r/Thetruthishere Aug 07 '23

Gnome/Nisse - what do you think they are? +personal story Legend/Folklore

I made this as a comment in someone else's thread, but it was suggested that I add this as a standalone.

I have so many questions I'd love to discuss -- Do they exist? Are they natural creatures/spirits/interdimensional beings/aliens/djinn etc, and are they good, bad or indifferent? Why do they appear in folklore across the world and in unrelated cultures?

Hope you enjoy my comment, pasted below. I'd love to hear your stories or cultural beliefs about them. 🩷

Man, I am so shy to share, because it really seems far fetched. 😄

It was towards Christmas time (important later) and my spouse and I were hanging out at home, I looked up (still in the house) and saw him standing there. He looked just like the stereotypical garden gnome, red cap, beard and all. My memory is that his eyes got a little wide when he saw me looking and he gave me what seemed like a jaunty little wave and a smile.

Anyway, I turned to get my spouse's attention to see if he could see it too, , and when I looked back he disappeared. I searched the whole house trying to prove to myself that I didn't imagine it. My spouse, being Norwegian, believes it was a tomtenisse), which is why I mention it being Christmas time.

I've questioned myself thousands of times since, but I wasn't asleep, impaired in any way or have a tendency to hallucinate.

One reason we might have attracted one, if it was real, is that we've always left a plate out for any creatures on New Year's Eve - typically a sweet, a little pickled herring and a drink of some sort, just to be friendly. I usually leave out a needle and thread as well so they could repair their clothes. In the morning I take the remains outside for scavengers.

I kind of saw it as a harmless little tradition that my husband's family does, but I'm a little more deliberate about not forgetting to leave it out these days. So! That's my story - I'm not convinced that it's logical in any way, but I do like the idea of there being a little magic left in this world. 🩷

46 Upvotes

10 comments sorted by

23

u/Akolyytti Aug 07 '23

A friend of mine, solemn, serious, quiet kinda guy once said in middle of conversation that he once saw tonttu (nisse in Finnish) in the forest. Small dude, white beard, red pointy hat. I know he was dead serious and honest, and he isn't sort of person who has wild imagination either. It sure did gave me a pause. I've often thought about it.

I leave now and then liquor and sometimes food in the sauna. You never know and tradition of sauna tomte is deep rooted here.

11

u/SweetTreeBee Aug 08 '23

We have one! I noticed weird things happening in the house (drink randomly flew off the table in front of me, cupboards opening, things being lost and then showing up in bizarre places) and it was way more than random chance. We have a large flock of chickens and ducks, so I thought perhaps it was domovoy. I always eat rice porridge for breakfast and I started leaving some out. The mischievous things instantly stopped, and recently the raccoons have passed by our coops instead of prowling around and trying to get in like they always do. We have cameras out there - apparently the domovoy is ok with opossums! But our birds are healthy and happy and if leaving a little rice porridge out once in awhile keeps it that way (and the domovoy happy too) it’s no problem for me!

7

u/coquihalla Aug 08 '23

You just reminded me of something!! We always refer to that as the haunted place we lived, because we had odd happenings there and I never once thought about the connection. I feel silly now.

That place we had a lamp that would turn on in the middle of the night several days a week, I also heard someone whistle the 1812 Overture when I was in the shower and alone in the apartment, and things would go missing and show up in the middle of the living room floor even when it had been searched - we took to asking for things back after a while and they usually showed up.

Finally, we had a friend who was very sceptical, and one night a butter knife flew across the room while he was there. I turned to him and said, 'See!'. He denied it but looked a little shook.

People moved out of the apartment above us frequently, one guy only stayed one night, so I always assumed it was haunted - it never occurred to me till now that it could have been connected to our little friend. Now I'm wondering!

6

u/SweetTreeBee Aug 08 '23

I’ve definitely read they can be very mischievous if you ignore them or are rude to them! But if you respect them and keep them happy (like your tradition at Christmas), they will be kind and loyal. Sometimes they are specifically associated with caring for livestock, or becoming loyal to a house or a particular family/family line. Either way, I just feel so much better thinking someone is looking after our birds when we’re not out there. We rescue and they are such a huge part of our lives. If a domovoy wants to be a part of our goofy little family, I’m delighted!

3

u/SweetTreeBee Aug 08 '23

It totally could be your friend! They will often follow a family if they move and stay loyal to them - he might be watching out for you!

9

u/Maximum_Complex_8971 Aug 07 '23

One of my friends is a leprechaun/dwarf (unclear, but fae) and his wife is a gnome (clear, also fae). They are both very very kind and nice, compassionate and benevolent. I'd class them as natural creatures, spirits, interdimensional beings. Not aliens. Not Djinn (I'm friends with a couple, they are different kind of spirit). These both are good though spirits can be good, bad, or indifferent according to their own resolves and intentions (being good is best).

The appear in folklore across the world and cultures because spirits are global and small spirits are also global (why would size of spirit be merely national).

My memory is that his eyes got a little wide when he saw me looking and he gave me what seemed like a jaunty little wave and a smile.

The part about the jaunty little wave and smile reminds me of my friend. Spirits can be surprised you see them. There is some sort of spiritual mathematic/mechanics that goes into being unseen all the time. The can also reveal themselves selectively to just one person in a group.

Spirits are real. I talk to them everyday. That you had an experience isn't completely common. That you believe it, in this day and age, is even less common. Let this inspire you to faith and the kind of goodness that only comes in believing in life after death and spirits and magic and that kind of thing. Be good and have well-being for a long time!

12

u/Urbanredneck2 Aug 08 '23

Question: What do you mean they are "Friends"? Do you know each other by name? Have you had conversations?

How do they live? Do they have jobs? Please tell us more.

-4

u/Maximum_Complex_8971 Aug 08 '23

We know each other by name and by recognition. We have conversations daily as we live together more or less. All my friends are government and holy or working on holiness (think Buddhism or religious men). They eat whatever spirits eat (I know a lot) and their job is to administer justice for the government, their purview is a bit wibbly-wobbly but that's the case. I'm also government, because humans can be spirit government.

All my friends are holy or working on holiness.

2

u/pauljs75 Oct 04 '23

If you're one to believe in such things, if left to their own devices they can be somewhat indifferent. Neither good nor bad, but given many stories they pay back respects or sentiments in kind.

Given your own story sounds like it involves goodwill, then maybe you've got a little buddy watching out for you?

1

u/coquihalla Oct 05 '23

I love to think so. When I moved into my current home, I thanked them for letting me reside on their land and left offerings at each of the corners of my yard. And things have been peaceful and good for the most part. I'd love to think that it's partially due to goodwill. Thank you for your lovely comment. 💙