If you knew about folklore you would know that according to tradition that Dwarfs and Gnomes *are* the same! Gnomes(polish) in traditional folklore ARE known as Ermandlians I think from Germanic folklore tradition so they are NOT in fact separate!
If the genres have changed the traditional understanding in modern times and people are NOT as aware of the traditional part they played in folklore or what symbolism as a mythological creature that they played in story telling then that is due to their ignorance of the subject.
As writers if they write in a specific genre trying to target market to a certain audience they should make themselves aware of what that genre is!Doing google search at a minimum would be just a starting point to educate yourself about a genre BEFORE writing about it because the readers of that type of sci-fi/fantasy/folklore genres have certain expectations as with any genre and if the writer ignores the fact there are literally dozens of refined sub-genres that have even stricter requirements and expectations for readers then if they ignore that then they look bad and their novels aren't as well received.Their books could even get panned by critics for being so unaware of the canon of folklore and mythology that they were trying to execute and failed.
Folklore is for teaching children lessons in a funny humourous way as a means to say or teach things like: Do not talk to strangers, as they promise one thing but in fact have alterior and bad motives and will trick or try to lure you away but do not trust them.So basically the lesson do not talk to strangers.They are dangerous.What looks friendly can be harmful.It is a way to explain that to kids.Moral lessons through fables to teach in parables which goes back to ancient days. It gives the person an understandable framework of a complex problem and makes it easy to identify and comprehend the moral lesson or virtue being displayed as example or warning.
It is basically what the Ermandlieans, trickster Dwarfs of Germanic origin or Gnomes which is the Polish version, or the Irish version being Leprachauns,there are MANY more versions of names associated with these folk heros or villains for Gnomes/Dwarf creatures who promises wishes to get away from capture much like the old Arabian genie in a bottle stories but leprachauns do not really want to follow through on what they promise so they trick you and the plot twist always involves the old lesson of be careful what you wish for because you might get it and it is not good to want for something more it is greedy.So be content with your lot.Moral tales to help teach gratitude for what one has in life and to not take it for granted.
There are MANY lessons taught to people by hearing folk tales of the Ermandlians and by reading folk legends.
Today we might not tell dwarf/gnome stories to convey it but you might have a comedian tell you a joke about a guy being given the chance to have his wish fulfilled and he wants the person to give him a younger wife.Well....POOF....he makes the guy thirty years OLDER than he currently is.The plot twist TRICKERY...sure the wish was granted BUT twist NOT how he wanted it to be.The guy expects to be either given a) another or different younger woman as wife so hence his moral failure for wanting adultery which is wrong! Or b) he expects his current wife to be made younger but that is first, impossible to obtain youth again.Unrealistic expectation and not helpful when it is degrading and devaluing to others to not accept them the way they are or to be judging by superficial appearances rather than to have respect and to learn to have gratitude for the benefit of others in one's life rather than taking them for granted and in fact appreciating all of the years they were with you as a blessing and to be grateful in life for one's own blessings.
So how does the person granting wishes trick or twist the expectation using humour in the resolution by providing what it is the person *thought* they wanted.
Well,when the solution was *ironically* for the trickster to solve it in good way to teach him a lesson for not being humble and grateful for his lot in life or to *punish* him for being superficial and judgemental then he turns the guy into an aged old man who's wife stays the same as he is teaching him that there is in fact nothing wrong with her but rather the real solution to the problem is within himself and until he is made to see that and to dramatically realize it he will never have the true wish of his heart that eludes him.
In that way the trickster Gnome/Leprachaun plays such a vital role in storytelling as it helps in a rather lighthearted way to express and communicate the deeper lessons in life that a person needs to be happy successful and content.Only then can they be grateful.Having these fables/parables are the best way to teach innocent children and even adults!Simple and easy to follow.
Also the humour of the trickery the unexpected cruel irony that he *does* get what he wanted BUT it was the very problem he had amplified to make him see his current status wasn't problematic but rather his perspective and outlook on life needed to change.
The Dwarf or Gnomes trick to get him to realize that and at first it seems heartless and cruel to only amplify the persons seemingly unescapable situation and in fact, adding to it exponentially which is what the tricksters tactics always did. However in yet another more profound cruel irony/twist of fate the same cruelty to increase it was truly the only way to make him see it for what his situation in life was and to be grateful for it so ironically that is the best most helpful and kindest gift he can give him.To accept others by accepting himself as he is and seeing past superficial appearances but rather learn that it is the internal deeper qualities and morals and virtue of loyalty standing by someone all of those years and that it needs to be appreciated.Much as he would not want to now be rejected for being 30 years older than he is ,he wouldn't want to be left or devalued.He would not want her to walk out on him.So when the proverbial shoe is now on the other foot,then and *ONLY* then does the guy *learn* his lesson. The greatest wish fulfillment and gift the Gnome/Leprachaun could ever give him!
The jokes that always circulate today about the guy who wants the younger wife have been told everywhere in modern society.It is a modern version of Aesops age old fable of the guy with two wives one older/one younger and both pluck out his hair one because she doesn't want him looking older plucks out the grey.The older doesn't want him to look young and plucks out the dark.In that way the guy goes bald.So lesson don't want or try to change who or what you are just accept yourself because otherwise the consequence of not doing so is harmful AND men always think it would seem like a good thing to have more than one wife.In theory it seems happy BUT it would not be because the two women would perpetually be at odds with each other! You would be in the middle.And what would it do?STRESS YOU OUT! You would probably prematurely age you and you'd go bald!HAHAHA
So don't you just LOVE the way traditional folklore can articulate so many points bringing home the themes and moral lessons one needs to learn all the while being so engaging and entertaining it just makes you laugh out loud at the undercurrent of humour poking fun at humanities worst predilections for insecurity,vanity,greed or want for excess,hedonistic tendency, and all the various deadly sins and common foibles.A great way to send the message have morals and values or if you don't there is consequence! preaching without using "THE BIBLE" to declare don't commit adultery or in the case of Aesop's fables using a whole different kind of *BIBLE*-BOOK! Hahaha Gotta love it!
This is a blog for the random thoughts and musings of Krista Kaufman screenwriter.
