REAL GNOMES: Stories, Sightings and Origins

When most of us think about Gnomes we make a picture in our minds of those cute little garden decorations, dressed in little red hats and with fishing rods. This image comes to us thanks to Walt Disney and his depiction of the Seven Dwarves in the fairy tale Snow White. But are gnomes real? Do gnomes exist? Are they just a thing of legend, fable, and children’s fairy stories? Where do gnomes come from? 

The gnome is typically said to be a small, humanoid creature that lives underground. They are sometimes referred to as "Earthmen". Gnomes are believed to be Earth dwelling spirits or spirits of the Earth usually found in and or around mines, guarding treasures of gold, silver and precious stones. They are described  as two "spans" high, very reluctant to interact with humans, and able to move through solid earth as easily as humans move through air. Gnomes are considered mostly harmless but very mischievous.

This Gnomes was spotted in Graubünden canton of Switzerland  

Could these be real Gnomes? Proof that Gnomes exits?

One theory is that Gnomes were prudish women in their past-lives, and now spend all of eternity looking out for prudish women. Some people believe they are related to goblins and others state they are relatives of the fairies or faeries. "Small enough to be king of the fairies, and ugly enough to be king of the gnomes" - Nathaniel Hawthorne in Twice-Told Tales (1837)

Many cultures around the world have their legends and folklore about “little people” – elves, fairies, gnomes, elementals, or simply the “wee folk”. In Scandinavia they are the Tomte or Nisse; the Nimerigar, Yunwi Tsundi, and Mannegishi of various Native American tribes; the Menehune of Hawaii; and most famous, perhaps, are the Irish Leprechauns.

ACCORDING TO JOSEF JIRÁNEK:

"One late evening he goes through his district and saw on one of the plain burn a small fire. (...) Around the fire were five small men with white beards wrapped around their waists. They were so small (...) He knew that they were dwarfs of the forest. He reached down and listened to their talk. They talked about forest wildlife, the trees, the flowers, the forest and about everything what that day in the woods happened. (...) When they met another day again, they were very upset. They found that mushroom pickers harm forest. They devastate mushrooms and must be punished. One of the dwarfs took out a black wand and three times waved with her over his head and uttered the magic formula. At that moment, thunder, storm started and hid all the mushrooms. Little people disappeared and since then nobody have seen them."

Have you ever had an experience with gnomes? Do you believe that gnomes are real? Join the discussion! I would love to hear your opinions!