Harry Potter Wiki
Harry Potter Wiki
No edit summary
No edit summary
Tag: rte-source
(41 intermediate revisions by 21 users not shown)
Line 9: Line 9:
 
|hair=
 
|hair=
 
|feathers=
 
|feathers=
|native=[[Germany]]
+
|native=[[Black Forest]] and [[Bavaria]], [[Germany]]
 
|alias=
 
|alias=
 
|height=
 
|height=
  +
|related=[[House-elf|House-elves]] (possibly)<ref name="FB">''[[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (real)|Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them]]'', Erkling</ref>
|related=Elves
 
 
|length=
 
|length=
 
|wingspan=
 
|wingspan=
Line 18: Line 18:
 
|affiliation=
 
|affiliation=
 
|class=XXXX
 
|class=XXXX
  +
|status=[[Beast]]
 
}}
 
}}
The '''Erkling''' is an [[house-elf|elfish]] creature, which has a particuarly affinity for the taste of children. Its high pitch cackle is entrancing to children, and it uses this to lure them away from their guardians to eat them. However, strict control by the [[German Ministry of Magic]] has greatly reduced the number of Erkling attacks. 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]]. These creatures also enjoy shooting darts at unsuspecting victims.<ref>[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)]]</ref>
+
'''Erklings''' are [[House-elf|elfish]] creatures, three feet tall on average (making them larger than [[gnome]]s) 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.<ref name="FB"/><ref name="GOFVG">[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)|''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' (video game)]]</ref>
  +
  +
==Control==
  +
Strict control by the [[German Ministry of Magic]], beginning in the centuries preceding [[1920s|1927]], has greatly reduced the number of Erkling attacks.<ref name="FB"/>
  +
  +
==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]].<ref name="FB"/>
  +
  +
They also attacked [[Harry Potter]], [[Hermione Granger]] and [[Ron Weasley]] in [[1994]] as part of [[Bartemius Crouch Jr.|Mad-Eye Moody]]'s challenge.<ref name="GOFVG"/>
  +
  +
==Bavarian Erklings==
  +
{{Quote|Do those things ever stop being creepy?|[[Ronald Weasley|Ron]]|Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)}}
  +
A much worse kind called the [[Bavaria]]n Erkling exists. [[Harry Potter|Harry]], [[Ronald Weasley|Ron]] and [[Hermione Granger|Hermione]] came across these in a [[Herbology greenhouses|greenhouse]] at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry|Hogwarts]].<ref name="GOFVG"/>
   
 
==Etymology==
 
==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''.
+
The name erkling may have been influenced by the English word "irk", meaning to annoy and "[[Wikipedia:Erlking|erlkings]]", elfish creatures in German mythology which have a fatal influence on children. ''Erlking'' is a translation of the German ''erlkönig'' which literally means "[[alder]] king", and may in turn be an 18th-century mistranslation of the original Danish word ''elverkonge'', literally "elf king".
  +
  +
==Behind the scenes==
  +
Erklings share some resemblances to Nari, a type of evil fairy from Eastern Europe legends. Both Erkling and Nari use their high-pitched cackles to lure their prey into false sense of security, and then feed on them.
   
 
==Appearances==
 
==Appearances==
Line 29: Line 45:
   
 
==Notes and references==
 
==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}
+
{{Reflist}}
  +
  +
{{Creatures by classification}}
   
  +
[[de:Erkling]]
 
[[fr:Erkling]]
 
[[fr:Erkling]]
  +
[[it:Erkling]]
  +
[[nl:Erkling]]
  +
[[pl:Erkling]]
  +
[[sv:Erkling]]
  +
[[ru:Шиплинг]]
 
[[Category:Beasts]]
 
[[Category:Beasts]]
 
[[Category:XXXX Creatures]]
 
[[Category:XXXX Creatures]]

Revision as of 17:47, 19 February 2015

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.[1][2]

Control

Strict control by the German Ministry of Magic, beginning in the centuries preceding 1927, has greatly reduced the number of Erkling attacks.[1]

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.[1]

They also attacked Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley in 1994 as part of Mad-Eye Moody's challenge.[2]

Bavarian Erklings

"Do those things ever stop being creepy?"
Ron[src]

A much worse kind called the Bavarian Erkling exists. Harry, Ron and Hermione came across these in a greenhouse at Hogwarts.[2]

Etymology

The name erkling may have been influenced by the English word "irk", meaning to annoy and "erlkings", elfish creatures in German mythology which have a fatal influence on children. Erlking is a translation of the German erlkönig which literally means "alder king", and may in turn be an 18th-century mistranslation of the original Danish word elverkonge, literally "elf king".

Behind the scenes

Erklings share some resemblances to Nari, a type of evil fairy from Eastern Europe legends. Both Erkling and Nari use their high-pitched cackles to lure their prey into false sense of security, and then feed on them.

Appearances

Notes and references

Magical creatures by classification
X Flobberworm · Horklump
XX Augurey · Bowtruckle · Chizpurfle · Clabbert · Diricawl · Fairy · Ghoul · Gnome · Grindylow · Imp · Jobberknoll · Mooncalf · Porlock · Puffskein · Ramora · Winged horse
XXX Ashwinder · Billywig · Bundimun · Crup · Doxy · Dugbog · Fire crab · Fwooper · Glumbumble · Hippocampus · Hippogriff · Hodag · Jarvey · Knarl · Kneazle · Leprechaun · Lobalug · Mackled Malaclaw · Moke · Murtlap · Niffler · Nogtail · Pixie · Plimpy · Pogrebin · Red Cap · Salamander · Sea serpent · Shrake · Streeler · Winged horse
XXXX Centaur · Demiguise · Erkling · Erumpent · Golden Snidget · Graphorn · Griffin · Hidebehind · Kappa · Kelpie · Merperson · Occamy · Phoenix · Re'em · Runespoor · Snallygaster · Sphinx · Tebo · Thestral · Thunderbird · Troll · Unicorn · Winged horse · Yeti
XXXXX Acromantula · Basilisk · Chimaera · Dragon · Horned Serpent · Lethifold · Manticore · Nundu · Quintaped · Wampus cat · Werewolf