AuenAufbruch

Other Names: Hödekin “Little Hat”, Goldemar

In Germanic folklore these small creatures are spirits of the household that helps chores and sings to children, checks on domestic animals, and helps to find lost items similar to the Slavic household spirit Domovoy and British Boggart, Kobold are also known as spirits of mines and caves. In German “hausgeist” is household spirit for the general sense. If they aren’t please or happy they will make the house a mess and becomes a little trickster that will knock one over if the person was bending down to pick something up, food is always left out for them for this reason. They also frighten wives who are unfaithful and witness the secrets of the sins from the Clergy. Kobolds can be spirits of the ship called Klabautermann.

They are small creatures wearing a small hat almost like gnome like creatures. Some depicted as goblins or tiny men, they remind me of rumpelstiltskin a bit being small and tricky like. In Saxon folklore they hid in the cellar and are offered beer, but also sweet milk and bread like pastries. They were even offered in mines to prevent mining accidents. But also hand crafted items like jewelry.

It is said that Hödekin, Goldemar, and Kobold are house spirits but with different functions. But there is also Hinzelmann which is a shapeshifter, turning from a feather to an animal. The Schrat is a nature or wood spirit and a house spirits depending on where your location is.

He is said to be a protector of the ship and crew. With a big hammer, he knocks on the ship’s planks to look for weak spots and even repairs it when he finds one. But when the knocking stops, it’s bad luck, because that means the Klabautermann is gone.