Erkling

Erkling
Species information
Related to	Elves?
Native to	Black Forest, Germany; Bavaria
Ministry of Magic Classification	XXXX

Erklings are elfish creatures, three feet tall on average (making them larger than gnomes) with pointed faces, which have a particular affinity for the taste of children. Their high pitch cackles are particularly entrancing to children, and they use this to lure them away from their guardians to eat them. These creatures also enjoy shooting darts at unsuspecting victims. Originating from the Black Forest in Germany, the difference between this creature and many others is that they can speak Human-language.

Control

Strict control by the German Ministry of Magic, beginning in the centuries preceding 1927, has greatly reduced the number of Erkling attacks.

Known attacks

According to Newt Scamander, the last known Erkling attack was on a six-year-old called Bruno Schmidt. The Erkling in question was killed when Schmidt hit it over the head with his father's collapsible cauldron.

They also attacked Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley in 1994 as part of Mad-Eye Moody's challenge.

Bavarian Erklings

A much worse kind called the Bavarian Erkling exists. Harry, Ron and Hermione came across these in a greenhouse at Hogwarts.

Etymology

The name Erkling may have come from the English word irk, meaning to annoy. It also might be a variant of "erlking", an elfish creature in German mythology which has a fatal influence on children. The Erlking is featured prominently in "Der Erlkönig", a poem by Johann Wolfgang Goethe which was set to music by many composers, most notably Franz Schubert. Erlkönig literally means "Alder King", and may be an 18th-century mistranslation of the original Danish word elverkonge, literally "Elf King".

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them