Monday 28 February 2011

West of the Moon tour (2)




Today I am over at Katherine Roberts' blog Reclusive Muse, where I am talking about the Nis. If I have a muse of my own, I'm sure it's a Nis.

"Like the English brownies, he is a house or hearth spirit who will clean and tidy for you in return for food.  The Norwegian Nis's favourite food is a bowl of 'groute', barley porridge, with (this is very important) a large lump of butter."

Please do join us there!





8 comments:

  1. ooh I just met your Nis...just as well we cats can tread quietly.... :-)

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  2. I have that for breakfast most mornings- though oat porridge. Perhaps I am a Nis!?

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  3. I dunno, Jo, it all depends. Are you loyal but touchy,fond of practical jokes but easily startled, rather vain, and extremely interested in food?

    And do you wear a little red hat?

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  4. I do wear a red hat but only when I am eating porridge and tying cans to the cat's tail.
    I realize that it should be nifling as well. Is that right?

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  5. Um. Nithing, I think (the Nis's secret name) - was actually a bit of an insult in Norse times. It just means nothing, and was my tipping-of-the-cap to the story Nix Nought Nothing. Or 'Ainsel' (meaning 'my own self') in which a canny little lad tells a weird changeling creature that his name is 'ainsel' - and when the changeling is hurt in a game, it yells out for its mother (MUCH bigger, naturally): 'I'm hurt, I'm hurt!'
    "WHO hurt you?"
    "Ainsel hurt me!' and the lad escapes harm...

    Just one of those creepy Scots tales!

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  6. The Nis had a lot of fun over at Reclusive Muse with my unicorn... good luck for the rest of the blog tour!

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  7. Thankyou, Katherine - I think he'll be back with scrumped apples for your unicorn before long!

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