celtyckie-i-brytyjskie: Changeling

Evidence: 100 • authority: 72

A changeling, also historically referred to as an auf or oaf, is a human-like creature found throughout much of European folklore. According to folklore, a changeling was a substitute left by a supernatural being when kidnapping a human being. Although sometimes it was a "stock" (a piece of wood made magically to resemble the kidnapped human), more often the changeling was a supernatural being made magically to look like the kidnapped human. Supernatural beings blamed for stealing children included fairies, elves, demons, trolls, nereids and many others. Usually, the kidnapped human was a child; but there were cases, particularly in Scandinavia and Ireland, where adults were taken. Some mod…

Evidence: 52 • authority: 72

A dwarf (pl. dwarfs or dwarves) is a type of supernatural human-shaped being in Germanic folklore. Accounts of dwarfs vary significantly throughout history. They are commonly, but not exclusively, presented as living in mountains or stones and being skilled craftsmen. In early literary sources, only males are explicitly referred to as dwarfs. However, they are described as having sisters and daughters, while male and female dwarfs feature in later saga literature and folklore. Dwarfs are sometimes described as short; however, scholars have noted that this is neither explicit, nor relevant to their roles in the earliest sources. Dwarfs continue to feature in modern popular culture, such as i…

Evidence: 40 • authority: 72

A brownie or broonie (Scots), also known as a brùnaidh or gruagach (Scottish Gaelic), is a household spirit or hobgoblin from Scottish folklore that is said to come out at night while the owners of the house are asleep and perform various chores and farming tasks. The human owners of the house must leave a bowl of milk or cream or some other offering for the brownie, usually by the hearth. Brownies are described as easily offended and will leave their homes forever if they feel they have been insulted or in any way taken advantage of. Brownies are characteristically mischievous and are often said to punish or pull pranks on lazy servants. Brownies originated as domestic tutelary spirits, ve…

Evidence: 36 • authority: 72

A changeling is a figure in West European folklore. Changeling, The Changeling, or The Changelings may also refer to:

Evidence: 32 • authority: 72

In English, to "spirit away" means to remove without anyone's noticing. In Japanese folklore, spiriting away (神隠し, kamikakushi; lit. 'hidden by kami') refers to the mysterious disappearance or death of a person, after they had angered the spirits (kami). There are numerous legends of humans being abducted to the spirit world by kami. Folklorist Kunio Yanagita recorded several tales of kamikakushi in Tōno Monogatari (遠野物語; Tōno Tales, 1909). In Philippine folklore, spiriting away means disappearance of a person towards the land of the Engkantos (enchanted beings). One example is Biringan, a magical city rumored to be found in Samar.

Evidence: 32 • authority: 72

A sprite is a supernatural entity in European mythology. Sprites are often depicted as fairy-like creatures or as ethereal entities.