British Goblins

Book Excerpt: other. But some effort of this sort is imperative, and we must do the best we can with our materials. Stories of the class of Grimm's Witchelm nner (Kinder und Hausm rchen) will be recalled by the legend of Rowli Pugh as here told. The German Hausm nner are elves of a domestic turn, sometimes mischievous and sometimes useful, but usually looking for some material reward for their labours. So with the English goblin named by Milton in 'L'Allegro, ' which drudges, To earn his cream-bowl duly set.FOOTNOTE: 12] Until recently, Welsh women retained their maiden names even after marriage.IV.The Ellylldan is a species of elf exactly corresponding to the English Will-o'-wisp, the Scandinavian Lyktgubhe, and the Breton Sand Yan y Tad. The Welsh word dan means fire; dan also means a lure; the compound word suggests a luring elf-fire. The Breton Sand Yan y Tad (St. John and Father) 13] is a double ignis fatuus fairy, carrying at its finger-ends five lights, which spin round like a wheel. The negroes of the southern seaboard states of America invest this goblin with an exaggeration of the horrible peculiarly their own. They call it Jack-muh-lantern, and describe it as a hideous creature five feet in height, with goggle-eyes and huge mouth, its body covered with long hair, and which goes leaping and bounding through the air like a gigantic grasshopper. This frightful apparition is stronger than any man, and swifterRead More