Goblin Pranks

Goblins are notorious for their pranks and there are some very popular goblin pranks. A few decades ago, when people, depended on horses for transportation and work on the farm, goblins were known to have taken horses from their stables during the night. The goblins would ride throughout the night, leaving the horses too tired to work the next day.

Wikipedia defines goblin as an “evil or mischevious creature” of folklore. They have many pranks, some of which can be harmful but many that are just annoying. One of those pranks is their ability to create nightmares.

According to legend, goblins can weave these nightmares using spiderwebs or gossamer, then insert them into the ear of a sleeping person. The resulting dreams are said to be hideous.

Goblins of Many Forms

It’s said that Goblins don’t have to stay in their goblin form. They may take on other shapes and even their young may be “changlings.” One of their more notorious pranks is to trade one of these ugly babies for a human baby.

Goblins have also been known to take people from their homes and hold them prisoner. You’ll find more about goblins from Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goblin.

Origin of the Goblin

It’s thought that the first Druids who saw goblins called them “Robin Goblins” – hence the name “hobgoblin.”

According to folklore, goblins probably originated in France. An article by Micha F. Lindemans online at Pantheon also indicates that goblins spread rapidly across Europe.

There are some of the opinion that the word “goblin” actually came from the word Gob (sometimes spelled Ghob). Gob was the king of the gnomes in ancient times and his underlings could very well have been called Gob-lings.

Other Goblins

One of the most popular references to goblins today is probably in the series of Harry Potter stories. Goblins run the bank in those stories and are portrayed as greedy little creatures. They are also apparently an oppressed section of society.

There are goblins in other stories as well, including “Labyrinth,” a Jim Henson film. In this portrayal, the goblins aren’t overly bright but are somewhat anxious to please one little girl.

Goblin is a catchy word, used in many instances other than the mystical creatures. During the 1970s, there was an Italian rock band that used the name “Goblins.” There’s also a state park in Emery, Utah, called by the name because of the strangely eroded rocks in the park.

And of course, there’s the Green Goblin, one of the characters in the Marvel Comics series.

The Goblins of Halloween Today