Gnome

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The Wichtelmänner , illustration from Grimm's fairy tale (1915)

An elf ( diminutive of Wicht ), also goblin or elf , is a little fantasy creature , which is primarily in the Nordic legends do good. The helpful little house ghost is also inclined to joke. It also occurs frequently in picture books , for example in many of the works by Fritz Baumgarten . During the Christmas season Weihnachtswichtel bring secretly gifts while elves . In more modern fantasy literature, pixies are also evil spirits who devise evil and serve witches. The role of the good spirits then falls to the brownies .

In Austria and in some German scout associations , the youngest female members of the scout movement (girls from around six to ten years of age) are referred to as Wichtel ; in Switzerland they were called Bienli until 2009 . The boys of the same age are called wolves , in Switzerland wolves .

See also