Gnomes all over the world!
Gnomes in all the provinces of the Netherlands
Do you believe in the existence of gnomes?
All over the world gnomes have found a home among humans. They have lived here for ages. We didn't know about them until one of them told about their way of life and their long history.
We shall call him David. Now David thought that it was about time to tell the world about their existence. So he went to the Dutch author Wil Huygen and his friend the Dutch illustrator Rien Poortvliet, to whom he told about his life.
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Wood-gnome, 275 years old, 15 cm tall |
Like all gnomes he is 15 cms tall and he weighs 300 grammes. He can grow as old as 400 years. The most important feature is his pointed hat. Gnome children get their pointed hats at an early age and will never take them off: not in bed, not even in the bathtub, only when it has to be enlarged.
A couple marries when they are about a hundred years old. They get two children: biovular twins. At the age of twelve they are toilet-trained. Gnomes sleep during the daytime in their comfortable houses under trees or under the roofs of farmhouses.
As soon as it gets dark they get up and start work. The gnome is known for his knowledge about herbs and the wildlife in the woods or the fields.
The gnomes help sick animals.
He helps sick animals and even sick people. He has learnt all kind of skills: carpenting, forging all kind of metal objects, glassblowing... you name it! He builds his own house with the help of relatives and neighbours.
34 comments:
Very sweet and interesting!
ALOHA Wil
from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
=^..^= . <3 . >< } } (°>
When the Daughter was about three, there was a cartoon she used to watch that occasionally featured gnomes; scared her. But in subsequent viewing, they were OK after all, just full of mischief.
ROG, ABCW
How charming that you have featured my favourite book on gnomes. I must get it out and have another read. Thank you.
Oh, how fun, Wil!! I love the gnomes! A delightful post for the day! Thank you for sharing the fun! Hope you have a great week! Enjoy!
I love gnomes, and faeries too!
Great post. I've never quite stopped believing in gnomes and fairies.
What a cute post and story.. I love the Gnomes, they are a favorite lawn ornament.. Thanks for sharing, have a happy week!
Delightfully informative post about the loved gnomes ~ great shots for OWT
Happy Week to you!
artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)
Glad they finally made their existence known! Love the tales of gnomes and even if they only live in imagination it's a wonderful life they lead.
Now I wished my grandkids knew about kabouters - but it's not the same when it's translated:) Rien Poortvliet is an awesome illustrator!
Oh, what sweet gnomes! The Swedes believe that there are gnome helpers in the house...
Hi Dailythanthi I can't find your blog, but still want to thank you for your comment.
Have a great week.
Wil, ABCW Team
GORGEOUS illustrations, Wil. Love the stories about the GNOMES and have often thought of putting one in the GARDEN.
Leslie
abcw team
They are useful to many and certainly are hard-working. Can I hire one or two?
I love to read the fairy-tales & such interesting characters :)
Lovely presentation with super pics, Wil!
Interesting information. This is new to me. Thanks for sharing.
What a fascinating tale on gnomes :) Very interesting to read!
The Moving Quill- Girl Trouble
Fascinating information.
I guess I really didn't know much about Gnomes. Hmmm...toilet trained at 12..oh my!
I only knew them as cute little statues in the garden....Thanks for this info....
I do enjoy seeing gnomes here and there and have a couple living in my planters. Love the illustrations!Great choice for the letter G!
thanks for sharing the delightful illustrations
Gnomes are so sweet!
That is an interesting post on gnomes. I am so fascinated by them.
There's some fun and colorful gnomes around Austin - some people love to collect them and decorate their gardens with gnomes.
Thanks for this post! I had this book when I was a kid, and it's wonderful to see pieces of it again. I wish I still had it! This book and a similar book by Brian Froud called FAERIES really informed a lot of my thoughts and fantasies about the natural world as a child.
I'm so glad there was a brave gnome to tell all about their lives!
Lots to know about gnomes!...very nicely presented. Will be on the look-out for them♪ http://lauriekazmierczak.com/go-right/
A charming post.I am sure my cold was cured by a gnome!
What a lovely surprise from the past, as I prepare today for little one's birthday! I haven't looked into my Gnome books for years, and heaven knows where the box with all the little Gorham figurines is. They were my "gift" every year for years, for holidays, building my collection.
Poortvliet and Huygen are splendid artists and story-tellers, and I certainly DO believe. The party this weekend is themed on the movie FROZEN, and I cannot believe they were not really mentioned in the movie. (We will be serving "Troll Rocks" though---chocolate truffles).
So nice to drop in and find such a familiar, favorite subject.
Hope all is well with you---we've had a splendid Summer---a couple of months when the temperature didn't go much above 70F
rachel
My Goodness, I realize now that I knew next to nothing about gnomes. Toilet trained at 12, huh? And married at 100. Who knew? Really Grateful for those Gorgeous illustrations, by the way.
I watch quite a bit of reality TV, in Amazing Race, once they had to lug gnomes .
Today is daffodil day, and I am dressed like an elf.
Interesting :-) thanks for sharing this fabulous post.
Hi Racheld! I wanted to thank you for your kind comment, but I can't find your comment page! So here is my answer: Happy birthday for your little one!
Have a great weekend.
Wil, ABCW Team.
Oh I love Rien Poortvliet There were so many details about the gnomes They must have seen them :)
I didn't know that they could become so old. Fantastic drawings
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