Thinking about the story The Bear King, one of the key (but of course in the fairytale-glossed over) factors is that the Bear takes Lene to a magical castle where all of her needs are taken care of. But who, or what exactly is it that does all of this?
Let me introduce the Nisse. They are a miniature magical race of beings that are revered and feared in Norway. A farmer who is favored by the Nisse finds that his cows are plumper, and small chores have been done for him during the night. A farmer that does not leave out the proffered porridge may find himself the victim of many a mischief, or worse, beat to death! For despite their diminutive stature, they are known to be terribly strong.
Traditionally they are depicted as old men with long beards, but I fiddled with that a little.
Which ones do you like?
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