Hobberdy Dick

This little book by K. M. Briggs was a real find; it’s probably been out of print for years, but they’ve reissued it as a classic. She was the woman who compiled “A Dictionary of British Folk-Tales”, which found its way to me as a child in the short form of “A Dictionary of Fairies”. This was very influential on my views of fairies, and it’s really invaluable if you’re interested in the British form of myth and magic. It’s probably out of print now too.

This particular story is about a house hobgoblin during the 17th century. It’s a great vehicle for understanding the way the old myths lingered on while science (industry, here) and Puritan Christianity were growing in strength. Basically Hobberdy Dick helps the family in whose house he lives (or vice versa, as you like) through a mixture of hard work and magic, preventing witches and ghosts from overrunning the place, and ensuring that the true descendants of the house’s original owners are able to live there safely. It covers the way some of the old festivals were celebrated – Christmas, Easter, Midsummer etc – as well as a lot of the basic spells or wards against evil that were used at that time (and probably right up till the beginning of the 20th century). It’s a good story, and a fascinating one for anyone interested in old British folklore.