The Brownie is called a variety of names according to location, i.e. Bwca (Booka) in Wales, Bodach in the Highlands, Fenoderee on the Isle of Man; he has a number of characteristics which make him easily recognizable. Typically he is a small and shaggy man, wrinkled and brown in appearance, standing some twenty-five inches in height and either naked or dressed in tattered brown clothes. Whilst Highland Brownies have no fingers or toes, Lowland Brownies have no noses.

The Brownie generally 'adopts' a house which he then looks after. He has a very developed sense of responsibility and will come out at night to watch over farm animals, reap, thresh, mow, run errands and generally make himself indispensable. He will willingly do the work left undone by the servants although, should he feel they merit it, he will also plague them for their idleness. In Scotland, the Brownies help with the brewing.

For all his labors, however, the Brownie expects no more than a bowl of cream or best milk and a cake smeared with honey. Inded, anything more and he will take ofence and leave as has so often been the case when a kind-hearted household has misguidedly left him the gift of fine clothes:

'What have we here, Hempen, Hampen!
Here will I never more tread nor stampen.

Curiously though, there is at least one reported occasion of the Brownie taking unbrage because he esteemed the quality of a set of clothes left out for him to be inferior...

'Harden, harden, harden hamp!
I wil neither grind nor stamp,
Had you given me linen gear,
I had served you many a year;
Thrift may go, bad luch may stay,
I shall travel far away.'

Of course Brownies, like all faeries, are unpredictble in their behaviour and certainly one must take care not t offend them for, as already mentioned, the transition from helpful Brownie to troublesome Boggart is easily made. One Brownie whose mowing was criticized, had his revenge by throwing the entire harvest over a steep rock-face.

The Bwca (Booka)

The Bwca (Booka) is the Welsh variety of Brownie. He will willingly churn butter if the kitchen and fireplace have been swept clean and a bowl of cream set next to the lighted fire. If mistreated or insulted, the Bwca will will lose is temper and refuse to work. He will banh on the all, throw things and even people through the air, pinch sleepers, destroy clothes, tell secrets out loud, howl and beat his tormentors. The householder should protect himself with iron, Holy water or crosses made from Mountain Ash. Then a Wise Man should be caled in to banish the Bwca.

--- Faeries --- Brian Froud and Alan Lee