“To my amazement I have heard that there are people who have never seen a gnome. I can’t help pitying these people. I am certain there must be something wrong with their eyesight.” These words were spoken by Axel Munthe, a Swedish physician and psychologist. Gnomes are probably one of the cutest, most benevolent creatures in the mythical world. Gnome legends are also some of the most consistent, not varying much from place to place. Perhaps this is the reason that Axel Munthe, as well as Rembrandt and Mozart, were all said to believe in these happy little creatures.

Long before the plastic garden gnome craze began, there were people who actually believed little gnome creatures inhabited the lands. In legends, Gnomes are generally described as being between 6 and 12 inches in height, depending upon their age. They are said to dress in clothing similar to peasants of the Renaissance era. Considering that many of the legends are from the same time period, however, it seems reasonable that people would give the gnomes in their tales clothes similar to themselves.

One of the most notable characteristics of the gnome is the beard. Though gnomes are said to live for several hundreds are years, they were also believed to have an aged appearance early on. Even the young gnomes were shown as having long white beards.

Like dwarves, gnomes were believed to have hoards of gold and jewels. They were also said to be the protectors of the forests and the animals within. The legends bestowed special healing powers upon gnomes, which they used to heal wounded animals of the forest. Gnomes were believed to have a particular affinity for rabbits. There were said to be gnomes for every area on earth. Woodland gnomes, the more refined garden gnomes, mountain gnomes, and the desert gnomes who made their burrows in the sand dunes.

Being such lovable creatures, the gnomes did not have many enemies, except for the trolls. In many legends, trolls were said to hunt gnomes and the gnomes would have to use their cleverness to outwit them. This old legend took a modern hold in the children’s cartoon “David the Gnome,” which was based on the adorable book “Gnomes,” by Wil Huygen. Gnomes were said to have a mischievous side as well, but the pranks they played were generally more harmless than those attributed to pixies.

Wil Huygen and Rien Poortvliet “Gnomes.” 1957

Trinidad. “A Dictionary of Faery Folk of the World” February 10, 2003

<http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/4611/fairyenc.html>.

Lewis, C S (1964). The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature. Cambridge University Press.

Clute, John; Grant, John. “The Encyclopedia of Fantasy.” New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.