That Little Man

Whenever my grandfather Coke would lose a tool, or have a vehicle break down, he would exclaim “It’s that Little Man again!” The Little Man took the blame for everything, which is probably a good thing, because no one else had to. But I often wondered where he got the idea of the Little Man in the first place.

It turns out that world folklore is full of mischievous little people, seen and unseen. Most are benevolent guardians — of houses, barns, wells, mines, forests, etc. — who only play malicious tricks on humans when they are insulted, or neglected. Others are malevolent all the time!

Some of the better known examples include the impudent, thieving little kobaloi of Greek mythology, the kobolds of Germany, the leprechauns of Ireland, the brownies of Scotland, the Slavic domovoy, and the duende of the Iberian Peninsula and Latin America. The dokkaebi of Korea are equally impish, as are the pukwudgies recognized by some native American tribes. There are as many goblins, hobgoblins, gnomes, and imps as there are cultures. It’s a global phenomenon.

Starting around World War I, British pilots created a brand new “Little Man” — the gremlin. The gremlin lived in airplanes and aerodromes, and was responsible for all of the many things that can go wrong there. The idea of the gremlins really took off during World War II, especially after pilot and author Roald Dahl wrote a children’s book about them. Coke was a pilot during the war; maybe that’s where he got the idea.

If this Little Man seems curiously stooped, it’s because he was apparently carrying something at one point. His arms and hands form a channel, through which a cylindrical object (such as a walking stick) must have passed. It’s a mystery!

Wood, early- to mid 20th century. Approximately 10” tall.