[HPforGrownups] RE: House Elves (again)

[Rowena Grunnion-Ffitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 26804

   I have taken the advice of an earlier poster,
(intended for Hermione) and done a little research.
   House elves would appear to be equivalent to
'Brownies'. According to Muggle folklore Brownies were
helpful household helpers usually doing their work
invisibly or overnight. They were seldom seen but
would occasionally manifest in an emergency to aid or
bring help to a member of their human family in
distress. Brownies appreciated having a bowl of new
milk and some fresh bread left out for them but were
seriously insulted by any other kind of payment,
especially clothes. A gift of clothes inevitably
caused  the Brownie to leave in a huff and
occasionally to curse the family with ill luck.
   In the case of House elves the usual Brownie trait
of loyalty to their Human hosts seems to have been
reinforced by magical compulsions making it impossible
for them to leave *unless* dismissed by the Wizard
through the now traditional gift of clothes. A free
House elf, (or Brownie) would never have put up with
the kind of treatment Dobby suffered. However those in
less abusive situations, such as Winky, are genuinely
content since this is in fact the kind of life they
would freely choose for themselves.
   Hagrid is thus quite right in saying House elves
want to take care of Humans *and* that they would be
insulted by payment. 
   However Hermione is right in thinking that House
elves' situation needs some reforming though quite
mistaken about the form it should take. They don't
need or want salaries, pensions or vacation time what
they do need is for the magical compulsions that force
them to remain with a family even against their will
to be lifted. Wizards and House elves alike will then
be able to return to the natural, symbiotic
relationship we see in traditional folklore.
     


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