Kobold

Kobold - good-natured house in the mythology of Northern Europe. However, in response to the neglect of the house could arrange chaos and disorder. In Germanic mythology Kobold - a special kind of elves or Alva.
Kobolds called mainly spirits home, about the appropriate Russian houses, sometimes the same name is applied to the mountain spirits. Kobold attributed banter over the people, they are constantly tinkering and noise. They are described as a dwarf, usually ugly, the color of the fire in the hearth - a bright red. Kobold name means "lord of the premises» (Kobe, where novoverhnenemetskoe Kofen - room, bathroom, cabin), so the kobolds are identical to the Anglo-Saxon cofgodas (household idols).
Miners were also called "kobolds" spirits that inhabit the mine. It was believed that the underground kobolds bring misfortune, can cause damage and ore occurrence in it of impurities (chemical name cobalt comes from the word "Kobold").
The sailors of the North Sea and the Baltic sea believed in a kind of kobolds that live on ships - klabautermanov.
In modern popular culture kobold often portrayed as an underground resident with gray skin. Often odarivayutkopytami, legs, like a goat, but no coat, a long face. There are individuals who have small horns and fangs. Are often the enemies of gnomes. Kobold sometimes credited fear of the sun.
Kobolds are mentioned in the novel by Victor Hugo, "Les Miserables." Part 4. Book 2. Chapter 3. "Vision father Mabefa": "... When Mabef straightened, there was no one, the girl disappeared ....". "-In fact, it is very similar to something that tells Ryuboder of kobolds. Was not it kobold? ..."
Communication with cobalt
During roasting of arsenic-containing cobalt minerals emit volatile poisonous arsenic oxide. Ore containing these minerals, the miners got the name kobold mountain spirit. Ancient Norse poisoning attributed smelters during the melting of silver antics of this evil spirit. Probably the name of an evil spirit comes from the Greek "kobalos" - smoke. By the same word the Greeks called deceitful people.
In 1735, the Swedish mineralogist Georg Brandt was able to identify this previously unknown mineral, metal, who called cobalt. He also found that the compounds of this element is stained glass in blue - this property is used in ancient Assyria and Babylon.
Also
• In Germanic mythology guardian spirit of underground minerals, tends to keep people underground treasures - happy debris, rock falls, etc.
• In the Middle Ages they defined as the smallest of Podgorny people - no more than two years of the child. Kobolds do not produce anything, they only harm people - can bring down the shaft, to confuse the miners to cut the rope.