House elves are important characters in the Harry Potter stories. They look more like hob-goblins than cute elves from Germanic stories. Dobbie and Winky are the two most important house elves who we have met so far.

In old English and Scottish folklore there were creatures called Brownies. No, not the ones you eat! Brownies cleaned the house and night and didn't like to be seen. Just like house-elves in Harry Potter, Brownies stopped working if you gave them clothes. They'd even stop if you paid them. Sounds just like Dobbie and Winky, doesn't it?

If you were wondering, the Brownies in the Girl Scouts were named after these Brownie elves.

Two brownie stories:

The Brownies by Juliana Horatia Ewing. Published in 1870. This is the story that lead to the name of the Girl Scout Brownies.

The Brownies in the Toy Shop by Palmer Cox. Published in the 1890s.