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Author
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Comment
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cammykitty
Registered User
(1/28/06 11:40 am)
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Brownies & glamour
I'm planning a Brownie story in a world I've already created, and started wondering if all faeries have glamour. Are Brownies invisible to anyone except those that have the sight? It seems to me, brownies have a different status in faeriedom than say a Seelie Prince, and might not be able to do much glamour other than appearing as a mouse instead of a brownie. They seem to be magical by means of hard labor and surreptitiousness rather than by spells. Certainly no one would grab a brownie and say "lead me to a fortune" or "grant me three wishes."
So what do you think? Are there any tales you can point me to that shed light on what brownies can and cant do?
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pacifiquesea
Registered User
(1/28/06 12:50 pm)
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Re: Brownies & glamour
From the little I've found out, they just seem to be quick and prefer to keep out of sight, but not necessarily invisible. "Magical by means of hard labor" seems to sum it up nicely.
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princessterribel
Registered User
(1/29/06 3:24 am)
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Brian Froud...hehe
I always find Mr Froud an excellent resource on such matters, so i refer you to some of his description. " He [the Brownie] is a small and shaggy man, wrinkled and brown in appearence, standing some 25 inches in height and either naked or dressed in tattered brown clothes.
The brownie generally adopts a house which he then looks after. He has a very developed sense of responsibility and will come out at night to watch over farm animals...and generally make himself indespensible.
Of course Brownies, like all faeries, are unpredictable in their behaviour...the transition form helpful Brownie to troublesome Boggart is easily made."
If you want all of it it is in Froud and Lee's 'Faeries'.
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cammykitty
Registered User
(1/29/06 9:46 am)
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Re: Brian Froud...hehe
Ah, thank you! I loaned my copy of "Faeries" to a friend. So, according to Mr. Froud, ya don't want to piss off a brownie. There's a story I've read in a couple different places about a family that decides to move because of an unhelpful household boggart. & someone asks the family what they are doing and an answer comes from the baggage "We're flitting. We're flitting." meaning we're moving.
I just never think of Brownies getting pissed off, but why not. I myself can be quite helpful with a strong sense of duty, but if someone acts like they take me for granted, he he he... oh another side comes out.
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Northerner4me
Registered User
(1/29/06 12:31 pm)
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Re: Brian Froud...hehe
We've got some of these brownies in the North York Moors, though they are generally called Hobs. See my link for the story of the Farndale Hob.
archive.thisisryedale.co....15575.html
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neverossa
Registered User
(1/30/06 4:43 am)
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Robert Kirk
Hi, probably you already know this, but why don't you give a look to The Secret Commowealth by Robert Kirk?
Reverend Robert Kirk of Aberfoyle (Scotland) wrote this book about fairies - mostly brownies - and second sight in 1691. It's a very important text for everyone interested in fairies... also because it was written by a man of the church, which believed in their existence!
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cammykitty
Registered User
(1/30/06 8:32 am)
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Re: Robert Kirk
sounds excellent. the little virtual scurrying you are hearing is me running to a bookstore.
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