Lil’ snippets of my new book Kitchen Witch: Food, Folklore, and Fairy tale
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Keeping House Spirits Happy
A household deity or spirit may protect a home or look after the household, or they may have more mischievous or opportunist intentions. It is a common belief in paganism as well as in folklore across many parts of the world that ancestors reside in groups in family homes as well as domestic goddesses like Hestia, watching over all homes. So families may well feel a more personal connection to household spirits, as ancestors of the family or land, and they would be honoured, not in temples but within the home.
Some examples of these spirits in European cultures include:
● Fairies – also known as fae, faery, fair folk and fae folk (Throughout the British Isles)
● The Coblynau; mine fairies and Bwbachod; household fairies (Welsh)
● Elves (English, Icelandic)
● Brownies (Scottish and English)
● Leprechauns and clurichauns (Irish)
● Bogles (Scottish)
● Piskies (Cornish)
● Kobolds (Germany)
● Hobgoblins and pixies (England)
● Bogey, bwg, goblins (Welsh)
● Nisse (Norwegian or Danish)
● Tomte (Swedish)
● Tonttu (Finnish)
Because of their place within the home, house spirits were connected to the day-to-day goings-on and chores. House spirits are often considered to clean, tidy, and protect in exchange for milk, bread or cake as thanks. They are also part of deeply woven together ideas of witches and fairies and night flying spirits. So we will meet many fairy folk through the book, and vestiges of their presence persisting in small ways, into the modern day.
A bowl of milk placed for the brownie is not so different to an offering of wine poured out before the household gods of the Romans. Fairy lore contains certain elements of mythology and of older religious beliefs. I believe fairies reflect remnants of pagan beliefs of animism – that all objects, places, and creatures possess a distinct energy or spirit. Animism perceives all things – animals, plants, rocks, rivers and homes, words and food — as alive in some way, possessing a certain magic, you might say.
Hobgoblin and Bogles
"Hob" is a generic term given to a goblin, bogle or brownie. A hob is also a shelf by a fireplace for heating pans, which means that a hobgoblin may be referring to a household goblin or spirit that resides in this particular location in the kitchen. Hobgoblins may help with cleaning and housework in return for food, however, if offended, they could become disruptive and mischievous. There is a story of a bogle who would hide in potato fields of Scotland – the Tatty Bogle might attack unwary humans or cause blight to the crop.
Kobold
The kobolds of German folklore hold many similarities with the hobgoblin – they may help with chores but are just as likely to be mischievous and hide household tools. Like similar incarnations in other countries, he becomes outraged if he is not properly fed. Kobolds dwell in dark and solitary places, basement and storerooms and further afield in mines and tunnels.
Bienal is a kobold of the beer cellar, like the leprechauns and clurichauns, for every image of a pixie or elf, there often seems to be one specifically for booze (even whisky has its own angels – we’ll meet them later). The bienal is appeased by a daily jug of beer, and in return might assist in cleaning tables and washing up. Finally for our stop in Germany, numerous demons are recognized as dwelling in trees and amongst the crops of wheat and vegetables. So, amongst the Feldgeister "field spirits," you will find, to name just a few: the Roggenhund – rye dog, the Kornkatze – corn cat, and Kartoffelwolf – potato wolf.
Piskies
Fairy folk local to Cornwall, piskies are often sighted at places of ancient worship, such as stone circles and barrows. There are many tales attached to who the piskies are: the souls of pagans who could not transcend to heaven, ancestor spirits, relics of pagan gods or nature spirits. Even moths, who some believe to be departed souls, are still in some areas, called piskies.
They can also be mischievous, and if you get lost, the Cornish might say you were “piskie-led,” although people are often lead astray in order to join in with dancing and games before being returned to their path, so it’s not all bad. The piskies of the Cornish Moors are also called nightriders for their hobby of knotting tiny stirrups into the manes of moorland horses and galloping across the moors. Horses ridden by witches in similar stories are called “hag-ridden”.
Piskies might also blow out candles or stop milk from being churned to butter or sneak through keyholes to eat sweet food. There are plenty of stories of very kind acts of the piskies. One tale tells of the piskies who sent to the Earl of Cornwall's wife – who longed for a baby – a pie, within which lay, on a bed of sweet herbs and wildflowers, a smiling infant.
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Kitchen Witch: Food, Folklore, and Fairytale will be released on March 2022
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