[HPforGrownups] Re: House Elves' enslavement (long)

[Magda Grantwich]

No: HPFGUIDX 114054

There's a popular Grimm's fairy tale called The Shoemaker and the
Elves (see http://www.shoemakerandtheelves.com/en/flash for the text
of the story).  In it elves cheerfully work for people and are
rewarded by being given new clothes.  They leave the household but
the people are blessed with good fortune, apparently as a result of
their kind treatment of the elves.

I think this is the basis of the relationship that JKR has in mind
for houseelves and wizards.  Comparisons to American slavery in the
19th century aren't the best.

At some point in the distant past, centuries ago, not-nice wizards
abused the rules by making sure that they did not give their elves
clothes as rewards and thus tied them to their wizard houses forever.
 Thus what was a relationship of mutual respect turned into enchanted
servitude.

Magda


		
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