Pixies and pasties and Knockers

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 157366

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Ken Hutchinson" <klhutch at ...> wrote:
>
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Geoff Bannister"
> <gbannister10@> wrote:
> >
> > 
> > Cornish pixies on the other hand are mischievous little characters, 
> > often portrayed as men with pointed hats and possibly distant 
> > relatives of leprechauns.
> > 
> > I do wish you non-UK people would get up to speed.As Professor 
> > Kirke remarks in 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe', "I wonder 
> > what they do teach them at these schools." Mark you, Gilderoy 
> > Lockhart could probably cope with a room full of flying pasties 
> > better he did with the pixies....
> > :-)
> >
> 
> Ken:
> 
> Geoff, I admit our local schools are woefully inadequate when it comes
> to teaching us the folklore of Cornwall. Perhaps you can enlighten us
> further. My wife and I just got back from a short trip to southwestern
> Wisconsin. One of the places we visited was Mineral Point, a former
> mining town that once had a large population of transplanted Cornish
> miners. Apparently our good Wisconsin mines were infested with
> creatures known as Tommyknockers who were blamed for being the cause
> of lost tools and other mining mishaps. Smart miners were always
> careful to leave behind offerings of food to appease them.
> Tommyknockers do not seem to be mentioned in HP and here is where you
> could help. Is a Tommyknocker the same thing as a Cornish Pixie, or a
> relative, perhaps?

Geoff:
I wonder whether they've modified the name because of Stephen 
King's book?

Among a tranche of small beings, there are indeed Knockers (sounds a 
bit rude actually!) and Pixies (sometimes rendered as Piskies).

May I point you to www.cornishfolklore.com/small_people2.htm 
for pixies and www.cornishfolklore.com/small_people3.htm for 
knockers?