Brownie (folklore) Every manor house had its ùruisg, and in the kitchen, close by the fire was a seat, which was left unoccupied for him. One house on the banks of the River Tay was even until the beginning of the twentieth century believed to have been haunted by such a sprite, and one room in the house was for centuries called "Seòmar Bhrùnaidh" (Brownie’s room). In 1703, John Brand wrote in his description of Shetland (which he called "Zetland") that: “Not above forty or fifty years ago, every family had a brownie, or evil spirit, so called, which served them, to which they gave a sacrifice for his service; as when they churned their milk, they took a part thereof, and sprinkled every corner of the house with it, for Brownie’s use; likewise, when they brewed, they had a stone which they called ‘Brownie’s stane’, wherein there was a little hole into which they poured some wort for a sacrifice to Brownie.
The Killmoulis was a similar creature which inhabited mills. Cheneque (native Mexican) Elf. In English literature of the Elizabethan era, "elves" became conflated with the "fairies" of Romance culture, so that the two terms began to be used interchangeably. Romanticist writers were influenced by this (particularly Shakespearean) notion of the "elf," and reimported the word Elf in that context into the German language. A number of ballads in the British Isles and Scandinavia, perhaps stemming from the medieval period, describe human encounters with the elf, elven-king, elf-maid, etc.
The same ballad type (cognate ballads) are often disseminated over several countries. Some common motifs, which may also be seen in English, Scottish and Scandinavian folklore, are elves enticing men with their dance, and causing death, either by elf-shot or entirely unexplained. In Scandinavia, the elves are often conflated with the beings called the huldra or huldufólk. Etymology German cognates Onomastics In personal names Kennings Mythology Creation Abode "Sá er einn staðr þar, er kallaðr er Álfheimr. Green Man. Types[edit] Lady Raglan coined the term "Green Man" in her 1939 article "The Green Man in Church Architecture" in The Folklore Journal.[3] Some commentators conflate or associate the term with "Jack in the Green".[4] Usually referred to in works on architecture as foliate heads or foliate masks, carvings of the Green Man may take many forms, naturalistic or decorative.
The simplest depict a man's face peering out of dense foliage. Some may have leaves for hair, perhaps with a leafy beard. Often leaves or leafy shoots are shown growing from his open mouth and sometimes even from the nose and eyes as well. The Green Man appears in many forms, with the three most common types categorized as: the Foliate Head: completely covered in green leavesthe Disgorging Head: spews vegetation from its mouththe Bloodsucker Head: sprouts vegetation from all facial orifices (e.g. tear ducts, nostrils and mouth)[5][6] In churches[edit] Later variations[edit] Modern images[edit] Related characters[edit] Fairy. Elf. Hobgoblin. In John Bunyan's hymn "To be a Pilgrim", the hobgoblin is coupled with "a foul fiend" as two monstrous beings who try but fail to "daunt the Pilgrim's spirit". The term "hobgoblin" has grown to mean a superficial object that is a source of (often imagined) fear or trouble.
Probably the best-known example of this usage is Ralph Waldo Emerson's line, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds," from the essay Self-Reliance.[2] Hobgoblins in modern fantasy fiction[edit] The Spiderwick Chronicles[edit] Hogsqueal, the anti-hero of the fantasy saga by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, is a hobgoblin. In these stories a hobgoblin is a mischievous, albeit good natured goblin. Moomin books[edit] In the English translation of Finn Family Moomintroll, the third book of the Moomin series of children's books by Tove Jansson, The Hobgoblin is a strange magical personage -- even his hat, when found by other creatures, can work strange sorts of magic all by itself. Role-playing games[edit] Seelie Court. A Seelie Court is a term originating in Lowland Scottish folklore to indicate "good" fairies.
The word "seely" being a Scots, Northern and Middle English term meaning "happy", "lucky" or "blessed". The word is derived from the Old English sœl and gesœlig[1][2] The Modern Standard English word silly is also derived from this root and the term "seely" is recorded in numerous works of Middle English literature such as those by Geoffrey Chaucer. Many ballads and tales tell of "Seely wights"; a Lowlander term for fairies.[1] Other uses[edit] Seelie Court or Seely Court can also refer to: References[edit]