Ron, Hermione and the Elves

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 92474


> Neri wrote:
> I understand that House-elves who can be released from their 
slavery 
> by presenting them with cloth is not JKR's sole imagination, but a 
> respected tradition/legend/mythology. Perhaps this tradition also 
> tells us about the charm that originated it? Does anybody know 
> anything about House-elves in legend and where can I read about 
them? 
> In the Web I can't find any non-Potterian house elves.


The tale I'm reminded of is "The Poor Shoemaker (Cobbler?) and the 
Elves."  In it, elves appear at night and make shoes for a poor 
cobbler. The shoes are beautiful and over time the shoemaker becomes 
rich. He and his wife discover the elves one night and see that they 
are dressed in rags.  They make new clothes and shoes and leave them 
as a present for the elves.  The elves are very happy with the new 
clothes.  They take the clothes and leave.  I never understood why 
they left. It seemed that the job was done and this was payment, or 
that having been discovered they had to leave.  But in the story, 
the shoemaker had not enslaved them, they had come secretly on their 
own.
Potioncat