[HPforGrownups] Handwriting US/UK - House-elves

Fri Sep 28 19:36:03 UTC 2001

No: HPFGUIDX 26837

--- Amy Z <aiz24 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> >They don't
> >need or want salaries, pensions or vacation time
> 
> Dobby does.  How would he buy wool and knitting
> needles if he didn't get 
> paid?

   He could ask his human hosts for it. It was
customary to put out gifts for Brownies yarn, if it
were made clear it would be welcome, wouldn't be a
problem.
   According to my 'Encylopedia of Fairies,
Hobgoblins, Brownies Bogies and other Supernatural
Creatures' (yes, it is a real book) Brownies avoided
the appearance of payment because it would put them
under obligation to their Humans. Food or other items
'left out' didn't count as 'pay' and so were
acceptable. 
   This of course is the behavior of free Brownies.
Dobby, coming from a long line of magically bound
House elves, is presumably unaware of these
traditional practices and values.   

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