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Kobold
A kobold (; ''kobolt'', ''kobolde'', cobold) is a general or generic name for the household spirit (''hausgeist'') in German folklore. It may invisibly make noises (i.e., be a poltergeist), or helpfully perform kitchen chores or stable work. But it can be a prankster as well. It may expect a bribe or offering of milk, etc. for its efforts or good behaviour. When mistreated (cf. fig. right), its reprisal can be utterly cruel. A () meaning "little hat" is one subtype; this and other kobold sprites are known for its pointy red cap, such as the ''niss'' (cognate of Nisse (folklore), nisse of Norway) or ''puk'' (cognate of Puck (folklore), puck fairy) which are attested in Northern Germany, alongside ''drak'', a dragon-type name, as the sprite is sometimes said to appear as a shaft of fire, with what looks like a head. There is also the combined form Nis Puk. A house sprite Hinzelmann is a shape-shifter assuming many forms, such as a feather or animals. The name supposedly refer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hinzelmann
Hinzelmann (orig. Hintzelmann; , also known as or ) was a kobold in the mythology of northern Germany. He was described as a household spirit of ambivalent nature, similar to Puck (folklore), Puck (Robin Goodfellow)., ''Boys' Own Story-book'' p. 84 compares Hinzelmann to a composite of Orthon and Robin Goodfellow, on p. 84, the latter is "alias Puck". The similar-sounding Heinzelmann (Heinzelmännchen) of Cologne is considered a distinct and separate being by modern scholars. Editions and background The legend was recorded in Pfarrer (pastor) Marquart Feldmann's diary for the years 1584–1589, and published by an anonymous author as ''Der vielförmige Hintzelmann'' in three duodecimo editions, 1701. ''sine loco''; 1704, Leipzig; and 1718. s.l. The castle where the haunting took place was used as shelter during the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) but thereafter abandoned by the Lords of Hudemühlen, and was so derelict by 1704 [1701] that the chamber where the Hintzelmann did h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gnome
A gnome () is a mythological creature and diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and widely adopted by authors, including those of modern fantasy literature. They are typically depicted as small humanoids who live underground. Gnome characteristics are reinterpreted to suit various storytellers and artists. Paracelsus's gnome is recognized to have derived from the German miners' legend about or , the "metallurgical or mineralogical demon", according to Georg Agricola (1530), also called (literal Latinization of ''Bergmännlein'', "mountain manikin") by Agriocola in a later work (1549), and described by other names such as (sing. ; Latinization of German ). Agricola recorded that, according to the legends of that profession, these mining spirits acted as miming and laughing pranksters who sometimes threw pebbles at miners, but could also reward them by depositing a rich vein of silver ore. Paracelsus also called ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Schrat
The ''Schrat'' () or ''Schratt'', also ''Schraz'' or ''Waldschrat'' (forest ''Schrat''), is a rather diverse German folklore, German and Slavic mythology, Slavic legendary creature with aspects of either a wild man, wood sprite, Household deity, domestic sprite and a nightmare Mare (folklore), demon. In other languages it is further known as ''Skrat''. Etymology The word ''Schrat'' originates in the cognate, same word root as Old Norse ''skrati'', ''skratti'' (sorcerer, giant), Icelandic language, Icelandic ' (devil) and ''vatnskratti'' (water sprite), Swedish language, Swedish ' (fool, sorcerer, devil), and English language, English ' (devil). The German term entered Slavic languages and (via North Germanic languages) Finno-Ugric languages, Finno-Ugric ones as well. Examples are Polish language, Polish ''skrzat'', ''skrzot'' (domestic sprite, dwarf), Czech language, Czech (domestic sprite, gold bringing devil/gnome, mining sprite), Slovene language, Slovene (domestic sprit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Klabautermann
A Klabautermann () "hobgoblin"; or Kalfater ("caulker") is a water kobold that assists Frisian, German or Dutch sailors and fishermen on the North Sea in their duties. Dutch/Belgian tales of described them as cave dwellers in mountains, who may help out humans who put out offerings of bread and butter, sometimes out in the open, but other times at their millhouse or farmstead. Nomenclature The Klabautermann (also spelt ''Klaboterman'', ''Klabotermann'', ''Kalfatermann''), sometimes even referred to by the name "kobold" is a creature from the beliefs of fishermen and sailors of Germany's north coast, the Low Countries (Netherlands, etc.) in the North Sea and the Baltic countries as well. The Estonian counterpart are called or , borrowed from foreign speech. Etymology An etymology deriving the name from the verb ("to caulk") has been suggested by the linguist Friedrich Kluge, who considered "Klabautermann" merely to be a variant on "Kalfater" or "caulker" (attested by Temme). ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hödekin
(spelled Hödeken, , and , etc.) is a kobold ( house spirit) of German folklore. The name is a diminutive meaning "Little Hat", and refers to the hat he wears, explained as being a '' pileus'' a felt hat of certain shapes. He famously haunted the castle of Bishop Bernard (Bernhardus), Prince-Bishopric of Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, and in some versions, inhabited Winzenburg, a county the spirit helped the bishopric to obtain. Although Hütchen did not initiate harm, he was murderously vindictive and dismembered a kitchen boy who had habitually of insulted him and poured kitchen filth upon him. When the cook (who hadn't controlled the misbehaving boy) griped, the sprite tainted the meat for the bishop with toad blood and venom; the cook remained unfazed, and got pushed down the heights into a ditch to die. There was a man who during his absence entrusted his wife jokingly to the Hütchen, and the sprite chased off all the men calling on the adulterous wife. He also helped an i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Household Spirit
A household deity is a deity or spirit that protects the home, looking after the entire household or certain key members. It has been a common belief in paganism as well as in folklore across many parts of the world. Household deities fit into two types; firstly, a specific deity typically a goddess often referred to as a hearth goddess or domestic goddess who is associated with the home and hearth, such as the ancient Greek Hestia. The second type of household deity is not one singular deity but a type or species of animism, animistic, which usually has lesser powers than major deities. This type was common in the religions of antiquity, such as the lares of Religion in ancient Rome, ancient Roman religion, the gashin of Korean shamanism, and cofgodas of Anglo-Saxon paganism. These survived Christianisation as fairy-like creatures existing in folklore, such as the Anglo-Scottish brownie (folklore), brownie and Slavic domovoy. Household deities were usually worshipped not in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nisse (folklore)
A (, ), (), , or () is a household spirit from Nordic folklore which has always been described as a small human-like creature wearing a red cap and gray clothing, doing house and stable chores, and expecting to be rewarded at least once a year around winter solstice ( yuletide), with the gift of its favorite food, the porridge. Although there are several suggested etymologies, ''nisse'' may derive from the given name Niels or Nicholas, introduced 15–17th century (or earlier in medieval times according to some), hence ''nisse'' is cognate to Saint Nicholas and related to the Saint Nicholas Day gift giver to children. In the 19th century the Scandinavian ''nisse'' became increasingly associated with the Christmas season and Christmas gift giving, its pictorial depiction strongly influenced by American Santa Claus in some opinion, evolving into the . The nisse is one of the most familiar creatures of Scandinavian folklore, and he has appeared in many works of Scandinavian ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nis Puk
The Nis PukHelge Noe-Ygaard: ''Sydslesvigske Sagn'', København 1958 (sometimes also Niß PukKarl Müllenhoff: ''Sagen, Märchen und Lieder der Herzogtümer Schleswig, Holstein und Lauenburg''. Berlin 2017, p. 425. ()) is a legendary creature, a kind of ''Kobold'', from Danish-, Low German-Leander Petzold: ''Kleines Lexikon der Dämonen und Elementargeister''. Munich 1990, p. 144. and North Frisian-speakingKarl Müllenhoff: ''Sagen, Märchen und Lieder der Herzogtümer Schleswig, Holstein und Lauenburg''. Berlin 2017, p. 428. areas of Northern Germany and Southern Denmark,Karl Müllenhoff: ''Sagen, Märchen und Lieder der Herzogtümer Schleswig, Holstein und Lauenburg''. Berlin 2017, p. 433. among them Schleswig, today divided into the German Southern Schleswig and Danish Northern Schleswig. It is also known in Denmark itself as , as a variant of '' nisse''. An earlier saying says Nissen does not want to go over the Eideren, i.e. not to Holstein to the South of Schleswig. Depen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hudemühlen Castle
Hodenhagen is a municipality in the district of Heidekreis, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town was once the site of Hudemühlen Castle, which is now destroyed. The castle was famous as the home of the kobold Hinzelmann.Keightley, Thomas (1850). ''The Fairy Mythology, Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various Countries''. London: H. G. Bohn, p. 240. The site of another medieval castle, Hodenhagen Castle on the River Meiße Meiße is a river of Lower Saxony, Germany that flows through part of the Lüneburg Heath. It is a right-hand tributary of the Aller (Germany), Aller. Origin and course The Meiße rises south of Wietzendorf in the nature reserve of Großes Mo ..., is also located nearby. Serengeti Park, an amusement park with a safari theme, is located within the municipality. References Heidekreis {{SoltauFallingbostel-geo-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Deutsche Sagen
''Deutsche Sagen'' ("German Legends") is a publication by the Brothers Grimm, appearing in two volumes in 1816 and 1818. The collection includes 579 short summaries of German folk tales and legends (where " German" refers not just to German-speaking Europe generally but includes early Germanic history as well). ''Deutsche Sagen'' followed the 1812 publication of '' Kinder- und Hausmärchen'' (known in English as ''Grimms' Fairy Tales''). It never gained the wide popular appeal and influence of the latter, although it did influence the scholarly study of folk narrative. The first volume contains 362 short tales, provided in short summary with a source. The source is in some cases "oral", with the region where it was collected (as in no. 1, ''Die drei Bergleute im Kuttenberg'' "the three miners in Kuttenberg", marked "oral" from Hessen), in other cases with a reference to the tale's previous publication (as in no. 362, ''Die drei Alten'' "The three old men", attributed to "Schmi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shapeshifter
In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shapeshifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through unnatural means. The idea of shapeshifting is found in the oldest forms of totemism and shamanism, as well as the oldest existent literature and epic poems such as the ''Epic of Gilgamesh'' and the ''Iliad''. The concept remains a common literary device in modern fantasy, children's literature and popular culture. Examples of shapeshifters are vampires and werewolves. Folklore and mythology Popular shapeshifting creatures in folklore are werewolves and vampires (mostly of European, Canadian, and Native American/early American origin), ichchhadhari naag (shape-shifting cobra) of India, shapeshifting fox spirits of East Asia such as the huli jing of China, the obake of Japan, the Navajo skin-walkers, and gods, goddesses and demons and demonesses such as the Norse Loki or the Greek Proteus. Shapeshifting to the form of a wolf is specifically known as lycant ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
