Home » Origin of Gnomes-Good and Bad Gnomes

 

Gnomes or elves originated in Scandinavian mythology. Folk tales tell of both good and evil gnomes. The good gnomes lived in the air, danced on the grass, and rested in trees. Evil gnomes lived under the ground and brought sickness and injury to people. Gnomes could disappear in a puff of smoke, or turn themselves into any shape they wanted. These sad little people played mournful music when they danced. Gnomes loved clean homes and helped good servants keep their kitchens neat and tidy.

Gnomes work at night in the woods and sometimes in human dwellings. It is not sheer coincidence that the word gnome itself is derived from Kuba-Walda, which means "home administrator" or "home spirit" in the ancient Germanic language. In rural areas these home administrators often live in the rafters of barns, where, if they are treated well, they keep an eye on the livestock as well as crops. Another variant of their name translates as "to put in order" or "do odd jobs" - with or without an apron.

 

 

A gnome is a dwarflike fairy in Norse mythology and folklore. There are both good ones, called light gnomes and bad ones called black gnomes. The good gnomes lived in the air, danced on the grass and rested in trees. The bad gnomes lived in the ground and moved through earth as easily as if it were water. They were dangerous and could cause diseases in cattle and in men. The male gnomes were ugly and humpbacked and had to live underground all their lives. Daylight turned them to stone. Their women were beautiful. They would often creep out at night and make lonely wanderers lose their way in the darkness. The black gnomes are often confused with the trolls or dwarfs.

 

For more information go to Background of Garden Gnomes or to hire one of these hardworking little men for your garden/yard, go to the Gnome Union Hall.