THEORY: Elves - Naked or Legalistic?

[heathernmoore]

No: HPFGUIDX 31639

Here's a very surreal question:

 Shouldn't house-elves generally have to go about, uhm, NEKKID? If the very act of giving clothing to a house elf frees them, how is this avoided?  

 I suppose a part of house-elf culture must involve a ritualised responsa thingy on a near daily basis. When an elf comes in service, the master likely has to say something along the lines of:
  "Do you, the undersigned, acknowledge that my providing you with his <insert article of clothing> does not constitute a transference of ownership of said item and in no way constitutes a gift for the purposes of determining the undersigned's freedom from his contract responsibilities?" 

 And the elf says, "Oh, Dobby understands that Master is generously loaning Dobby this item of his own free will, and Dobby makes no claim of ownership of <said item> and does acknowledge that <said item> coming into Dobby's possession for Dobby's use in no way constitutes the giving of a gift such as would nullify the terms of Dobby's labor responsibilities as undertaken by Dobby's service in the house of Master."


 And so on, and so on, until each and every piece of clothing is cataloged and agreed upon and indemnified ad nauseum. The formula has to be followed *exactly* before the garment is touched by the elf. I can just see how tense Masters must be whenever they have to replace any of their elves' livery/uniforms/work clothes because it's such a big production to cover the technicalities. 


  -- heather (uma)