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. 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, 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, lays fodder before the cattle, 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 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

3

1 Von Steinen's Westph. gesch. pp. 777-9.

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

3 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).

4 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.

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 housedæmon, distorted and exaggerated by the poet, disturbing the maid in her sleep, her milking and churning (see Suppl.).1

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.2

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 audivi, quomodo incuboni pileam rapuisset, et thesaurum invenit.' Home

1 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. 2 Unless Wilse (Beskriv. over Spyd. 419) has confounded Nissen with nöcken; yet the German goblin Goldemar was likewise musical (Ir. Elfenm. lxxxiii.). Wilse, and Faye, pp. 43-45, give the best account of the Norwegian Nissen, and Thiele i. 134-5 of the Danish.

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 tamañito, y tenia un cucurucho tamaño.' The Swedish tomte i gården' looks like a year-old child, but has an old knowing face under his red cap. He shews 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.'1 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 also when 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.

As henchman true, he abides by the master he once takes up with, come weal come woe. But his attachment is often found irksome, and one cannot be rid of him again. A farmer set fire

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

2 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.

to his barn, to burn the goblin that haunted it; when it is all ablaze, there sits the sprite at the back of the cart in which they were removing the contents (Deut. sag. no. 72).1 In Mone's Anzeiger 1835, 312 we read of a little black man that was bought with a chest, and when this was opened, he hopped out and slipped behind the oven, whence all efforts to rout him out were fruitless; but he lived on excellent terms with the household, and occasionally shewed himself to them, though never to strangers. This black figure reminds one both of the Scandinavian dwarfs, and of the devil. Some thoroughly good goblinstories are in Adalb. Kuhn's collection, pp. 42. 55. 84. 107. 159. 191-3. 372.2

There are also goblins who, like nix and watersprite, are engaged in no man's service, but live independently; when such a one is caught, he will offer you gifts or tell your fortune, to be set at liberty again. Of this sort is the butt in the nursery-tale

=

1 Very similar stories in Kuhn, no. 103, Thiele 1, 136, and the Irish tale of the cluricaun (pp. 92. 213 of the transl.). Also a capital Polish story about Iskrzycki, in Wóycicki's Klechdy 1, 198: An unknown person, who called himself Iskrzycki [flinty, from iskra =spark, says Grimm; there is also a Slav. iskri=near, iskrenny neighbour, friendly] came and offered his services to a man of noble family. The agreement was drawn up, and even signed, when the master observed that Iskrzycki had horse's feet, and gave him notice of withdrawal. But the servant stood on his rights, and declared his intention of serving his master whether he would or no. He lived invisible by the fireplace, did all the tasks assigned him, and by degrees they got used to him; but at last the lady pressed her husband to move, and he arranged to take another estate. The family all set out from the mansion, and had got through the better part of the way, when, the log-road being out of repair, the carriage threatens to upset, and the lady cries out in alarm. Suddenly a voice from the back of the carriage calls out: Never fear, my masters! Iskrzycki is with you (nie bój się, pani; Iskrzycki z wami). The masters' then perceiving that they could not shake him off, turned back to their old house, and lived at peace with the servant until his term expired. [English readers will remember Tennyson's Yes, we're flitting, says the ghost.'] -The alraun or gallows-mannikin in Deutsche sagen nos. 83. 84 is not properly a kobold, but a semi-diabolic being carved out of a root, and so diminutive that he can be kept in a glass; like an idol, he has to be bathed and nursed. In one thing however he resembles the home-sprite, that he will not leave his owner, and even when thrown away he always comes back again, unless indeed he be sold [orig. 'bought'] for less than he cost. The last purchaser has to keep him. Simpliciss. 2, 184. 203. Conf. Schm. 3, 96-7. [Home-sprites can be bought and sold, but the third buyer must keep him, Müllenhoff p. 322. With ref. to the idol (götze)': As the figure of the child Jesus has its shirt washed (Sommer, pp. 38. 173), so the heckmännchen must be dressed up anew at a certain time every year, 10 Ehen, p. 235.-Extr. from SUPPL.]

2 To escape the futtermännchen, a farmer built a new house, but the day before he moved, he spied the f. dipping his grey coat in the brook: My little coat here I swill and souse, To-morrow we move to a fine new house.' Börner's Orlagau, p. 246. Whoever has the kobold must not wash or comb himself (Sommer p. 171. Müllenh. 209); so in the case of the devil, ch. XXXIII.-Extr. from SUPPL.

(p. 507), likewise the folet in Marie de Fr. 2, 140, who grants three wishes (oremens). And the captive marmennill (p. 434), or the sea-wife, does the same.

1

The unfriendly, racketing and tormenting spirits who take possession of a house, are distinguished from the friendly and goodnatured by their commonly forming a whole gang, who disturb the householder's rest with their riot and clatter, and throw stones from the roof at passers by. A French comedy of the 16th century, 'Les Esprits,' represents goblins racketing in a house, singing and playing at night, and aiming tiles at passers by in the daytime; they are fond of fire, but make a violent uproar every time the master spits. In Gervase of Tilbury, cap. 18, the folleti also pelt with stones, and this of stone-throwing is what we shall meet with in quite early stories of devils; altogether the racketing sprites have in this respect more of the devil or spectre in them than of the elf: it is a darkening and distortion of their original nature in accordance with Christian sentiment.

So it becomes clear, at last, how the once familiar and faithful friend of the family under heathenism has gradually sunk into a bugbear or a taunt to children: a lot which he shares with goddesses and gods of old. As with Holle and Berhte, so people are threatened with the Lamia, the Omacmica, the manducus and goblin (pp. 500. 507): 'le gobelin vous mangera, le gobelin vous attrapera!' Little bützel no more, but a frightful butzemann or katzenveit, in mask (strawbeard) or with sooty visage he scares (like the roggenmuhme, p. 477). And it is worth remarking how, in some districts at least, knecht Ruprecht, knecht Nicolas, appear at Christmas-time not by themselves, but in

1 Comedies facecieuses de Pierre de l'Arivey, champenois, Lyon 1597. Rouen, 1611, p. 242 seq.

2 Legenda aurea, cap. 177: Hujus Ludovici tempore, anno Domini 856, ut in quadam chronica habetur, in parochia Maguntina malignus spiritus parietes domorum quasi malleis pulsando et manifeste loquendo et discordias seminando adeo hominis infestabat, ut quocumque intrasset, statim illa domus exurereter. Presbyteris autem letanias agentibus et aquam benedictam spargentibus inimicus lapides jactabat et multos cruentabat. Tandem aliquando conquiescens confessus est se, quando aqua spargebatur, sub capa talis sacerdotis quasi familiaris sui latuisse, accusans eum quod cum filia procuratoris in peccatum lapsus fuerit. [This incident, said to have occurred at Capmunti (Kembden) near Bingen, is derived from Rudolfi Fuldensis Annal. ann. 858, in Pertz 1, 372, where further details are given.-Extr. from SUPPL.