NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Brownie (mythology)

A brownie/brounie or urisk (Lowland Scots) or brùnaidh, ùruisg, or gruagach (Scottish Gaelic) is a legendary kind of creature popular in folklore around Scotland and England (especially the north). It is the Scottish counterpart of the Scandinavian tomte, the Slavic domovoi or the German Heinzelmännchen. Image File history File links Cox_Brownie. ... Scots refers to the Anglic varieties spoken in parts of Scotland. ... Scottish Gaelic (GÃ idhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the country. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the country. ... Scandinavia is a historical and geographical region centered on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe which includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. ... One of Jenny NystrÃ¶ms Christmas-themed tomte paintings, a popular image of the modern tomte A tomte or nisse is a mythical creature of Scandinavian folklore, believed to take care of a farmers home and barn and protect it from misfortune, in particular at night, when the... Slavic mythology and Slavic paganism evolved over more than 3,000 years. ... Domovoi (literally, one of the house) are house spirits found in Slavic folklore. ... HeinzelmÃ¤nnchen The HeinzelmÃ¤nnchen is a race of fictive creatures appearing in Grimms tale Der Schuhmacher und die HeinzelmÃ¤nnchen. ...

1 Tradition
2 Modern culture
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

Tradition

Customarily brownies are said to inhabit houses and aid in tasks around the house. However, they do not like to be seen and will only work at night, traditionally in exchange for small gifts or food. They take quite a delight in porridge. They usually abandon the house if their gifts are called payments, or if the owners of the house misuse them. Then they turn into Boggarts. Brownies make their homes in a unused part of the house. They were also known as the guardians of dragons. In British folklore, a boggart (or bogart, bogan, bogle or boggle) is a household spirit, sometimes mischievous, sometimes helpful. ...

The ùruisg had the qualities of man and spirit curiously commingled. He had a peculiar fondness for solitude at certain seasons of the year. About the end of Harvest he became more sociable, and hovered about farmyards, stables and cattle-houses. He had a particular fondness for the products of the dairy, and was a fearful intruder on milkmaids, who made regular libations of milk or cream to charm him off, or to procure his favour. He could be seen supposedly only by those who had the second sight, though instances where he made himself visible to people not so Gifted have been rumoured. He is said to have been a jolly personable being with a broad blue bonnet, flowing yellow hair, and a long walking staff. Look up Harvest in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The traditional barnyard with its animals is a thing of the past. ... Leland Stanfords horse stable, still in use Horse kept in stable A stable is a building in which livestock, usually horses, are kept. ... A dairy farm near Oxford, New York in the United States. ... A milkmaid is historically a woman, usually young, who milked cows and supplied milk. ... Libation scene, Greek red figure cup, c. ... A glass of cows milk. ... Cans of cream. ... Second sight is a form of extra-sensory perception whereby a person perceives information, in the form of vision, about future events before they happen. ... A bonnet is a kind of headgear which is usually brimless. ... Young Northern European man with naturally blond hair. ... A walking stick (or two) is a tool used by many people to ease pressure on the legs when walking. ...

Every manor house had its ùruisg, and in the kitchen, close by the fire was a seat, which was left unoccupied for him. The house of a proprietor on the banks of the River Tay was even at the beginning of the twentieth century believed to have been haunted by this sprite, and a particular apartment therein has been for centuries called "Seòmar Bhrùnaidh" (Brownie’s room). When irritated through neglect or disrespectful treatment he would not hesitate to become wantonly mischievous. He was notwithstanding, rather gainly and good-natured rather than formidable. Though, on the whole, a lazy, lounging hobgoblin, he would often bestir himself on behalf of those who understood his humours, and suited themselves thereto. When in this mood, he was known to perform many arduous exploits in kitchen, barn and stable, with marvellous precision and rapidity. These kind turns were done without bribe, fee or reward, for the offer of any one of these would banish him forever. Kind treatment was all he ever wished for, and it never failed to procure his favour. Ightham Mote For the London district, see Manor House, London. ... A kitchen is a room used for food preparation and sometimes entertainment. ... The River Tay looking eastwards from Perth The River Tay, in terms of flow (193 kilometres or 120 miles), is the longest river in Scotland. ... Hobgoblin is a term typically applied in folktales to a friendly or amusing goblin. ...

In 1703, John Brand wrote in his description of Zetland that: John Brand (1744-1784) was an British antiquary, born in Durham. ... Location Geography Area Ranked 12th - Total 1,466 kmÂ² - % Water ? Admin HQ Lerwick ISO 3166-2 GB-ZET ONS code 00RD Demographics Population Ranked 31st - Total (2005) 22,000 - Density 15 / kmÂ² Scottish Gaelic - Total () {{{Scottish council Gaelic Speakers}}} Politics Shetland Islands Council http://www. ...

“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. They also had some stacks of corn, which they called Brownie’s Stacks, which, though they were not bound with straw ropes, or in any way fenced as other stacks used to be, yet the greatest storm of wind was not able to blow away straw off them.”

The brownies seldom discoursed with man, but they held frequent and affectionate converse with one another. They had their general assemblies too, and on those occasions they commonly selected for their rendezvous the rocky recesses of some remote torrent, whence their loud voices, mingling with the water’s roar, carried to the ears of some wondering superstition detached parts of their unearthly colloquies. In a certain district of the Scottish Highlands, "Peallaidh an Spùit" (Peallaidh of the Spout), "Stochdail a’ Chùirt", and "Brùnaidh an Easain" (Brownie of the little waterfall) were names of note at those congresses, and they still live in legends which continue to amuse old age and infancy. Every stream in Breadalbane had an ùruisg once according to Watson the Scottish place name expert, and their king was Peallaidh. (Peallaidh's name is preserved in "Obair Pheallaidh", known in English as "Aberfeldy".) It may be the case, that ùruisg was conflated with some water sprite, or that ùruisg were originally water sprites conflated with brownies. A 16th century brewer A 21st century brewer This article concerns the production of alcoholic beverages. ... Wort (IPA ) is the liquid extracted from the mashing process during the brewing of beer or whisky. ... Homo sapiens (Latin: wise man) is the scientific name for the human species. ... Lowland-Highland divide Highland Sign with welcome in English and Gaelic The Scottish Highlands (A GhÃ idhealtachd in Gaelic) include the rugged and mountainous regions of Scotland north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault. ... Breadalbane is one of the four main branches of the Clan Campbell One of the interesting aspects of the Campbells history is the way in which they are hated in many parts of the Highlands still, largely, but not solely, because they were triumphant winners when competing clans failed. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Aberfeldy is a burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, on the River Tay. ...

British folklore also included a figure, Billy Blind, much like the brownie, but appearing only in ballads. Billy Blind, Billy Blin, Billie Blin, or Belly Blin is a British household spirit, much like a brownie. ...

Modern culture

The Cleveland Browns brownie elf mascot

Brownies were popularized in the humoristic poems of Canadian-American artist and author Palmer Cox. Image File history File links 1950s logo of the Cleveland Browns - source http://www. ... Image File history File links 1950s logo of the Cleveland Browns - source http://www. ... Palmer Cox Palmer Cox (April 28, 1840-July 24, 1924) was a Canadian born artist, best known for his series of humorous verse cartoons about the mischievous but kind-hearted Brownies. ...

By extension, the name of Brownies was given to the junior branch of the Girl Guides (American Girl Scouts) as well as their Canadian counterparts. For additional meanings of the word Brownies see Brownie (disambiguation) Brownies is the name given to the junior branch of the Girl Guides, and dates back to 1915. ... A Girl Guide is a girl, usually ranging from 10 to 17 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. ... The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States based on the Scouting principles developed by Robert Baden-Powell. ...

The Cleveland Browns are occasionally called the Brownies by their fans and used a brownie elf as an official mascot from their beginnings in 1946 until owner Art Modell phased it out in the mid-1960s. It was revived on a limited basis by the Browns since the team returned in 1999. During the 2004 Season, The Brownie appeared on the Team's sideline ponchos and equipment trunks. â€œBrownsâ€ redirects here. ... Arthur B. Modell (born June 23, 1925, Brooklyn, New York) was a National Football League team owner with the Cleveland Browns from 1961-1995 and the Baltimore Ravens from 1996-2004. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ...

The defunct St. Louis Browns baseball team also used the brownie as a mascot. (For the 1901-02 American League team known as the Baltimore Orioles, see New York Yankees. ...

The House Elves featured in the Harry Potter series have characteristics of brownies. Dobby House-elves are fictional magical creatures in the Harry Potter series of books written by J. K. Rowling. ... This article is about the Harry Potter series of novels. ...

In the book "Dragon Rider", written by Cornelia Funke, brownies were depicted as cat-like, mushroom-eating creatures that live alongside dragons rather than being creatures who do house chores, aiding in house tasks, and getting treats for it. Instead they are creatures who love to eat mushrooms and have a connection to dragons rather than brownies in folklore and mythology. Scholastics Cover for Dragon Rider Dragon Rider is a novel by Cornelia Funke. ... Cornelia Caroline Funke (born December 10, 1958, in Dorsten, Northrhine-Westphalia) is a celebrated, multiple award-winning German author of childrens fiction. ...

In the film Willow, two brownies "helped" Willow throughout the film. Their names were Franjean and Rool. The same pair appear in the trilogy of novels set after the film's events, "Shadow Moon", "Shadow Dawn", and "Shadow Star". Willow is a 1988 fantasy film directed by Ron Howard, based on a story by George Lucas. ... Shadow Moon is a fantasy novel written by Chris Claremont and George Lucas. ... Shadow Dawn is a fantasy novel written by Chris Claremont and George Lucas. ... Shadow Star is the third and final book in the Chronicles of the Shadow War trilogy. ...

In "The Divide", "Back to the Divide", and "Jinx on the Divide" by Elizabeth Kay, brownies are small elf-like creatures that practice reading crystal balls and are called "Ragamuckies." To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Four brownies serve Elena the godmother in the Mercedes Lackey book The Fairy Godmother Mercedes Lackey (born June 24, 1950) (also known as Misty Lackey) is a prolific American author of fantasy novels. ... The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ...

Numerous references exist in Enid Blyton's books, where brownies are depicted as fun-loving creatures on the lookout for adventure, such as in the book "Tuppenny, Feefo and Jinks". Big-Ears, a character in Blyton's Noddy series of books, is also a brownie. Enid Mary Blyton (August 11, 1897â€“November 28, 1968) was a popular English childrens writer. ... Noddy is a fictional character created by British childrens author Enid Blyton. ... For other uses, see Noddy (disambiguation). ...

The myth of the brownie is central to Neil Gaiman's novel, American Gods. In the novel, the brownie is portrayed as a powerful Germanic spirit that protects and provides for a town, while at the same time taking young people as sacrifices. Neil Richard Gaiman () (born November 10, 1960) is an English author of science fiction and fantasy short stories and novels, graphic novels, comics, and films. ... American Gods is a novel by Neil Gaiman. ...

In the science-fiction novel, The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, the Watchmaker sub-species of the Moties are nicknamed "brownies" by the crew of the INSS MacArthur. Cover of 1991-03-01 paperback edition The Mote in Gods Eye, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, was called possibly the finest science fiction novel I have ever read by Robert A. Heinlein. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Jerry Eugene Pournelle, Ph. ... It has been suggested that Horace Bury be merged into this article or section. ... Depiction of the INSS MacArthur, based on the Lief Ericson space cruiser model kit. ...

The Spiderwick series of books by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi feature a brownie named Thimbletack, undergoing an often combative relationship with the new residents of the Spiderwick estate. Spiderwick (The Spiderwick Chronicles) is a popular series of illustrated childrens fantasy books written by Holly Black and illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi. ... Holly Black (born 1971) is the New York Times bestselling author of The Spiderwick Chronicles series of childrens fantasy books (illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi), Valiant : A Modern Tale of Faerie, and Tithe : A Modern Faerie Tale. ... Tony DiTerlizzi is a fantasy artist best known for his work in the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering and on the Planescape product line for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. ...

References

This article incorporates text from "Dwelly's [Scottish] Gaelic Dictionary" (1911) (Ùruisg) with corrections and additions

External links

Joseph Jacob's "The Cauld Lad of Hilton" a tale of laying a mischievous brownie

Categories: English folklore | Fairies | Scottish folklore

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Contents

Modern culture

References

See also

External links