TheNis Puk[1] (sometimes alsoNiß Puk[2] (German:[ˈnɪspʊk])) is alegendary creature, a kind ofKobold, fromDanish-,[1][3]Low German-[4] andNorth Frisian-speaking[5] areas ofNorthern Germany[4] andSouthern Denmark,[6] among themSchleswig, today divided into the GermanSouthern Schleswig and DanishNorthern Schleswig. It is also known in Denmark itself asnis pug, as a variant ofnisse.
An earlier saying says Nissen does not want to go over the Eideren, i.e. not toHolstein to the South of Schleswig.[7] Depending on the place, it can either appear as adomestic spirit or take on the role of a being generally calledDrak orKobold in Danish and German mythology, an infernal spirit making its owner wealthy by bringing them stolen goods.
The term combines the termsNisse andPuck. TheNis Puk orNiß Puk can also be referred to as justNiß,Nis orPuk. The figure of the Nisse is widespread in Denmark, Norway, Scania, Halland and Blekinge (here as Goanisse or Godnisse≈the good Nisse),[8] the figure of the Puk can further be found in the (formerly) German-speaking regions ofPomerania[9] andNeumark,[10] belonging partially or completely toPoland today.
Variations of its name areNißpuk,[11]Niß-Puck,[4]Nis Puck,[12]Nis Puk,[13]Nispuk,[14]Niß Pug,[6]Nisse Pok,[15]Neß Puk,[16]Nißkuk orNeßkuk,[2]Nisebok,[17]Nisebuk,[16]Niskepuk[5] orNische Puk.[18]
Also there areNiß,Niss,[19]Nis,[20]Neß[19] orNisch.[18] The DanishNisse (q.v.) appears in earlier times to have been calledpuge, with medieval attestations,[21] and the Danish formnis pug is also known as variant tonisse in some local folklore[22] (var.nis puge[23][25]).
Further there arePuk,[26]Puck,[4]Pug,[6]Pûks[27] orHauspuk[28] (“housePuk”).
Plural forms areNiskepuks,[5]Nisken,Husniskens,Hausnischen (both “little houseNißs”),Husknechtkens (“little house servants”),[2]Puke,[29]Puken,[30]Puge,[31]Pûkse,[32]Pücken[33] orHauspuken (“housePuks”).[2] and in DanishNis Pukker[34]
OnePug is known to have had the proper nameBartel.[6]
The formNis Puk is described as a "tautologicaljuxtaposition" of two words meaning the same thing.[35]
The nameNiß said to be derived from the proper nameNikolaus, i.e.,Nicholas[19] (see alsoNisse for other etymology of this stem). The namePuk is attested in theOld Danish formpuge,[37] descended fromOld Norsepukipúke,[35][38] meaning kobold (cf. Indo-Europeanbeu- → swelling) or from Low Germanpogge, meaning “toad”.[4] Similarly, inNorthern Schleswig (part ofDenmark),Pug orPog means “toad” or “frog”.,[6][39] also in the Danish language ofAnglia, where it can mean DanishSkrubtudse (→Common toad)[40] Another possibility is Danishpusling, meaning “fat, swollen”, thus giving rise to the meaning “something swollen, hunchbacked”.[41][40]Puk is also said to mean “small, not grown up”.[19]
The variant formnissebuk has encouraged the derivation ofpuk frombuk ("buck goat or ram"), but this has been dismissed as folk etymology,[35] though a commentator was tempted to comment it could echo a hint that thepuk could shapeshift into a billy goat or ram.[21] (Cf. alsogaardbuk,husbuk as synonyms fornisse.)
It is possible that GermanPuk and EnglishPuck have the same origin in continental Europe.[4]
According to belief inSchleswig,Niß Puk is as tall as a child, either a one-year-old, one-and-a-half-year old but never taller than a three-year-old. It has a big head and long arms. Its eyes are said to be small, bright, and smart. It wears red stockings, a long ticking jacket, either grey or green, and a pointed red cap on its head. It also likes soft slippers with which it can be heard shuffling rapidly at night.[42]Niß Puck is able to cover huge distances in the shortest time with the help of its slippers.[43]
ThePuken orPücken on theFrisian island ofFöhr are said to be small but broad, stout, and incredibly strong. They have big eyes with which they look around sharply. ThePuken are dressed in red trousers, a grey waistcoat, and a red pointed cap as well as big, soft slippers.[33] ThePuk is said to have very large eyes on the island ofSylt, too.[42]
TheNispuk is a little boy with a red cap[14] and theNiskepuk is only three inches tall[5] whereas theNeß Puk is a little man as tall as a span is long, wearing a pointed red cap.[16] The cap of theNiß, when worn, makes its wearer invisible.[44]
On the island ofRügen and in theNeumark, thePuck is dressed in red.[10] ThePûks from Pomerania is a little manikin wearing a big hat brimmed upwards and a red coat with seven shiny buttons on each side. Otherwise, it is also described wearing a red jacket and a red cap.[45]
On the island of Rügen, thePuk can have diverse appearances. At home it appears as a little boy with red jacket and red cap. Outside it takes the shape of a cat or a fiery dragon (i.e.Drak) but preferably as a cat, for cats can get in and out everywhere, even fitting through the smallest of openings.[26]
TheNiß Pug is very strong.[6] It is further said that onePûks can work as much as seven men.[46]
In Pomerania, thePuk might be inseparable from its owner. If its owner is riding out, it is sitting on the horse next to the saddled horse, riding the horse in such a manner that it ends up completely gaunt. It works together with its owner and in the case it is given no work it will torment its owner by beating him, pulling his hair or ears and riding on his back until he ends up completely pale. During mealtime, too, thePuk is with its owner, sitting behind him on the chair and eating from the same bowl. It will eat faster than even the fastest human eater and soil its owner's food if it is sated, thus forcing him to stop eating.[9]
When aNis Puk wishes to dwell somewhere, it then gathers a heap of chippings and fills the milk barrels with milk, soiling them with cattle dirt. This is a test. When the people of the house take care to leave the heap of chippings as is and drink the milk despite its barrel being dirtied, then theNis Puk will stay.[2]
If a possible dwelling place for theNiskepuks, as they are known in North Frisia, is prepared, they are invited with the words “Nu quad jem, glad Niskepuks” (“Now come, dearNiskepuks” inNorth Frisian language). TheNiskepuks will come to the house, dance through it for inspection and one of them will stay.[5]
ANiß mistreated by the previous house owners can be won over by new owners through placing a bowl with sweet porridge with butter on the hayloft every evening for eight days (and every day afterwards) and giving it soft slippers on the ninth day. Afterwards, one can move in.[47]
TheNispuk can be bought but it demands for its owner's soul after his death. It can be sold twice. Its first and second owners thus will not go to hell but its third owner will have to, for he cannot get rid of it.[14]
In Pomerania, aPuk can be won from a small egg laid by seven-year-old cock by carrying it in one's armpit until it hatches. It must be observed that in this span of time one mustn’t talk nor laugh. Similarly, on the island of Rügen, an evilPuk will hatch from a black hen's egg laid at midnight when bred by man.[48]
Nispuk dwells in the loft, entering and exiting through a room forbidden for all where there is a window without glass.[14]
ThePuken orPücken of the island of Föhr preferably dwell in the cellar and the loft, especially in small space between roof and straw, or in a small room with a doorknob shaped like aPuk-head.[33]
TheNisken dwell in dark hidden corners of the house or barn, often also in the wood pile. They vanish if somebody comes near.[2]
Niskepuk likes to dwell in a wooden pillar's hole if a board is fastened next to it where a bowl with porridge containing plenty of butter can be placed every day.[5]
ThePûkse of Pomerania preferably dwell in beams, frames and other woodwork inside the house, which is the reason why the woodwork should be reused when renovating or building anew. ThePûks will move with its beams wherever they are built in, and with thePûks the good luck will move, too.[49]
Nisebuk dwells in a hole in the wall, as big as a brick, whileNeß Puk dwells in a little box which is kept in a locked cupboard.[16]
ThePûks in Bossin in Pomerania dwelt in the reeds of a waterbody for many years. Then, one night, it left this place, built a fence around a farmer's farmstead and moved to a chamber on the same farm where the windows were always shuttered. The farmer became richer and richer due to thePûks.[50]
The chores done by aNiß Puk are often very similar.With aNiß Puk working, caring, feeding and sweeping, the cattle is already fed in the morning, the threshing floor is swept, and the corn to be threshed the same day gets thrown on the threshing floor and made ready the preceding night. Thus, where there is prosperity, Niß Puk is said to dwell or reign.[2] In Schleswig,Nis Puck also guards the chicken against thepolecat's thievery.[12]
The North FrisianNiskepuk grooms the horses and cows, cleans the fodder cribs, sweeps the barn, and places straw for threshing, all before morning breaks. Thus the cattle will prosper, the cows will give plenty of milk, and the sheep will regularly drop three or four lambs.[5]
It is good for the farmhands to be on theNiskepuk's good side. Then it might guard the stable door so the farmhand can go visit his sweetheart, beating anybody trying to open the stable door with a club save for the farmhand for whom it opens and closes by itself. The farmhand might also find his early work done when coming home or having slept in. TheNiskepuk might even move to its favorite farmhand's place after the farmer's death. Disbelieving farmhands or those taunting theNiskepuk will never have success in life.[14]
At night, theNisebuk fills the cribs with oat, feeding horses and other cattle, slapping left and right the farmhand daring to go to the horses at night. It also fetches water and makes brooms for the maidservants, and when they rake the ash from the hearth in the morning, they will find aspeciesthaler.[16]
The infernalNispuk will throw down a speciesthaler from the loft every morning. It also feeds the horses at night, them making a crunching sound as if biting on iron, and will slap left and right whoever dares to find out whatever the horses are actually eating.[14]
In Pomerania, thePûkse dwell in houses, particularly in mills, where they milk the cows, groom the horses, and work in the kitchen.[32] The helpfulPûks can be heard clattering and hammering at night.[27]
InSchleswig-Holstein, theHusniskens,Hausnischen,Husknechtkens orHauspuken are known to feed well the cattle and horses on the farm where they dwell so that the animals prosper and grow fat. The necessary fodder they steal from their host's neighbors.[2]
InNorth Frisia,Nische Puk orNisch helps bringing home 500 to 600 loads of hay.[18] In fact, thePuk is able to carry a full barn's worth of hay on its broad back, stealing it from the neighbors at night.[51]
TheNisebok brings grain so that during threshing between every layer of rye straw there is a layer of pure rye grains.[42]
According to lore from the island of Rügen, aPuk travelling outside is usually on its way to rob as much money as its owner might want and need. Rarely, it might bring its owner disgusting dirt instead.[26]
ThePûks also steals linen forgotten at the washing place. It flies there shaped as a long fiery boom with a broad head. When found in the act of stealing, thePûks can be driven away by exclaiming: “en schwînsdreck! en schwînsdreck!” (“a pig dirt! a pig dirt!” in Low German) but it will leave behind a terrible stench and the linen has to be washed very long to be free from it.[46]
InDunsum in North Frisia, thePuken are known to grind coffee or cradle the children, both done invisibly, but they might sing: “Wenn du mir nicht willst stricken das Wams, So will ich auch nicht mehr mahlen und wiegen.” (“If you don’t want to knit me a waistcoat, then I don’t want to grind or cradle anymore.”), thus hinting at a desired reward.[30]
TheNiß is also said to have servedFaust in his endeavor to create the world's firstnautical maps by steering him through the sea in a box of glass.[5]
As reward for its services, theNiß Puk requests a bowl filled with sweet porridge, butter or milk placed at its spot.[2] The PomeranianPûkse expect a bowl of milk, too.[32]
InSchleswig,Nische Puk is always expecting to be rewarded with porridge containing butter in the evening[18] as is theNispuk, the latter additionally expecting to get its owner's soul after his death.[14]
Besides the obligatory porridge with butter, thePuken orPücken of the island of Föhr also like to be gifted soft woolen footwear and thick woolen waistcoats[33]
Again in Schleswig, the mistress of the house places milk and bread inside the cupboard for theNisebok. This happens during evening when there is no maidservant observing her. When going to town, the mistress of the house takes care to buy raisin bread for theNisebok.[42]
On the island of Rügen, thePuk receives a cake everyNew Year's Day.[52] If it receives baked goods from New Year's Day, thePuk doesn’t need any food the rest of the year. Otherwise it has to be fed during the whole year.[53]
In the evening, theNisken expect the open hearth to be cleaned and a small cauldron with clear water being placed there for their convenience.[2]
Nis Puk also likes to appear with a horrid look, endeavoring to scare the household staff which, if successful, makes it laugh out joyously.[42]
ThePûks might be seen reading a book in the evening but it will vanish if somebody approaches.[46] Further, thePuk can be heard rustling in the straw, piping and singing.[54]
ThePuk very much likes sunbathing while sitting in the gables' hatch.[51] It might also grimace curiously for fun while stitting there.[54] When people are outside while it is sitting in the hatch, it teases them by lifting soon one leg, soon the other leg and calling out: “Hier Puke een Been, hier Puke ander Been!” (“HerePuk's one leg, herePuk's other leg!” in Low German). Should a farmhand take the chance to get close to it from behind and bush it so it falls down, thePuk will take revenge. On the ground beneath, people will only find pot shards where it fell, though. This revenge usually takes place at night. The sleeping farmhand might be placed across an open well in jeopardy of falling inside in case of movement. In another case, the farmhand, sleeping in the same bed as a comrade taller than himself, was tortured by thePuk exclaiming “Nich liek!” (“Not alike!” in Low German) and pulling on the farmhand's hair and big toe in turns the whole night.[51]
If thePuk is pushed down from the hatch and murder is attempted with threshing flails, it will plan to take revenge as well. Again, only pot shards can be found on the ground at the spot of the attempt.[20]
Similarly, theNiß likes to sit in the loft's hatch in the sunshine, swinging its legs and propping up its head with its hands. It might also tease the poodle by lifting its legs in turn. A farmhand who then dares to throw theNiß to the barking poodle with a pitchfork will feel theNiß's revenge. Either the Niß might take the farmhand's brand-new boots and walk in them all night until heels and soles re worn down or it might fold the ladder just when the farmhand is carrying grain to the loft, making him fall and break his legs.[44]
In Schleswig, once the butter was hidden deep insideNische Puk's porridge. Believing that there was no butter,Nisch flew in a rage and wrung the neck of the grey cow. Later it found the butter in the porridge and was angry at its own rashness. Knowing that there was a cow looking the same on another farm,Nische Puk took the dead cow by its horns, carrying it on its back over there to switch it for the live one.[18] The same is said forPuk, only that it specifically wrings the neck of the best cow in the stable.[51]
When mistreated, thePuken orPücken of the island of Föhr might invisibly steal the butter out of the porridge eaten by the inhabitants of the house.[33]
TheHusniskens go away never to return when they are ridiculed, and they take the farm's good luck with them. When they are angry, theHausnischen make a terrible racket at night thus keeping people from sleeping, breaking household goods, and throwing stones.[2]
When being chased, theNiß might take revenge by making the henhouse crow and making a racket before sunrise, pinching the sleeping master of the house at his nose or big toe, and by making wild the cattle in the stable at night so that they hang themselves in their chains.[44]
InHusum in North Frisia, sometimes whole crowds and families ofPuke dwell in houses, throwing everything around at night, making a racket in the loft, running up and down the stairs and through all rooms or cellars, and stealing both flour and beer. When chased, they hide in the smallest cracks, they themselves being as tiny as spiders and worms, crying relentlessly from there. ThosePuke do not take revenge. They are malicious in the first place.[29]
When aNis becomes unbearable, moving away is a possible option but it might travel to the new place while hidden in the broom. Similarly, thePuk might be sitting behind on the last wagon travelling to the humans’ new domicile.[29]
A different outcome is given when moving houses is thought of as the last possible solution to escape the awfulPuke of Husum. They also might sit in the broom shouting with fine voices: “Wir ziehen um!” (“We are moving!”). To get rid of thePuke, the brooms must be left stuck deep in a pond. There they will stay and kill off the fish, exclaiming in the evening with fine voices: “Wir sind ausgezogen! Wir sind ausgewandert!” (“We have moved! We have emigrated!”).[29]
It is further possible to get rid of thePuk the following way: In Pomerania, the owner should not give her true name to thePuk but call herselfSülstdan (“Self-done” in Low German). Then she can cook a cauldron of gruel to throw thePuk inside. The lamentingPuk, when asked who did this, will answerSülstdan, i.e. self-done, and thus will be left to die in the hot gruel by its prospective rescuers.[55]
TheNiß Puk is usually solitary and only one can be found per farm.[2]
Once, there was a lack of fodder at the end of winter in Schleswig. APug had the idea to steal hay from a neighboring farm and thus went out at night, carrying heaps of hay on its back. On its way back, thisPug met thePug belonging to the farm it had stolen from, finding out that thatPug had stolen hay in its, the firstPug's farm. Seeing that they had stolen from each other, thePugs became enraged and beat each other all night long until dawn, leaving behind huge heaps of hay at daybreak.[6]
InSundeved in Northern Schleswig (today part of Denmark), many people are said to have aPug. ThosePuge bring their owners grain, fodder, and other things at night. When meeting each other, they might repeatedly into each other until daybreak, once leaving behind four bushels worth of threshed oat.[31]
In Northern Schleswig, thePuge aredwarves.[6] Similar to dwarves, thePuke orPuks might also hold a bridal procession right through a farmer's rooms and kitchen leading to theHauspuk's usual dwelling. The bridal procession is described as follows: Up front there is the bride and bridegroom, both of them well-dressed, followed by pairs of littlePuks, the elderlyHauspuk alone at the procession's end, giving out wood shavings turning to gold to people able to see their kind.[28]