Kabouter

The Dutch Kabouters are akin to the Irish Leprechaun, Scandinavian Tomte or Nisse, the English Hob,[1] the Scottish Brownie[2] and the German Klabauter or kobold.

[3] In the folklore of the Low Countries, Kabouters are tiny people, about 10–15 cm tall, who live in or near houses and stables, or in hills, in forests or on heaths.

The males have long, full beards and they all wear tall, pointed hats, generally of a red or green colour.

A well known story is about the disappearance of Kabouters from the Kempen to an unknown place after a local hunter shot their king Kyrië.

[9] The Dutch illustrator Rien Poortvliet played an important part in modern Kabouter lore with his publication of Leven en werken van de Kabouter (English title "Life and works of the Gnome"), later translated into English and published as "Gnomes".