a 'tormenting spirit.' Agemund in the Reinardus 4, 859-920 seems to me no other than a house-dæmon, distorted and exaggerated by the poet, disturbing the maid in her sleep, her milking and churning (see Suppl.). (149)

Servants, to keep on good terms with him, save a little potful of their food on purpose for him, which is surely a vestige of little sacrifices that were offered him of old (p. 448). That is probably why one Swiss goblin bears the name Napfhans, Potjack. But in many cases it is only done on holidays, or once a week. The sprite is easily satisfied, he puts up with a saucerful of porridge, a piece of cake and a glass of beer, which are left out for him accordingly; on those evenings he does not like any noisy work to be going on, either in or out of doors. This they call in Norway 'at holde qvelvart (qvellsvart),' to hold evening rest. Those who desire his goodwill, give him good words: 'kiäre granne, giör det!' dear neighbour, do this; and he replies conformably. He is said at times to carry his preference for the goodman so far as to pilfer hay and straw from other farmers' barns or stables, and bring it to him (see Suppl.).

The Nissen loves the moonlight, and in wintertime you see him merrily skipping across the farmyard, or skating. He is a good hand at dancing and music, and much the same is told of him as of the Swedish strömkarl (p. 493), that for a grey sheep he teaches people to play the fiddle. (150)

The home-sprite is contented with a trifling wage: a new hat, a red cap, a parti-coloured coat with tinkling bells he will make shift with. The hat and cap he has in common with dwarfs (p. 463), and therefore also the power to make himself invisible. Petronius (Satir. cap. 38) shows it was already a Roman superstition: 'sed quomodo dicunt, ego nihil scivi, sed andivi, quomodo incuboni pileam rapuisset, et thesaurum invenit.' Home-sprites guard treasures, and in Nib. 399 Siegfried becomes master of the hoard as soon as he has taken Alberich's tarnkappe from him. In Calderon's Dama duende the little goblin wears a large hat: 'era un frayle tamanito, y tenia un cucurucho tamano.' The Swedish 'tomte i gården' looks like a year-old child, but has an old knowing face under his red cap. He shows himself at midday (see chap. XXXVI., daemon meridianus) in summer and autumn, slow and panting he drags a single straw or an ear (p. 459); when the farmer laughed and asked, 'What's the odds whether you bring me that or nothing?' he quitted the farm in dudgeon, and went to the next. From that time prosperity forsook the man who had despised him, and went over to his neighbour. The farmer who respected the busy tomte and cared for the tiniest straw, became rich, and cleanliness and order reigned in his household. Many Christians still believe in such home-sprites, and present them an offering every year, 'pay them their wage' as they call it. This is done on the morn of Yule, and consists of grey cloth, tobacco and a shovelful of earth, Afzelius 2, 169. A pück served the monks of a Mecklenburg monastery for thirty years, in kitchen, stall and elsewhere; he was thoroughly good-natured, and only bargained for 'tunicam de diversis coloribus, et tintinnabulis plenam.' (151) In Scotland there lived a goblin Shellycoat, and we saw (p. 465) that the dwarfs of the Mid. Ages also loved bells [schellen; and schellenkappe is Germ. for cap and bells]. The bells on the dress of a fool still attest his affinity to the shrewd and merry goblin (fol, follet); see Suppl.

He loves to play merry pranks, and when he has accomplished one, he is fain to laugh himself double for delight: hence that goblin laughter (p. 502) and chuckling. But alsow hen he sulks, and means mischief to those who have brought him into trouble and difficulty, he utters a scornful laugh at the top of his voice. (152)




ENDNOTES:

140. Ratherius, ed. Ballerini, p. 314: 'merito ergo follis latiali rusticitate vocaris, quoniam veritate vacuus.' Wilhelm. metens. ep. 3: 'follem me rustico verbo appellasti.' Back

141. J. N. Wilse's Beskrivelse over Spydeberg, Christiana 1779, p. 418. Conf. the blue light of the black mannikin, Kinderm. no. 116. Back

142. So a chemin de fées is spoken of in Mém. celt. 4, 240, and a tröllaskeid (curriculum gigantum) in Laxd. saga 66. Back

143. Witches and fays often assume the shape of a cat, and the cat is a creature peculiarly open to suspicions of witchcraft. Back

144. Wilse, ubi supra, entirely agrees: 'tomtegubben skal have sin til hold unde gamle träer ved stuehuset (boeträer), og derfor har man ej tordet fälde disse gandske.' To this connexion of home-sprites with tree worship we shall have to return further on. Back

145. Von Steinen's Westph. gesch. pp. 777-9. Back

146. When the cat trims her whiskers, they say it is a sign of guests. Back

147. Like the white lady (Berhta), whose nightly visits are indicated the next morning by the wax that has dropt from her taper on the manes (Deut. sag. no. 122). In Wales the people believe that goats have their beards combed out every Friday night by the elves (Croker 3, 204). Back

148. Hence the name futtermännchen, (confounded at times with Petermännchen); but often he has one favourite horse that he pays special attention to, taking hay out of the others' cribs to bring to him. Faye p. 44. Back

149. The description of his figure (a horse's mane, hawk's bill, cat's tail, goat's beard, ox's horns and cock's feet) can hardly have been all invented there and then. Back

150. Unless Wilse (Beskriv. over Spyd. 419) has confounded Nissen with nöcken; yet the German goblin Goldemar was likewise musical (Ir. Elfenm. lxxxiiii.). Wilse, and Faye, pp. 43-45, give the best account of the Norwegian Nissen, and Thiele i. 134-5 of the Danish. Back

151. The story (as written down in 1559) is given in Ern. Joach. Westphal's Specimen documentorum ineditorum, Rostock 1726, pp. 156-166. Back

152. Scott's Minstrelsy I. civ. mentions a North English Brag or Barguest: 'he usually ended his mischievous frolics with a horselaugh.' Conf. Hone's Tablebook 2, 656. Back