[HPforGrownups] Re: House elves

[Iggy McSnurd]

No: HPFGUIDX 82454

> ~<(Laurasia)>~
> Or, perhaps they allowed their own "enslavement" and wizards just
> took credit for it. By that I mean, let's say House-Elves are
> innately generous and kind creatures- they offer to do work for
> Wizards refuse any money out of the kindness of their hearts. After
> many generations of this kind of service Wizards say that they have
> enslaved them, when really their 'captives' were hardly putting up
> any resistence.
>

Iggy:

Actually, there's elements in almost every form of folklore of the "powerful
servant elf/boggin/etc..."  These are little critters that live in people's
houses or shops and help them out in a form of symbiosis.  (The humans get
someone who helps clean/protect/repair their home, the elf gets a place to
live and food to eat.)

In many cases, the creature continues the relationship unless something is
done to offend it.  This can be by presenting them with new clothes (old
ones and tattered ones are ok...), presenting them with ANY gift, taking
them for granted, or even (in one form of folklore) putting out a bowl of
fresh milk for them.

This type of thing exists not only in folklore, but extends into common
fairytale-dom... "the Shoemaker and the Elves" is a prime example, and has
had many variants of that story... (The most popular alternate being a baker
instead of shoe maker.)

That's one possible explanation.



Now, going in the other direction...

Middle Eastern tales abound ("A Thousand and One Arabian Nights - the Tales
of Sheherezahd" is one example source...) of powerful Janni (the group name
for all races of the more commonly known Genie-kind...) being bound into
servitude by powerful wizards.

In some cases, it's a band of wizards binding a single Janni into
servitude... linking them to an object.  In others, it's a large group of
wizards (or Magi) joining together and binding a race of Djinn (Dao,
Aefreet, Marid... etc...) into service by defeating and binding the ruler of
that race into service or imprisonment.  There are also tales of the Janni
being bound by some agreement of honor between Magi in the past and the
rulers of the Janni.

This could explain another reason why the House Elves, as powerful as they
are, are bound to service.



The third possibility I can see is that, much like the first listing, the
House Elves originally lived in a symbiotic relationship with the WW.  Over
time, however (and possibly with the use of subtle spells), the arrangement
slowly evolved into a "traditional" enslavement...  The racial memory of the
House Elves was gradually altered, either naturally or unnaturally, to a
point where they became what they are today and are used to it to such a
point where they feel it is their duty in life.  This has also developed to
a point where it's considered the highest disgrace to be ejected from such
servitude... which would also explain why they put up with as much abuse as
they do when "employed" by a Wizarding family.

The illusion, of course, seems to be carefully maintained... such as when
Malfoy got angry that Harry had lost him his servant... not slave...


Just my two centaurs.  (Worth MUCH more than $0.02, of course... *grin*)


Iggy McSnurd
the Prankster


"The buck doesn't even slow down here..."

-- ABS FIRECAT