The Elf Problem (OoP)

[Patricia Vepari]

No: HPFGUIDX 69100

> They are capable of surviving on their own, but why not partner 
with the 
> humans and let them do it so they can spend their time making 
beautiful things?

Ahh, to have a set of Tayledras clothes...complete with hair 
ornaments of course *wishful sigh*

> Gesten, from The Black Gryphon trilogy was paid by both 
Skandranon /and/ 
> Amberdrake.  He only worked for them, and occasionally helped out 
in other places 
> as well.  Anyone else with a personal Hertasi would have paid 
too.  Also in 
> the "Owl" serries, the hertasi mentioned "charging" for embroderie 
pieces for 
> those who were not of the community.

Thanks, need to look that up now :) Though I assumed that the 
payment for embroidery was more of the trading type payment as 
opposed to hertasi getting payed by their Tayledras for services 
rendered (payed meaning money..do Tayledras even have money??)


> Gesten reguarally called Amberdrake/Skan an idiot if I recall 
correctly.  Not 
> even Dobby would dream of that.

Ohh, could you imagine Lucius's face? That would be priceless! 

 
> > But then again, we don't know whether the treatment of Dobby is 
> > typical for a house elf. Could just be evil Lucius Malfoy being 
> > himself. We have every indication that the Hogwarts elves are 
quite 
> > happy and content (more hertasi like maybe?)
> 
> I think so.  They get thanked, they have students sneaking down to 
ask them 
> /personally/ for food.
> 
> Hmn...Hermione want the Elves to be freed and get paid.  Equel 
rights and all 
> that.
> 
> But what do the House elves consider to be 'pay'?  What has worth 
to them?  I 
> remember one of Asop's fables about a cock finding a jewel in the 
dirt and 
> saying that he "knew it was a very precious thing but would trade 
it for but one 
> grain of sweet barley," or something.
> 
> So, the well treated house elves might be "getting paid" already, 
because 
> they are praised and thanked etc.  Besides, what can Dobby do with 
money anyways?
> 
>  On the other hand, it 
> > 
> > was mentioned somewhere (don't recall where, I believe Ron said 
it) 
> > that house elves only come with old Manors and castles. Which 
then 
> > would most likely be owned by the old, pure-blood families. And 
from 
> > what we have seen so far, they all seem to be like the Malfoys 
(hate 
> > Muggles and so on)So I doubt they would treat their house elves 
any 
> > better than the Malfoy's did. 
> > 
> 
> A very good point.  Perhaps, the treatment of house-elves, 
changed, just as 
> the perception of Salazar's philosophy changed?
> 

so praise+shelter as payment? Hm, sounds like an interesting idea. I 
really wish we knew more about the history of the house-elves and 
how their contracts with the wizarding families started. And exactly 
how powerful they really are. 
A war maybe with the elves as the looser and one of the conditions 
was the servitude?
Or it started out as a more equal partnership, protections (or 
praise) in return for service?
I just hope hermione gets to the roots of this with spew so that we 
can find out. It really surprises me that she hasn't scrouged the 
library for that topic yet. 

Patricia

ADMIN Note: Discussion of Hertasi etc which do not involve  the works of JKR   should be continued off-list or on OT-Chatter. Thanks!