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The Wisconsin Gnomelore Database
The Tomte Nisse
"One old farmer set aside in his fields each year a small fenced enclosure where he planted wheat and vegetables for the use of the fairy folk."
From There Be Hodags, by C.A. McAllister:
The tomte nisse are a type of little people from Scandinavia who appeared as small, bearded men with pointed hats and tippet capes. They served as household spirits, washing dishes, sweeping the kitchen, minding the fireplace, and even helping out with barn chores. In exchange, the household would set out a bowl of porridge or other food as an offering to the tomte nisse. In the 1930's, it was documented that Scandinavian immigrants in Wisconsin were still observe this practice of leaving out food for the tomte nisse. One old farmer was even known set aside a small, fenced plot of wheat and vegetables exclusively for use by his tomte nisse.
Some Scandinavian folk stories claim that the tomte nisse possesses only one eye. While none of the Wisconsin legends on the tomte nisse make this claim, this presents an interesting parallel with the lutin, a French gnome which is said in Wisconsin lore (but not in mainland French lore) to possess only one eye. In modern Scandinavia, the tomte nisse has been associated with the winter solstice and Christmas, which interestingly gives them more similarities to the kobolders, creatures in Wisconsin folklore which were explicitly said to be a relative to the tomte nisse, and which made toys for children on St. Nicholas’ Day.
From Federal Writer's Project Records, 1936-1939, recorded by Westby:
Among the interesting beliefs and stories which the Norwegians have brought to Wisconsin from the homeland are those which tell of the tomte nisse, household dwarfs. These small, bearded men wearing tippet capes are supposed to assist in work about the peasant home. At night it is customary to set out a bowl of porridge or other food for the household elf on the doorstep or in the kitchen. In return for this kindness they wash thye dishes, sweep the kitchen, mind the fires, and perform other useful tasks for the housewife. Someetimes they also assist the husbandman about the barn.
One old farmer set aside in his fields each year a small fenced enclosure where he planted wheat and vegetables for the use of the fairy folk.
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