~KRANDLEKEEP~
The Wisconsin Gnomelore Database
The Lutins
"Then a tall, peaked cap stuck itself up through a hole in the floor and I was scared stiff."
From There Be Hodags, by C.A. McAllister:
The lutins came into Wisconsin lore along with the French, originating within the folklore of continental France. In appearance, the lutin is quite similar to a garden gnome, one and a half feet in height with long beards. They wear the pointed red hats stereotypical to gnomes, albeit with two feathers stuck in their caps, and are able to use their hat to become invisible. The lutins dearly care for horses, and so are typically found around stables. They are known for tying fairy knots in the manes of horses, and will sometimes sneak into stables by night to ride the horses, causing the horse to be exhausted and excitable the following morning.
The lutin “evolved” as it came to North America, with the lutins of French-Canadian and French-Wisconsinite folklore gaining additional abilities and qualities that were not found in the continental French stories. North American lutins can control the weather and take the form of small animals, such as dogs, rabbits, and cats, especially preferring the take the form of pure white cats. The lutin serves as a house-sprite, and can either be of a helpful or harmful disposition, either helping the homeowner of the home they are attached to, or pulling pranks and causing small inconveniences. Lutins also detest salt, and will not cross a line of salt on the ground.
The folklore of French-Wisconsinites further adds to the lutin’s description, reporting that lutins possess only one eye, taking the appearance of tiny cyclopean gnomes. These one-eyed lutins appear unique to Wisconsin, as this detail is absent in both continental French and French-Canadian versions of the creature.
From The Trail of the Serpent, by Robert E. Gard and Elaine Reetz:
The legends of this country [Green Bay] ... were a mixture of Indian superstition, religion, and French lore. These simple French folks accepted them as the Gospel Truth; Loup Garou and La Chasse Gallerie were as much a part of their spirit world as the devil, God, or their guardian angels. It never occurred to them to doubt that the Loup Garou would not enmesh the soul of one who didn't go to church for seven years; and if one's horse was restless and excited on a morning, of course, Les Lutins had been riding him the night before...
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It is rather hard to describe Les Lutins for they are neither devils nor angels. They are very tiny men, only about a foot and a half high, in fact, and they have only one eye that is centered in the middle of the forehead. They all dearly love horses and are generally to be found around stables.
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Jacques, who took care of the Zibe, the old family horse, used to warn all the small children in the neighborhood about Les Lutins. Whenever Zibe's tail was ruffled up, Jacques would shake his head, saying "Un Lutin, encore, the goblin, was here last night. Now all you kids keep away from here and don't none of ya dast touch Zibe cuz if ya do them lettle fellas will sure git ya."
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Once, when for several consecutive days Zibe had little energy, Jacques determined to stay out in the stable all night in order to make sure that no Lutin touched Zibe that night. Sure enough, the next morning, he comes into the house with the story that he had scared the little fellows away.
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"I was just about to fall asleep when one of the planks in Zibe's stall moves just a mite. Zibe starts to get all excited--she neighs and stamps and switches her tail around like she was plumb crazy; then a tall, peaked cap stuck itself up through a hole in the floor and I was scared stiff so I moves a bit. Les Lutins musta heard me cuz the plank drops wit a tud and notin else happened."
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