Wee Folk: The Most Underappreciated Creature in Mythology

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There’s a reason little people and wee folks have shown up throughout world mythology and fiction. Small though they may be, they have a strength that you do not.
Better listen to what they have to say.
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[@TheTaleFoundry]

CURIOSITY STREAM ➤ curiositystream.com/talefoundry Click here to watch the all the additional content we don't upload here on KZbin!

[@pyeitme508]

Meh

[@zimattack9994]

It funny how everything you describe is just a child seeing the world as magic until they grow to fit their world

[@islemrebiai9188]

:)

[@Periwinkleaccount]

Why do I need to pay to see it early? It seems unfair.

[@bap3227]

@@Periwinkleaccount because they need money to be able to keep making these videos and i dont think youtube pays that much

[@superspider64]

This "tiny humans" idea has always been fascinating to me, just being a tiny humanoid trying to survive against toads and the like, building tools jury rigged from the big peoples stuff

[@greyfox4838]

reminds me of Zelda Minish Cap, the minish are this really small people that live inside random logs in a forest or tiny pockets of society in towns that don't know they exist, and you the player can shrink down and enter their domain, and in one point in the game, a common enemy that you normally kill with one shot ends up being a boss that you have to struggle to beat because you're currently in minish size, and the otherwise small enemy (as small as a toad) appears as a giant to you

[@superspider64]

@@greyfox4838 Oh trsut me broski I know Minish Cap, it's one of my alltime favorite handhelds and I'm so sad that there hasn't been any sort of followup

[@Moron14]

Just saying but if you enjoy playing video games try out Grounded it's basically you trying to survive in a suburban backyard whilst being the size of an ant

[@superspider64]

@@Moron14 I've heard of it and I've seen it and it's on the cool list

[@aHighjacker]

I've had this same interest and even worked out a whole culture and setting, ultimately for a game more than likely never to be made

[@marlutteyestrelt3441]

While not having an illustrous folklore of little people in my country, I did fantasized greatly about shrinking my sense of self through toys and figures as a child, and learned the ways of using the world around me as an overly sheltered creative kid to expand my world. Through little effigies [toys] I built my first narratives. Stairs became mountains of wonder, fences became bridges of doom, playgrounds became entire battle fields and beaches endless deserts with endless oceans. Like the Wee Free Men, my toys of varied worlds, origins and goals explored a world where gardens became jungles and tables where gladiatorial arenas, beds where cavernous snowfields where giants slumbered. A giant world of never ending trials and wonders for the tiniest of champions. To this day, I continue to view my surroundings as inspiration for magnified and enlarged fantastical worlds, and it helps a lot to build maps and dreamscapes for my books!

[@covenawhite4855]

That is an amazing premise for a story

[@hannahholden]

What an utterly beautiful way to see the world!

[@owencole2406]

Well earth is getting smaller because we know more if we were smaller then what would be mundane would be more exotic.

[@chuckbrunty152]

One of the best bedtime stories that I used to read my kids was 'Tomte Tummetott' by Astrid Lindgren. For the uninitiated: a Tomte is a type of Swedish house elf. The story follows Tummetott on his nightly ritual of caring for the animals and protecting the people on a small farm. I like it because if the children hear strange noises at night they can think, "It's just the Tomte going about his business."

[@trika91]

That’s a really wholesome tale to tell kids and help ease their minds at night.☺️

[@zenlocke]

I have a memory that defined my interest in mythology and comparative religion pretty intensely- As a teenager i lived on my family farm and our barn was always rat-infested, pretty big ones. I'd always walk in while the lights were off, and the room was pitch black, and hear loud banging and shuffling and the very clear pitter patter of little feet all over the place, and when the lights went on, the room would be empty. I very distinctly and immediately thought- 'oh, i totally understand why elves and goblins are a thing now.' it literally sounded like a bunch of tiny people running around. i can imagine ancient people walking into their food stores in the night, hearing this, and telling stories of the tiny men who take food or cause mischief.

[@NoiseDay]

That's really cute!

[@zletroscreations1234]

In my universe, called Plain of Creation, all natural movements and processes are done by 'Giants'. They're nigh invisible and they're tasks range from dropping acorns from trees to moving the planets around their stars and stars about they're galaxies and even moving the galaxies around each other. But their size depends on their task, afterall, dropping a single acorn would be tedious for a 20 foot behemoth, so instead that would fall to a 'seed giant' no larger than an acorn itself but still just as important and powerful as 'galactic giant'. In my world the folklore of fairies dwarves, etc... comes from these mini giants being spotted, usually by imaginative children, who then tell the stories to other children, leading to them spreading.

[@carlosmunoz3089]

This is pretty. In my universe all fay folk are giants too. But giants are what they are called due to their appetites. They eat, eat a lot yet dont hunt. They dont sow or reap. Yet they eat. This makes humanity jealous. And hateful of such unfair people who dont work. Just exist. And to just be is not to be.

[@garrettwhite3922]

Awesome! My universe has a "thousand tiny gods" that fractured from the creator and start their lives as children's imaginary friend. The tiny gods grow with their child and effect the world around them. Those that continue to know their childhood imagination can make deals for magic with their friend

[@greyareaRK1]

Tiffany Aching is one my favourite characters of any book. “Always face what you fear. Have just enough money, never too much, and some string. Even if it’s not your fault, it’s your responsibility. Witches deal with things. Never stand between two mirrors. Never cackle. Do what you must do. Never lie, but you don’t always have to be honest. Never wish. Especially don’t wish upon a star, which is astronomically stupid. Open your eyes, and then open your eyes again.” ― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky

[@ArcanaStorm]

What’s the first book in the series? I’m curious.

[@greyareaRK1]

@@ArcanaStorm From wikipedia: The Wee Free Men - 2003 A Hat Full of Sky - 2004 Wintersmith - 2006 I Shall Wear Midnight - 2010 The Shepherd's Crown - 2015

[@sonetagu1337]

Ok, but i uhhh closed my eyes and i feel like i am stabbed. How do i open again?

[@colinsmith1495]

I also love the way he describes the reality of the Chalk. Most witches look down on the Chalk and Tiffany as 'soft land'. Good witches are raised on granite, or basalt, maybe even obsidian. Something hard, something old. What's chalk but soft, weak rock? Well, the chalk is ancient. The chalk is powerful. The chalk is the leftover bones of billions upon billions of ancient lives, lives that thrived in ancient seas, that mastered ancient depths, that withstood storms and seasons untouched and unchanged. Oh, and also, the way Granny Weatherwax responds to Tiffany's description of Granny Aching, who absolutely 100% most certainly wasn't a witch. I don't remember the details, but Granny Weatherwax is walking Tiffany through her tasks as a new witch to a small farming town. They're going down the hill to see a Mr. Something-or-other and make sure he takes his medicine and has food for the winter and the like, and as they walk, Tiffany talks about her grandmother, Granny Aching, and how she wasn't a witch, but was the kind of person that made sure other people did what needed doing, and what they should do. She made sure things around town got taken care of. Granny is sure she was a witch, even if she never knew her. Tiffany asks if Granny Weatherwax is like Granny Aching. Granny Weatherwax responds, 'No, I'm not that good. If I were that good, we wouldn't be going to see Mr. Something-or-other right now.' Implying it's someone else's job, probably a grown child or child-in-law, and they're not doing it. And they should. And Granny Weatherwax isn't so good that she can convince people to do what they should without needing to really say anything. That's a special kind of magic.

[@martianpudding9522]

I remember growing up, whenever something happened in the house that no one remembered doing (undiagnosed adhd was quite prevalent in our household) like something was moved or stored in the wrong place, my mom would say "it must have been the gnomes". Looking back it feels kind, like deciding not to try to place blame on anyone when it's clear no one did it on purpose.

[@Snips.Snails.Fairytales]

I've been slowly working my way through Tolkien's "On Fairy Stories." It's a bit rambling, and, like most scholarly essays, mostly written in frustration at other scholars. However it does have some interesting points. Such as what can qualify as a "fairy story," how our own human behavior gave the gods their personalities, and how seeing a completely different world with it's own logic can make you understand your own. He refers to a forever developing culture, mythology and literature as "the Soup," which I love. Unfortunately, I left the book out of reach for now so I can't finish it. I just love that there is a continuing fascination with fairies and tiny people (even though they aren't always the same) and why we like to tell the same stories throughout time and all over the world.

[@dylanduke1075]

You might like beside the fire by Douglas Hyde!

[@Snips.Snails.Fairytales]

@@dylanduke1075 thank you for the recommendation! I'll add it to my list! I've been researching and reading a lot of Celtic folklore collections the last year and it's been hard finding quality books on my own.

[@greyfox4838]

also recommend Ursula K Le Guin's essay "From Elfland to Poughkeepsie," any fantasy writer with respect for myths and fairy tales should read these two essays and reconsider how they have been approaching fantasy till now

[@Snips.Snails.Fairytales]

@@greyfox4838 Le Guin is amazing. I've been meaning to read some of her books about writing as well.

[@tyokabina2829]

I really liked Tiffany's first attempt to go through the portal. The text goes into great detail of how beautiful and magical world she sees once she opens her eyes, only to point out she's still at home. Maybe not what she was trying to achieve at that moment but a good way to show her innate talent with magic, she can already see the world for what it is.

[@alienz8641]

Finally, a video about Fairy Folklore!

[@dissonanceparadiddle]

As a fae myself I'm over the moon

[@darkpinkgirl6684]

@@dissonanceparadiddle sure you are

[@dissonanceparadiddle]

@@darkpinkgirl6684 🧚🏻‍♀️

[@darkpinkgirl6684]

@@dissonanceparadiddle i cant tell if you're joking or not if you are joking, then lmao you got me

[@silent_stalker3687]

🧚🏻‍♀️ 🏺

[@deannal.newton9772]

After I saw the movie, The Secret World of Arrietty, I thought it was amazing that there are an entire group of people called The Borrowers that are the same size of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina. If Thumbelina hadn't gone to the realm of the fairies, she would've crossed paths with The Borrowers sooner or later and maybe even be friends with the Soot Spirits as well but the Soot Spirits only live in long abandoned homes as oppose to ones that are already occupied and given life. Either way, I thought it would be nice if Arrietty would befriend Tom Thumb or Thumbelina since they're the only small folk that aren't Borrowers like her and her family that she's met.

[@lovelydeedee0]

What I always found quite amazing about this show is how it can always stay so wonderfully positive. Just while watching this it reminded me of a podcast called Lore on Spotify(checked who was made by Aaron Mahnke) and it is a amazing show but it really dwells in the negative constantly talking about how the origins of mythical creatures comes from racism or about plague out breaks and just violence of every kind and how it caused origins of cultures and they made a episode about little people and just remember how it stayed on the Irish little helpers (no clue what they were called cause listened to it two years ago or longer) and it talked about the little helpers themselves and then the Irish culture being erased by the English and just I loved the podcast it’s great but we really do have enough negativity in our lives and just really love how no matter the content it manages to be positive, we all need an extra ray of sunlight and a whole new perception on topics from a more wholesome view! Just even in the rabbit video it still managed to give a cozy feeling and a message of everyone having their own strengths when it easily could have done a dive into negativity of how we are all flawed but your perception just made it so amazing. Just love your videos, thanks for being a sunshine in the sea of negativity currently!

[@walterhaider869]

I made little forest children who make uncommon things happen more often. People catch them and smuggle them into gambling houses to win more often but every so often the owner gets stuck by lighting or their food goes rotten faster. They have a special place in the life cycle of my fantasy forests, my forests get so big that younger trees can't grow. So they increase the likelihood of one of my flamemouths creating a forest fire burning away the old and making way for the new flame proof seeds to grow again.

[@Ani-yt4nf]

Interesting concept! I have a question which may result into something paradoxical. Say many gamblers took these forest children to increase their winning chances. It would then become likelier for gamblers to win. In a state where the likely event has changed to being able to win more, the unlikely event is now losing a gamble. The owner of the site would then decide to take more forest children in order to increase the chances of the new unlikely event of gamblers losing from happening or being more likely. Would what the owner of the gambling site did work or not?

[@walterhaider869]

@@Ani-yt4nf it would ever even out the odds or the amount of forest children all in one location would cause people to spontaneous combust, strong weather or one my world gods to notice what's going. Forest children simply make the unlikely things more likely, gambler might even loss more than if they had one to begin with.

[@RobertVarulfur]

I've always thought there was a connection between being a child and stories of giants and little people. To a child, the world is massive and full of danger and wonder, full of giants chasing after then shouting "fee fie fum, ready or not it's time for bed." For an adult, living with a child is like dealing with a miniature which may look like us but can act illogical and magically. Demanding they give back something can lead to chaos but bartering, leaving an offering of a cookie will do it every time. Equally, any child may wish to imagine what it must be like to be the giant, stumbling around peoples so much smaller than them.

[@toyloliSpare]

The aboriginal spirits you refer to are usually called "Little brothers" in different languages. The Little brothers are the other side to the Big Fella's - the tall slenderman like figures often shown in artwork. The Big Fella's basically translate to Ents, or guardians of the Land, and can be dangerous, the little fellas almost directly equate to fairies but where as english faeries are tied more to plants, these are tied to insects and little animals.Those who are normally protected by the Big Fellas. It's said that plagues, pestilence and illness are caused by little fellas and some dreamtime stories involve little brothers and sisters becoming animals, or vice verser.

[@TheTaleFoundry]

This is really interesting! Would you mind linking me to a source if you have one? I'd love to read more! -Benji, showrunner

[@toyloliSpare]

On an unrelated side note, it's important to remember that most native aboriginal dialects are very scant on pronouns or descriptors. The biggest distiction is the lack of gendered pronouns. This is why even in english it's common for Aboriginals to refer to each other as brother, sister, auntie etc (even if not from the same clan) That's where the phrases Little Brother and Little Sister come from. It may make them seam personal with the spirits, and maybe the are. They are the equivelent of aboriginal fairies. But it's also just a restriction of the base language.

[@racoon_in_ankhmorpork]

I’m currently reading “Lords and Ladies”, which is a book about elves, so when I read the title my mind immediately went to that. Turns out I was wrong, but Pratchett is still involved! Yay :)

[@a1exneedsahamdleplease]

I like your pfp! Was "Lords and Ladies" a good book? It sounds interesting:)

[@sbkMulletMan]

Just this May I finished the 41st, and final Discworld book. This accomplishment brought me both great joy and heartache because it was the end of a long, wondrous road. Just the sight of the Nac Mac Feegle in the thumbnail put a warm smile on my face. I always appreciate the love toward Terry Pratchett on this channel.

[@ruthbennett7563]

GNU Sir Terry

[@samwill7259]

It's not one of the biggest, grandest superpower fantasies. But I think we've all imagined out a little story of shrinking down and exploring our worlds from an inch high perspective, it's a wonderous, romantic notion that I got from the Borrowers and Ant-Man/Atom comics personally.

[@LavenderBBBee]

One of the creatures in the story I'm writing are pixies. I've decided I want them to be really mean and easily annoyed, but a couple minutes into this I thought maybe I could make that a result of their version of the world. Maybe everything is more tedious since everything is so large? Or maybe they insist on using human objects (so they can be equals) but have a hard time doing so?

[@mycroftholmes7379]

interesting

[@nitsanraviddaos4797]

I see Discworld, I click It's quite simple, really

[@nitsanraviddaos4797]

@@stapuft What? The first thing they mentioned is a story called the Wee Free Man Which is a Discworld book Which is also in the thumbnail of the video Are you okay?

[@nitsanraviddaos4797]

@@stapuft Do you even know who Terry Pratchett is?

[@nitsanraviddaos4797]

@@stapuft Wait a second, are you really going to argue with me if The Wee Free Man is a Discworld book? That's fricking incredible

[@nitsanraviddaos4797]

I happen to have the book on me so here's a qoute from the cover Qoute: Crivens! There's nae a better tale o' magic and adventure on the Disc' Or how about the fact that almost on every cover it is presented as ''A DISCOWRLD NOVEL" upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3b/Nac_Mac_Feegle.jpg www.discworldemporium.com/26-large_default/the-wee-free-men.jpg

[@nitsanraviddaos4797]

​ @stapuft Also, Granny FUCKMOTHERING Weatherwax appear in the Wee Free Man, or are you going to argue that Equal Rites is not part of the Discworld as well?

[@SouthernEli]

You'll be happy to know that you're the creator, after all these years getting bombarded with creator ads, who finally convinced me to bite the bullet and subscribe to Nebula and Curiosity Stream. Thanks for making such fantastic and sublime content!

[@TheTaleFoundry]

Thank you so much for the support!

[@complimentcap2464]

Thank you for all the wonderful stories and themes you people bring to light in your videos. Lately i've been falling victim to a hopeless depression that has sapped me of will and joy, but Tale Foundry videos help me hold onto the wonder and imagination that the world seems determined to tear from me. From the bottom of my heart: Thank you for what you do.

[@StargazerSkyscraper]

As a humble internet stranger, all I can really do is offer you an internet hug and reinforce that it's always okay to talk about this, even with strangers in YT comments, and to seek whatever entertainment or company will help alleviate even a little of your troubles while they're with you. I'm so glad you found this channel, and above all, I'm glad you're still fighting to swim up. 🫂

[@AsimiShadowborn]

I have found this channel only recently and have binged just about every video so far. Thank you so much for the amount of work you guys pour into these videos - the art and general content is absolutely amazing and often makes my day!

[@mathieumartineau3121]

Are those Nac Mac Fleegles on the picture!? 🤣

[@clydoscope5841]

The thing about life of tiny people makes me SOOO inspired

[@FormerlyDavid]

This is delightful! And now I'm wondering how to create techno-brownies to do my housework.

[@Spectra651]

There's a book series I remember reading quite some years ago in elementary school called 'The Indian in the Cupboard' by Lynne Reid Banks. It's about a kid named Omri who gets a seemingly normal cupboard for his birthday, but he soon discovers that whenever he puts a tiny plastic figure inside and turns the key it brings that figure to life. This idea was so fascinating to me as a kid, and I always used to daydream about what it would be like to have all these secret little friends that I could just conjure up whenever I wanted in my own magic cupboard. When you're so little yourself at that age it can make you feel rather insignificant and powerless, so I always imagined myself as the protector of these tiny people, the one they could count on to keep them hidden from the grownups in the house and shield them from the dangers of a world that was ten times too big for them. Of course the book series details just how big a responsibility it would *actually* be for a child to suddenly find themselves in those circumstances, emphasizing how the little people Omri brings to life aren't just amusing toys but real human beings, but the idea has always been an intriguing one to me, nonetheless. And of course I used to wonder what the world must be like at just a few inches high, as well, especially after reading 'Alice in Wonderland' for the first time. Lynne Reid Banks also wrote a lesser-known book, but one I loved just as much as a kid, that dealt much more directly with fairy folk called 'The Fairy Rebel.' The thing I always found interesting about that story is it's the grownups who first discover the existence of fairies, and it's their little girl who is largely kept in the dark for most of the book, whereas with most stories it's the exact opposite.

[@CaneRossso]

Have you read Berserk? If not read past the golden age and do not judge the first few chapters it is a masterpiece. The author has some very interesting takes on mythical creatures.

[@Thereaperofcrows]

All of it is amazing

[@kjhansonkjhanson6643]

Everyone's read berserk

[@chickensandwich8808]

This is crazy today... I JUST got finished listening to a narration of a creepypasta about Dullahan when this popped up!

[@iampie6954]

Someday I want to write a toddler protagonist. I feel like that would be fun,

[@malissahyatt2425]

That would be adorable and havoc would surely insue. 😂💙 Please write this. It would be a hit...I can feel it.

[@cheeseballgod2154]

This channel is a treasure! Really helpes me to get rid of all the negative thoughts and find the will to keep on living, and also really inspires me as an artist. Thank you very much.

[@moonstonepearl21]

What an insightful, deep, and unique way of looking at these types of creatures. You gave me a whole new perspective on them. This was so well written.

[@wingedhatchling]

I recognized the Nac Mac Feegles from the icon!!! :D AHHH.

[@kallistiravenhurst5232]

one of my favorite games, both while growing up and still to this day, was part of a larger series and happened to focus on its own set of "wee folk" called the Minish. these Minish were the size of mice and looked fairly like them [so absolutely adorable to me], they ended up being the explanation for why the player could find money and supplies in the grass [retconning them in as something that exists in all other games even if you never see them], and some minish let you know that they do all that they do because they enjoy bringing happiness to the "big folk". it almost feels like they're a race of tiny artists happily creating purely for the happiness that could be wrought, even if no one could ever thank them for their deeds.

[@l.o.b.2433]

Trespassing on Fairy Territory -> Why are fairies so small? -> Why you never ignore a Fairy Was I halucinating or did these changes actually happen?

[@TheTaleFoundry]

They did, youtube is pretty merciless about serving the video around so you often have to experiment

[@l.o.b.2433]

@@TheTaleFoundry Well, I hope you find a version that pleases the algorithm. It was a very nice video to watch!

[@TheGapYoukai]

When I was a child, there were numerous stories of "little people" that tickled my imagination: the Borrowers, Thumbelina, The Tooth Fairies (which were technically just mice playing the role of the Tooth Fairy), Gossamer (a story of fairies who gave people good dreams), Issun Bosshi and of course, the story of the little cobbler fairies. At night, I would always wonder if there were little fairies who came out when I was asleep. Never really saw one, of course, but still~

[@teddyfurstman1997]

Giant and Tiny Folk have fascinated me a lot. Your channel is great.

[@voltekthecyborg7898]

I've always imagined: what's it like to be 6 inches tall, or smaller? Would it be full of danger? or would it be something more... adventurous? Seeing buildings larger than what I see them; being small enough to go through ductwork and sewer pipe; being so small and going through places never even touched by a human soul. My imagination can do so much, but it's only imagination.

[@kingexquisite9876]

Yay, FAIRY FOLKLORE!!! Very much appreciated

[@flamingfoxy2247]

Why hasn't this blown up more?? This is such a beautiful video that is wonderful to watch!

[@dissonanceparadiddle]

What sweet thoughts about us wee folk. Even though I'm small you make me stand tall with pride hearing your lovely thoughts about us. ☺️ Thank you

[@ianfarquharson3772]

It's crazy to think America's so new that your folk law isn't as established as here in Europe.I'm so glad your trying for 3 video's a month.ThankQ.TkEZ>UK

[@Skittenmeow]

I highly recommend the Tiffany Aching series, it is truly beautiful and helped me feel both great and tiny. Since reading those tales (or listening to the audiobooks) I now observe the little things, the little changes, the signs of little creatures in the bushland opposite my home in Western Australia. Through this mindfulness and connection with the land where I live I even discovered a rare threatened carnivorous plant species. It hasn't been observed (or at least recorded) in this region previously. It's only around 7mm (or quarter of an inch) in size; looking like a faceted gemstone with tiny ruby red leaves, sticky drops forming jewel-like traps for ants. It was hidden in thick mosses and lichens; under a dense abundance of groundcovers, shrubs and grasses; amongst the towering old Jarrah, Marri and Sheoak trees. I was looking for interesting fungi to photograph and found treasure. Treasure in a tiny area of bushland FULL OF TREASURES, where in one hour we recorded 13 Western Ring-tail Possums (a critically endangered species) and see threatened Red-tailed Black Cockatoos almost daily. Since that discovery I've been fighting to get that tiny remnant of urban bushland land protected from development (which is imminent), and joined a little community group that is trying every angle we can to save it. I can imagine the Nac Mac Feegle would be proud of me. I've been brave enough to address local council at their meetings; to speak to Senators, MPs, and politicians; to do interviews and photos for radio and press; to ask for advice from experts in biodiversity and conservation, to even request a video meeting with our Minister for Environment. All because I'm trying to be a witch, not using magic or thinking someone else will do the work or take responsibility. As Tiffany Aching knows; witching isn't about the magic but about helping the land and community and animals and environment...ALWAYS doing the difficult, uncomfortable, unpleasant and endless work.

[@mrkshply]

Ooh! Great example of the proper use of an adverbs! "They dont just look different, they look differently!"

[@SuperBacon90]

Pausing this video at about 7 minutes to shout you out. As an Aboriginal person the respect you show my culture is wonderful tale foundry. You're truly one of the best KZbin channels around. I promise you, if you're ever in Victoria and see me behind a bar the drinks are free. The entire creative team are family as far as I'm concerned ❤

[@andrewkawam2603]

I agree the idea of fairy folk in so many different cultures is fascinating!!!!! I sometimes like to ponder whether it stems from some ancestral memory of humans encountering other hominid species when many other than just us lives on our planet at once. By far the most interesting use of fairies in fiction, I'd say, has got to be John Crowley's masterpiece 'Little, Big'.

[@kjhansonkjhanson6643]

I thought this was going to be a video on The King of Elfland's Daughter

[@kjhansonkjhanson6643]

But that's obviously elf's different

[@Katfeathers]

A thought about "little people": sometimes when context doesn't point to low hight, it instead can mean unimportant, like the way Rome viewed the Picts.

[@spacecowboy7148]

Ferngully is also a good example I'd believe

[@Yellowdigigod]

I listened to the story of the witch on an audiobook! I had forgotten what it was called and it was so obscure I couldn't find it again! In the part I remember the young witch was being followed by a dark swarm and had to confront it. She was given aid & courage by those little people!

[@illiteratemochi4150]

A really great example of this is the Secret World of Arietty. It’s a movie you should check out if you haven’t seen it before.

[@Hellqueen135]

I see, so every culture has their own Dwarf like creature, in my language they are named Kääpiö and Tonttu, Kääpiö is the wild one what protects rivers and mushrooms and etc... and Tonttu is in other hand the one who protects or Houses and Saunas, and are the who sometimes steals our food and somethings but they give great protections and luck, so we live in peach, And there is more in our culture but they wouldn't really fit to this video right now, so I don't gonna say. And I really like to know how other countries say their own little creatures who protects their houses and forests. And as always great job doing this Tale, loved it and have a nice day

[@ruthbennett7563]

Thank you for creating this lovely video essay. Things are difficult here right now (as they are most places). I really appreciate this tea time moment with your words & images. It helps me say “crivvens!” to my anxieties. Anyone anywhere reading this: send up a good cry of “crivvens!” & steer clear of the “special sheep liniment”. Good fortune to all y’all out there. GNU Sir Terry

[@SonicSanctuary]

To quote the fegles "it's all in the ankel ya ken."

[@dylanduke1075]

Beside the Fire by Douglas Hyde is a book for anyone interested in fairy folklore to check out

[@MadameRaven1]

I’ve talked to people who have seen little people at a certain peak in the mountains here in northern utah.

[@angeldude101]

Being the size of about 2-8 inches is probably one my oldest personal fantasies, running around on a desk so high up off the ground. Of course getting onto the desk is the hard part, so an ability to fly, even if limited, would be tremendously convenient, and specially a form of mechanical flight. Simply lifting myself into the air wouldn't do (it would be too boring), it needs to be something that actively provides propulsion when I will it. So something like Iron Man's repulsors... or wings. As an aside, looking into the traits that faeries are often given can yield some interesting patterns, but looking back at what people would've actually been able to reliably observe and record can yield some surprising insights. Most fair folk are notoriously difficult to observe and report on their precise features, but changelings in particular are somewhat of an exception to this. They were fae who directly took the place of a human and would live among them... at least until they were discovered. Since these changelings would be plainly visible for all to see, reports on what one should look for to identify one can be remarkably detailed, and, for a small portion of the population, eerily familiar.

[@TheArcSet]

Thanks for this. A brilliant topic. And also interesting to see how it developed from the Carpet People and later the gnomes of the Bromeliaed trilogy.

[@zarlsalamandersspacemarine302]

Loved the thumbnail with the wee free men~

[@LeapsofFaith1234]

Why is this making me teary eyed?

[@johannageisel5390]

In German speaking countries we have "Wichtel" and "Heinzelmännchen", which are more akin to house elfs than "Zwerge", which are dwarfs.

[@okamiv5]

I turned the gnomes and halflings in my dnd game into a people called keepers whom take up residence in old places, guarding and dwelling sights they say were sacred to the sun prince and moon princess of old. Being persuaded by other peoples to be unbribeable watchmen.

[@HOLDENPOPE]

I saw Isaac Arthur in the Nebula ad!

[@JoshKnoxChinnery]

The number of titles used for this video is pretty impressive

[@TheTaleFoundry]

Yeah, this one's having a hard time. At this point we're kind of just using it to experiment

[@nonamelast2900]

Thumbelina was also a bedtime story about a little person

[@therongjr]

In my head-canon, the Foundry is now a part of Kyle Hill's Facility.

[@dasarath5779]

i have recently been interested in the origins of the little people with hats. theres the obvious gnomes but also many representations of dwarves, pixies and menninkäinen have pointed hats

[@rachdarastrix5251]

I been trying to understand humans for over 800 years, but in the end, there is only 1 way I ever could. Only one way I can know the human perspective. What is the meaning of hatred?

[@tektrixter]

Hatred is the fear of the Other. It helps define and stabilize a socio-cultural group by splitting people into an in-group and the enemy.

[@rachdarastrix5251]

@@tektrixter Ah, so in other words the people I have trouble getting along with have declared war with me over words they don't like hearing. That is hilariously pathetic.

[@v.j.bartlett]

@Rach Darastrix Unfortunately hilariously pathetic is what we humans do best.

[@headwyvern11]

thank you, this helped me breathe again...

[@cmbaz1140]

As a kid i really believed there were little people living in my backyard not bigger than 2 cm in height...i dont know how that came to be since it would be years later that i would be exposed to stories with little people in them for the first time...my brother told me recently he also believed that little people were living in our backyard but he didnt tell anyone because he saw that nobody believed me... he even claims to have seen something once but it wasnt clear to him what he saw... I remember one summer watching the grass from the window for hours trying to see them and sometimes i could swear i almost did...one time i found something resembling a spear made with a small shard of glas... I miss being a child...😢

[@ICountFrom0]

Yes, I am watching backwards, and that's WHY I suggested you read, apparently, what you read for this story. Odd you didn't mention Tif when you mentioned the uncalled hero. She called HERSELF.

[@RoninCatholic]

I've always been especially interested in art and stories of very large and very small creatures, people, and objects. Particularly juxtapositions of very small versions of things normally large and very large versions of things normally small. Everything from Borrowers to Godzilla.

[@ChasoGod]

A movie you can watch to show another perspective of "little people" is 'Epic' where girl discovers a world hidden within hers where tiny humanoids live but are imperceptible to the human eye due to the fact they move rather quick compared to humans as if they are living in fast forward meanwhile to them us humans appear to be moving slow.

[@trnni9205]

My little people live in my head- they never leave

[@Virtualblueart]

Sees thumbnail: Nac Mac Feegle wahey!

[@Iamgoingtokmsrn]

This is beautiful

[@kipofthemany2213]

Ooh! I like the new thumbnail!

[@RightInFromDenmark]

Im really curious about the facility and lore about the taleoids does anyone know which videos i should watch?

[@torbjornlekberg7756]

One correction. The little people in Scandinavia, or rather all of the Nordics, are not the dwarves (or 'dvärgar'). The size of the dvärgar were never mentioned, only their uglyness and skill with magic smithing, and it can be assumed they were as tall as humans. The little people were were instead called 'vättar', 'vittror' or 'huldrufolk'. There was also a type of house god, called the 'tomte', wich was tiny and made sure the farm was cared for. Unless you angered him, wich was easily done.

[@dashiellgillingham4579]

Place spirits deserve their own video. The original gods, before that concept’s great collapse into rarity and increasingly extreme super-powers over the last nine thousand years. Every culture identified them differently. In the British and Japanese Isles, they were classified as groups. In Rome and Mongolia, they were named as individuals. The thing-ness of a location has always had a special magic to us, worthy of honors we don’t even offer our greatest.

[@antimuppet]

I just joined Discord to learn that the wee folk are Taleoids. I guess I hadn't watched enough episodes.

[@TheInstinctWithinV2]

I don't know. Next time I come close enough to one of their bars to ask, I'll let you know what they said

[@lc9072]

I swear this title changes every day

[@TheTaleFoundry]

More often than that! But it should be stable for a while now.

[@non-applicable3548]

yay tales foundry

[@jennifervan75]

The Netherlands has Gnomes David the Gnome is pretty fanous

[@mrkrunch4340]

Nae king! Nae quin! Nae laird! Nae master! We willna' be fooled again!

[@tyokabina2829]

How'd you do that? This video has a different name every time I look at it??

[@Goobert77]

We got tale foundry lore before gta 6

[@tron-do7ii]

MAC NAC FEEGULS!

[@171QA]

So fascinating.

[@bryanrhodes369]

ACH! CRIVENS! Nac Mac Feegle! The Wee Free Men! Nae king! Nae quin! Nae laird! Nae master! We willna' be fooled again!

[@ShatteringNight]

You make the best videos

[@bethmarriott9292]

GNU Terry Pratchett ❤️

[@beesreadingnook8132]

15:46 gravity falls!?

[@alexjewett7455]

In classical Irish and Scottish folklore, the term fairy referred to a wide variety of supernatural beings. Not all fairies are small. In fact, a lot are around human sized.

[@TheTaleFoundry]

We only used the term fairy in the title because "little people" doesn't mean "magical little people" to the lay person, and a video title doesn't afford the space to explain -Benji, showrunner

[@acompletelynormalhuman6392]

5:36 I would not say I have an inflated ego I am too humble as I am too perfect to have flaws of hubris

[@johannamcclure8597]

Thank you for acknowledging Indigenous myths

[@TheHarimir]

heh that soft implication that talefoundry is a less than completly safe place outside its walls is an exelent example of and implication doing more than a statement

[@LazloVimes]

Terry Pratchett is the greatest writer in human history. A man is not dead while his name is still spoken.