Kobold
A spirit from later continental folklore. Ken Dowden compared the cofgodas to the Kobold, arguing that they had both originated from the kofewalt, a spirit that had power over a room.
↻ synthesized from 4 sources
When
- First attested
- 500 CE
- Attested period
- 500 – 1800
- Historical notes
- Medieval to early modern folklore
Relationships
- co occurs with
- hob, nisse, Tonttu, Húsvættir, lar familiaris, Hinzelmann, Hausmann, gütgen, Goblin, Imp, Sprite, Cofgod, Lares, Tomte, domovoy, duende, Manes, kobel, Schrat, Brownie, Elf, Lutin, wight, Gnome, Leprechaun
- child of
- kofewalt
- manifested by
- Jack o' the bowl
- syncretized with
- hobgoblins, Nis, Bergmännlein, Agathos Daimon
Mentioned by
- Cofgod
- Lares
- Tomte
- domovoy
- duende
- Manes
- kobel
- Schrat
- Brownie
- Elf
- Lutin
- wight
- Gnome
- Leprechaun
- kofewalt
- Jack o' the bowl
and 14 more
Sources
Source passages
“Dowden also compared them to the Kobold of later continental folklore, arguing that they had both originated from the kofewalt, a spirit that had power over a room.”
#9285 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“To underscore the equivalence of brownie, kobold, and goblin, consider the words of the English historian and folklorist Thomas Keightley: The Kobold is exactly the same being as the Danish Nis, and Scottish Brownie, and English Hobgoblin. [b] He performs the very same services for the family to whom he attaches himself.”
#9604 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“German kobold and the Greek agathós daímōn both fit this evolutionary path.”
#23575 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“Kobold (Germany)”
#34624 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001