Goblin
Encyclopedia
A goblin is a legend
ary evil or mischievous illiterate creature, a grotesquely evil or evil
-like phantom.
They are attributed with various (sometimes conflicting) abilities, temperaments and appearances depending on the story and country of origin. In some cases, goblins have been classified as constantly annoying little creatures somewhat related to the brownie and gnome
. They are usually depicted as small, sometimes only a few inches tall, sometimes the size of a dwarf. They also often are said to possess various magical abilities.
gobelin, rendered as Middle Latin gobelinus, itself a loan from a Germanic term cognate to German kobold
.
Alternative spellings include gobblin, gobeline, gobling, and goblyn.
Hiisi
, folletto, duende
, tengu
, Menninkäinen
and kallikantzaroi are often translated into English as 'goblins'. The Erlking
and Billy Blind
are sometimes called goblins. 'Goblin' is often used as a general term to mean any small mischievous being.
as servants and attendants of God Hara-Bhava, lord of the sub-region Vitala, one of the seven sub-regions of Patala
(underworld
and netherworld
) in Hindu cosmology
.
In "The Goblin Field" (Moldova), Goblins were described as 2–3 feet tall, thin, and brown. Most were bald and "if there were females among the group they could not be distinguished from the males". They seemed to exist in two realms, one physical and one spirit. They were fiercely loyal and allied with particular sorcerer or witch tribes, whom they protected and served as an equally allied tribe rather than servants or slaves. "This perception might seem a bit strange to any not accustomed to the goblin outlook" because the goblins often did what might be considered slave work for very little reward.
They could be called by an allied individual or group, summoned by spell, or called to bargain at particular places by individuals or groups not known to them. Because of their power they were much sought after, but because of the corruption of mankind, rarely found. Crossing them was a thing to avoid as they had refined a grudge to a fine art. They could be fierce and mind-numbingly frightening, and only the hardiest of souls were sent to strike a bargain with them. However they had a side which few ever saw, which was their great love for those who were able to create an understanding and friendship with them. At the passing of such a person, they would treat the body with proper respect and then quietly weep.
s in J. R. R. Tolkien
's The Hobbit
and The Lord of the Rings
are identified as goblins. These works, featuring goblins of almost-human stature, generally informed the depiction of goblins in later fiction and games.
Goblins are portrayed as roughly half the size of adult humans as non-player character
s in the tabletop role-playing game
Dungeons & Dragons
, which influenced most later depictions including the online games Tibia, RuneScape
and World of Warcraft
(they become a playable race in the WoW expansion World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
). In the 1980s Goblins were depicted as a separate race subservient to the Orcs in the Games Workshop tabletop game Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
. Games Workshop also popularized the depiction of goblins with bright green skin. Warcraft adopted both of these concepts from Warhammer. The Warcraft goblins are very technologically advanced. Goblins are also present as the first tier creature in the Orc faction in Heroes of Might and Magic V: Tribes of the East
.
Goblins are represented in Magic: The Gathering
as a species of predominantly red-colored creatures, and are generally organized into various tribes, each led by a leader known as an Auntie. They are usually depicted as fierce and war-mongering, but of comically low intelligence. Most are similar to other depictions of goblins save those of the Akki race, which bear chitin
ous shells on their backs.
Many other works also continue the folkloric presentation of goblins as diminutive, as in the 1986 film Labyrinth
, the Harry Potter books and film series, and the film Legend
.
Goblins play an important role in JK Rowling's Harry Potter
series, wherein goblins guard the wizard bank Gringotts and are portrayed as clever, arrogant, greedy, and churlish. The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy
by Clare B. Dunkle features a creative re-imagining of goblins, elves, and dwarves.
Despite its title, goblins are featured as the main villains in the cult film
Troll 2
.
The Complete Encyclopedia of Elves, Goblins, and Other Little Creatures depicts them as originating in the British Isles, from whence they spread by ship to all of Continental Europe. They have no homes, being wanderers, dwelling temporarily in mossy cracks in rocks and tree roots.
Jack Prelutsky
's children's poetry book It's Halloween
includes a poem called "The Goblin", in which a little boy describes "A goblin as green as a goblin can be, Who is sitting outside and is waiting for me".
In Enid Blyton's Noddy children's books and their adaptations appear small humanoids called 'goblins', who are often very mischievous.
There are many (human) villains in the Spider-Man franchise
whose names include the word "goblin", and who use a goblin motif, such as several incarnations of the Green Goblin
as well as Hobgoblin
and Demogoblin
.
In The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
, the goblins appear as green-skinned creatures, a little shorter than humans, carrying iron weapons and sometimes lockpicks. They are seen as "dirty little beasts", and can be found in sewers or abandoned houses and forts.
Eoin Colfer
's Artemis Fowl
depicts goblins as reptilian entities having lidless eyes, forked tongues, and scaly skin. The goblins in the series are dull-witted and have an ability to conjure fireballs.
In The Spiderwick Chronicles
, goblins are portrayed as small, grotesque toadlike creatures born without teeth who therefore use broken glass and rocks as dentition. They have a chaotic behaviour and will only behave orderly if ordered so by a more powerful villain
, such as the ogre
Mulgarath.
In 1907 the American James Murray Spangler, who was employed as a cleaner, designed the first miniature electric cleaner, but sold the patent to a harness maker named Hoover. By the 1920s a man named Bothe began producing a range of electric cleaners under the name 'Goblin'. Goblin started manufacturing in 1933, bringing out a radio alarm clock in 1947, but it took another 30 years to combine the pair.
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
ary evil or mischievous illiterate creature, a grotesquely evil or evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
-like phantom.
They are attributed with various (sometimes conflicting) abilities, temperaments and appearances depending on the story and country of origin. In some cases, goblins have been classified as constantly annoying little creatures somewhat related to the brownie and gnome
Gnome
A gnome is a diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature...
. They are usually depicted as small, sometimes only a few inches tall, sometimes the size of a dwarf. They also often are said to possess various magical abilities.
Name
English goblin continues Anglo-NormanAnglo-Norman language
Anglo-Norman is the name traditionally given to the kind of Old Norman used in England and to some extent elsewhere in the British Isles during the Anglo-Norman period....
gobelin, rendered as Middle Latin gobelinus, itself a loan from a Germanic term cognate to German kobold
Kobold
The kobold is a sprite stemming from Germanic mythology and surviving into modern times in German folklore. Although usually invisible, a kobold can materialise in the form of an animal, fire, a human being, and a candle. The most common depictions of kobolds show them as humanlike figures the size...
.
Alternative spellings include gobblin, gobeline, gobling, and goblyn.
Hiisi
Hiisi
Hiisis are a kind of tutelary spirits in mythologies of the Baltic Sea area, especially in Finland. In Christian tradition, they are most often considered to be malicious or at least very horrifying...
, folletto, duende
Duende (mythology)
A duende is a fairy- or goblin-like mythological creature from Iberian, Latin American and Filipino folklore. While its nature varies throughout Spain, Portugal, Spanish and Portuguese-speaking America and the Philippines, analogues from other cultures include the Danish-Norwegian Nisse, the...
, tengu
Tengu
are a class of supernatural creatures found in Japanese folklore, art, theater, and literature. They are one of the best known yōkai and are sometimes worshipped as Shinto kami...
, Menninkäinen
Menninkäinen
In Finnish mythology and lore, a menninkäinen is believed to be a leprechaun-like inhabitant of the forests. Fairy tale depictions often involve riddling, dominance struggles and favors elicited...
and kallikantzaroi are often translated into English as 'goblins'. The Erlking
Erlking
The Erlking is depicted in a number of German poems and ballads as a malevolent creature who haunts forests and carries off travellers to their deaths. The name is an 18th-century mistranslation of the original Danish word elverkonge, "elf-king"...
and Billy Blind
Billy Blind
Billy Blind, Billy Blin, Billy Blynde, Billie Blin, or Belly Blin is an English and Lowland Scottish household spirit, much like a brownie. It appears, however, only in ballads, where it frequently advises the characters...
are sometimes called goblins. 'Goblin' is often used as a general term to mean any small mischievous being.
Origins in Hinduism
They are originally mentioned in the Bhagavata PuranaBhagavata purana
The Bhāgavata Purāṇa is one of the "Maha" Puranic texts of Hindu literature, with its primary focus on bhakti to the incarnations of Vishnu, particularly Krishna...
as servants and attendants of God Hara-Bhava, lord of the sub-region Vitala, one of the seven sub-regions of Patala
Patala
Patala is a town and a nagar panchayat in Ghaziabad district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Demographics: India census, Patala had a population of 9730. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Patala has an average literacy rate of 61%, higher than the national average of...
(underworld
Underworld
The Underworld is a region which is thought to be under the surface of the earth in some religions and in mythologies. It could be a place where the souls of the recently departed go, and in some traditions it is identified with Hell or the realm of death...
and netherworld
Netherworld
Netherworld is often used as a synonym for Underworld. It may also refer to:*Netherworld , an 8-bit computer game from 1988*Netherworld , a fictional autonomous neighborhood of the city of Chicago in the DC Comics universe...
) in Hindu cosmology
Hindu cosmology
In Hindu cosmology the universe is, according to Hindu mythology and Vedic cosmology, cyclically created and destroyed.-Description:The Hindu cosmology and timeline is the closest to modern scientific timelines and even more which might indicate that the Big Bang is not the beginning of everything...
.
Origins in folklore
They could be called by an allied individual or group, summoned by spell, or called to bargain at particular places by individuals or groups not known to them. Because of their power they were much sought after, but because of the corruption of mankind, rarely found. Crossing them was a thing to avoid as they had refined a grudge to a fine art. They could be fierce and mind-numbingly frightening, and only the hardiest of souls were sent to strike a bargain with them. However they had a side which few ever saw, which was their great love for those who were able to create an understanding and friendship with them. At the passing of such a person, they would treat the body with proper respect and then quietly weep.
- The Benevolent Goblin, from Gesta RomanorumGesta RomanorumGesta Romanorum, a Latin collection of anecdotes and tales, was probably compiled about the end of the 13th century or the beginning of the 14th...
(England) - The Boy Who Drew CatsThe Boy Who Drew Cats"The Boy Who Drew Cats" is a Japanese fairy tale collected by Lafcadio Hearn in Japanese Fairy Tales.-Synopsis:A farmer and his wife had many children; the youngest son was too small and weak, and spent all his time drawing cats instead of doing his chores. So, they took him to the temple to become...
(Japanese fairy tale) - Chinese Ghouls and GoblinsChinese Ghouls and GoblinsChinese Ghouls and Goblins is a book on the supernatural in Chinese folklore written by British author Gerald Willoughby-Meade and published in London in 1928...
(England 1928) - ErlkingErlkingThe Erlking is depicted in a number of German poems and ballads as a malevolent creature who haunts forests and carries off travellers to their deaths. The name is an 18th-century mistranslation of the original Danish word elverkonge, "elf-king"...
is a malevolent goblin from German legend. - The Goblin of Adachigahara (Japanese fairy tale)
- The Goblin Pony, from The Grey Fairy Book (French fairy tale)
- The Goblins at the Bath House (Estonia), from A Book of Ghosts and GoblinsA Book of Ghosts and GoblinsA Book of Ghosts and Goblins is a 1969 anthology of 21 fairy tales from around the world that have been collected and retold by Ruth Manning-Sanders. It is one in a long series of such anthologies by Manning-Sanders....
(1969) - The Goblins Turned to Stone (Dutch fairy tale)
- Gwyn ap NuddGwyn ap NuddGwyn ap Nudd is a Welsh mythological figure, the king of the Tylwyth Teg or "fair folk" and ruler of the Welsh Otherworld, Annwn. Described as a great warrior with a "blackened face", Gwyn is intimately associated with the otherworld in medieval Welsh literature, and is associated with the...
was ruler over the goblin tribe. (Welsh folklore) - ShivaShivaShiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
has a cohort of goblins and ghouls (India). - Twenty-Two Goblins (Indian fairy tale)
- King Gobb (Moldovan Gypsy folktale)
Goblin-related place names
- 'The Gap of Goeblin', a hole and underground tunnel in MortainMortainMortain is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-Geography:Mortain is situated on a rocky hill rising above the gorge of the Cance, a tributary of the Sélune.-Administration:Mortain is the seat of a canton...
, France. - Goblin CombeGoblin CombeGoblin Combe is a valley in North Somerset which stretches from Redhill, near Bristol International Airport on the A38 through to Cleeve on the A370. The combe is located at , and is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest originally notified in 1999, with being managed as a nature...
, in north Somerset, UK - Goblin Valley State ParkGoblin Valley State ParkGoblin Valley State Park is a state park of Utah, USA.Its eminent feature is its thousands of hoodoos and hoodoo rocks, which are formations of mushroom-shaped rock pinnacles, some as high as several meters...
, Utah, U.S. - Goblin Crescent, BryndwrBryndwrBryndwr is a suburb of Christchurch New Zealand, and is one of the few places in New Zealand with a name of Welsh origin.It was given its Welsh name by Charles Jeffreys who bought there in 1880...
, Christchurch, NZ - Yester CastleYester CastleYester Castle is a ruined castle, located south east of the village of Gifford in East Lothian, Scotland. The only remaining structure is the subterranean Goblin Ha' or Hobgoblin Ha' ...
(aka 'Goblin Hall') East Lothian, Scotland - Goblin Bay, Beausoleil IslandBeausoleil IslandBeausoleil Island is a 8-kilometer long island in the Lake Huron's Georgian Bay, near Port Severn, Ontario. It is the largest island in the Georgian Bay Islands National Park and it offers island tent camping, overnight and day docking, heritage education programs, and hiking trails...
, OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada - Harrison High School, Harrison Golden Goblins, Harrison, AR
Early fiction
- The GoblinsThe GoblinsThe Goblins is a Caroline era stage play, a comedy written by Sir John Suckling. It was premiered on the stage in 1638 and first published in 1646.-Performance and publication:...
, a comedy play by Sir John Suckling (1638 England; the title alludes to thieves rather than actual goblins) - Goblin MarketGoblin Market"Goblin Market" is a narrative poem by Christina Rossetti. In a letter to her publisher, Rossetti claimed that the poem, which features remarkably sexual imagery, was not meant for children. However, in public Rossetti often stated that the poem was intended for children, and went on to write...
, a poem by Christina RossettiChristina RossettiChristina Georgina Rossetti was an English poet who wrote a variety of romantic, devotional, and children's poems...
(1859 England) - The Princess and the GoblinThe Princess and the GoblinThe Princess and the Goblin is a children's fantasy novel by George MacDonald. It was published in 1872 by Strahan & Co.The sequel to this book is The Princess and Curdie....
by George MacDonaldGeorge MacDonaldGeorge MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister.Known particularly for his poignant fairy tales and fantasy novels, George MacDonald inspired many authors, such as W. H. Auden, J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, E. Nesbit and Madeleine L'Engle. It was C.S...
(1872) - Davy and the Goblin by Charles E. CarrylCharles E. CarrylCharles Edward Carryl was an American children's literature author.-Biography:Born in New York, his father was a prosperous businessman. Carryl became a successful businessman and stockbroker, and for 34 years from 1874 he held a seat on the New York Stock Exchange...
(1884) - The 19th century Irish songMusic of IrelandIrish Music is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres on the island of Ireland.The indigenous music of the island is termed Irish traditional music. It has remained vibrant through the 20th, and into the 21st century, despite globalizing cultural forces...
"Rocky Road to DublinRocky Road To Dublin"Rocky Road to Dublin" is a fast-paced 19th century song about a man's experiences as he travels to Liverpool, England from his home in Tuam. The tune has a typical Irish rhythm, classified as a slip jig in 9/8 timing, and is often performed instrumentally.- Origin :The words were written by D.K...
" includes the words "I cut a stout blackthorn, to banish ghosts and goblins". - Little Orphant AnnieLittle Orphant Annie"Little Orphant Annie" is an 1885 poem written by James Whitcomb Riley and published by the Bowen-Merrill Company. First titled "The Elf Child", Riley changed the name to "Little Orphant Allie" at its third printing, however a typecasting error during printing renamed the poem to its current form...
, a poem by James Whitcomb RileyJames Whitcomb RileyJames Whitcomb Riley was an American writer, poet, and best selling author. During his lifetime he was known as the Hoosier Poet and Children's Poet for his dialect works and his children's poetry respectively...
, includes the words "An' the Gobble-uns 'at gits you ef you don't watch out!" (1885)
Modern fiction and popular culture
The orcOrc (Middle-earth)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings, Orcs or Orks are a race of creatures who are used as soldiers and henchmen by both the greater and lesser villains of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings — Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman...
s in J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's The Hobbit
The Hobbit
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, better known by its abbreviated title The Hobbit, is a fantasy novel and children's book by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald...
and The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
are identified as goblins. These works, featuring goblins of almost-human stature, generally informed the depiction of goblins in later fiction and games.
Goblins are portrayed as roughly half the size of adult humans as non-player character
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
s in the tabletop role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
, which influenced most later depictions including the online games Tibia, RuneScape
RuneScape
RuneScape is a fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game released in January 2001 by Andrew and Paul Gower, and developed and published by Jagex Games Studio. It is a graphical browser game implemented on the client-side in Java, and incorporates 3D rendering...
and World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
(they become a playable race in the WoW expansion World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is the third expansion pack for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft, following the last expansion Wrath of the Lich King. It was officially announced at BlizzCon on August 21, 2009, although dataminers and researchers discovered details...
). In the 1980s Goblins were depicted as a separate race subservient to the Orcs in the Games Workshop tabletop game Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is a role-playing game set in the Warhammer Fantasy setting. Over the years, it has been through a number of phases and different publishers, most of which were related in some way to Games Workshop...
. Games Workshop also popularized the depiction of goblins with bright green skin. Warcraft adopted both of these concepts from Warhammer. The Warcraft goblins are very technologically advanced. Goblins are also present as the first tier creature in the Orc faction in Heroes of Might and Magic V: Tribes of the East
Heroes of Might and Magic V: Tribes of the East
Heroes of Might and Magic V: Tribes of the East is the second expansion pack to the turn-based strategy game Heroes of Might and Magic V and the first stand-alone expansion pack released for the fifth series...
.
Goblins are represented in Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
as a species of predominantly red-colored creatures, and are generally organized into various tribes, each led by a leader known as an Auntie. They are usually depicted as fierce and war-mongering, but of comically low intelligence. Most are similar to other depictions of goblins save those of the Akki race, which bear chitin
Chitin
Chitin n is a long-chain polymer of a N-acetylglucosamine, a derivative of glucose, and is found in many places throughout the natural world...
ous shells on their backs.
Many other works also continue the folkloric presentation of goblins as diminutive, as in the 1986 film Labyrinth
Labyrinth (film)
Labyrinth is a 1986 British/American fantasy film directed by Jim Henson, produced by George Lucas, and designed by Brian Froud. Henson collaborated on the screenwriting with children's author Dennis Lee, Terry Jones from Monty Python, and Elaine May .The film stars David Bowie as Jareth the Goblin...
, the Harry Potter books and film series, and the film Legend
Legend (film)
Legend is a 1985 fantasy film released by Universal Pictures, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, and Tim Curry. Though not a very notable success when first released, it received a single Academy Award nomination for Best Makeup, and since its initial release, has developed...
.
Goblins play an important role in JK Rowling's Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series, wherein goblins guard the wizard bank Gringotts and are portrayed as clever, arrogant, greedy, and churlish. The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy
The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy
The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy is a fantasy trilogy written by Clare B. Dunkle with many roots in British folklore and Scandinavian myths. The series includes The Hollow Kingdom, Close Kin, In the Coils of the Snake and a number of short stories published on Dunkle's official website...
by Clare B. Dunkle features a creative re-imagining of goblins, elves, and dwarves.
Despite its title, goblins are featured as the main villains in the cult film
Cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
Troll 2
Troll 2
Troll 2 is a 1990 horror film directed by Claudio Fragasso and starring Michael Stephenson, George Hardy, Margo Prey, Connie Young , Deborah Reed, and Jason Wright...
.
The Complete Encyclopedia of Elves, Goblins, and Other Little Creatures depicts them as originating in the British Isles, from whence they spread by ship to all of Continental Europe. They have no homes, being wanderers, dwelling temporarily in mossy cracks in rocks and tree roots.
Jack Prelutsky
Jack Prelutsky
Jack Prelutsky is an American writer of children's poetry. He lives in Seattle, Washington with his wife, Carolynn.-Early life:...
's children's poetry book It's Halloween
It's Halloween
It's Halloween is a picture book written by Jack Prelutsky and illustrated by Marylin Hafner, published in 1977. The book is a collection of children's poems with a Halloween theme.- Scholastic Edition :...
includes a poem called "The Goblin", in which a little boy describes "A goblin as green as a goblin can be, Who is sitting outside and is waiting for me".
In Enid Blyton's Noddy children's books and their adaptations appear small humanoids called 'goblins', who are often very mischievous.
There are many (human) villains in the Spider-Man franchise
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
whose names include the word "goblin", and who use a goblin motif, such as several incarnations of the Green Goblin
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
as well as Hobgoblin
Hobgoblin (comics)
The Hobgoblin is the alias of several fictional characters that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first and best-known Hobgoblin is Roderick Kingsley. He first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #238, and was created by Roger Stern and John Romita, Sr...
and Demogoblin
Demogoblin
Demogoblin is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared as Demogoblin in Web of Spider-Man #86 , and had previously appeared as an unnamed demon in Spectacular Spider-Man #147....
.
In The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a single-player action role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks and the Take-Two Interactive subsidiary 2K Games...
, the goblins appear as green-skinned creatures, a little shorter than humans, carrying iron weapons and sometimes lockpicks. They are seen as "dirty little beasts", and can be found in sewers or abandoned houses and forts.
Eoin Colfer
Eoin Colfer
Eoin Colfer is an Irish author. He is most famous as the author of the Artemis Fowl series, but he has also written other successful books. His novels have been compared to the works of J. K. Rowling...
's Artemis Fowl
Artemis Fowl (series)
Artemis Fowl is a series of fantasy novels written by Irish author Eoin Colfer and all the books are best sellers, starring the teenage criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl II. The author summed up the series as: "Die Hard with fairies." There are seven novels in the series; the first was published in...
depicts goblins as reptilian entities having lidless eyes, forked tongues, and scaly skin. The goblins in the series are dull-witted and have an ability to conjure fireballs.
In The Spiderwick Chronicles
The Spiderwick Chronicles
The Spiderwick Chronicles is a series of children's books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. They chronicle the adventures of the Grace children, twins Simon and Jared and their older sister Mallory, after they move into Spiderwick Estate and discover a world of fairies that they never knew...
, goblins are portrayed as small, grotesque toadlike creatures born without teeth who therefore use broken glass and rocks as dentition. They have a chaotic behaviour and will only behave orderly if ordered so by a more powerful villain
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
, such as the ogre
Ogre
An ogre is a large, cruel, monstrous, and hideous humanoid monster, featured in mythology, folklore, and fiction. Ogres are often depicted in fairy tales and folklore as feeding on human beings, and have appeared in many classic works of literature...
Mulgarath.
In 1907 the American James Murray Spangler, who was employed as a cleaner, designed the first miniature electric cleaner, but sold the patent to a harness maker named Hoover. By the 1920s a man named Bothe began producing a range of electric cleaners under the name 'Goblin'. Goblin started manufacturing in 1933, bringing out a radio alarm clock in 1947, but it took another 30 years to combine the pair.
See also
- Dwarf (mythology)
- Ethereal beingEthereal beingEthereal beings, according to some belief systems and occult theories, are mystic entities that usually are not made of ordinary matter. Despite the fact that they are believed to be essentially incorporeal, they do interact in physical shapes with the material universe and travel between the...
- FairyFairyA fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
- GhoulGhoulA ghoul is a folkloric monster associated with graveyards and consuming human flesh, often classified as undead. The oldest surviving literature that mention ghouls is likely One Thousand and One Nights...
- Goblin (disambiguation)Goblin (disambiguation)A goblin is a legendary creature, related to gnomes or elves.Notable fictional examples include:*Another name for Orc in the Middle-earth universe of J. R. R...
- Goblins in modern fictionGoblins in modern fictionTwo major branches of goblins exist in popular fiction, including fantasy settings. Alongside J. R. R. Tolkien's descriptions of Orcs, the older branch is inherently evil and malicious, with varying coloring and generally matted and filthy hair. This type of goblin appears in Dungeons & Dragons...
- GremlinGremlinA gremlin is an imaginary creature commonly depicted as mischievous and mechanically oriented, with a specific interest in aircraft. Gremlins' mischievous natures are similar to those of English folkloric imps, while their inclination to damage or dismantle machinery is more...
- HalloweenHalloweenHallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
- HobgoblinHobgoblinHobgoblin is a term typically applied in folktales to describe a friendly but troublesome creature of the Seelie Court.The most commonly known hobgoblin is the character Puck in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Puck, however, is only another name given to a much older character named Robin...
- ImpImpAn imp is a mythological being similar to a fairy or demon, frequently described in folklore and superstition. The word may perhaps derive from the term ympe, used to denote a young grafted tree.-Folklore:...
- KyöpelinvuoriKyöpelinvuoriKyöpelinvuori , in Finnish mythology, is the place which dead women haunt. It is rumoured that virgins who die young gather there after their death at the start of their afterlife...
- NilbogNilbogNilbog is goblin spelled backwards. It can refer to several things:*Nilbog, a type of goblin from the Dungeons & Dragons universe*Nilbog, the name of a fictional town from Troll 2*Nilbog High, a fictional school from Guitar Hero II...
- Oni
- Orc (Middle-earth)Orc (Middle-earth)In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings, Orcs or Orks are a race of creatures who are used as soldiers and henchmen by both the greater and lesser villains of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings — Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman...
- PúcaPúcaThe Púca is a creature of Celtic folklore, notably in Ireland, the West of Scotland, and Wales. It is one of the myriad fairy folk, and, like many fairy folk, is both respected and feared by those who believe in it....
- Pukwudgie
- RedcapRedcapA Red Cap or Redcap, also known as a powrie or dunter, is a type of malevolent murderous dwarf, goblin, elf or fairy found in Border Folklore. They are said to inhabit ruined castles found along the border between England and Scotland...
- Sprite (creature)Sprite (creature)The term sprite is a broad term referring to a number of preternatural legendary creatures. The term is generally used in reference to elf-like creatures, including fairies, and similar beings , but can also signify various spiritual beings, including ghosts. In Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl books,...
- TenguTenguare a class of supernatural creatures found in Japanese folklore, art, theater, and literature. They are one of the best known yōkai and are sometimes worshipped as Shinto kami...
- Terry PratchettTerry PratchettSir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
(novelist) - The Goblin MirrorThe Goblin MirrorThe Goblin Mirror is a 1992 fantasy novel by science fiction and fantasy author C. J. Cherryh. It was first published in a hardcover edition by Ballantine Books under its Del Rey Books imprint, and featured cover art by Cherryh's brother, David A. Cherry....
(novel) - TrollTrollA troll is a supernatural being in Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore. In origin, the term troll was a generally negative synonym for a jötunn , a being in Norse mythology...
- Uruk-haiUruk-haiThe Uruk-hai are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth. They are introduced in The Lord of the Rings as an advanced breed or breeds of Orcs that serve Sauron and Saruman...
- VinayakasVinayakasThe ' were a group of four troublesome demons who created obstacles and difficulties in Hindu mythology, but who were easily propitiated.One theory of the origin of Ganesha is that he gradually came to prominence in connection with the...
- WightWightWight is a Middle English word, from Old English wiht, and used to describe a creature or living sentient being. It is akin to Old High German wiht, meaning a creature or thing.In its original usage the word wight described a living human being...
- Wirry-cowWirry-cowIn Scotland, a wirry-cowe was a bugbear, goblin, ghost, ghoul or other frightful object. Sometimes the term was used for the Devil or a scarecrow.The word was used by Scott in Guy Mannering....
Further reading
- British Goblins: Welsh Folk-lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions by Wirt Sikes
- Encyclopedia of Things That Never Were by Michael Page & Robert Ingpen
- The Complete Encyclopedia of Elves, Goblins, and Other Little Creatures by Pierre Dubois
- Goblins! and The Goblin Companion by Brian Froud
- Spirits, Fairies, Gnomes and Goblins: an Encyclopedia of the Little People by Carol Rose
- Davy And The Goblin by Charles E. Carryl (1884)