320 Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard
manoid skulls with a single
eye-hole in the center of the
forehead (see p.
292). The fossil-
ized state of such
bones supports the
idea of giants being made of stone, as trolls are said to
be. Peculiar rock formations are often said to be petri-
fied trolls caught by the rays of the dawning Sun.
However, some humans do grow to enormous
size. The largest documented giant I’ve heard of was
named Gabbaras, and he was 9’9” tall! Pliny reported
that he was brought from Arabia to Rome by Claudius
Caesar (r. 41–54 CE). Roman Emperor
Maximus (“the biggest”) (r. 385–388
CE) was over 8’ tall and of great bulk.
He wore his wife’s bracelet as a
thumb-ring. Famous
18th-century giant
Charles Byne
(shown here) was
7’7” tall, and
Robert Wadlow
of Alton, Illi-
nois, who died in
1940, was nearly 9’
tall. And Chinese
basketball star Yao
Ming is 7’4” tall.Lesson 4: Dwarves, Gnomes,
and LeprechaunsI’m not entirely sure why dwarves are considered to
be mythical beings—any more than Witches and Wiz-
ards. Dwarves are perfectly real—I know some per-
sonally, and many act in movies. They can range in
size from 2 1/2’ to 4’ tall. Dwarves of old are said to
have lived in large communities and to have excelled
as miners, artisans, and craftsmen—ideal employment
for such small people.Archaeological and anthropological studies have
produced evidence to justify the theory that the
belief in dwarfs was based on reality rather than
on imagination. Some of the first inhabitants of
Western Europe were small, dark, shy people,
dwelling among the dense forests which covered
much of Britain, Brittany, western France and
Germany...they were skilled in mining and smelt-
ing the metals which abounded in those regions.
—Sandy Shulman (“Dwarfs,” p. 737)Dwarves of legend had magnificent underground
halls and kingdoms, and were highly organized under
dynasties of noble kings. They lived to a great age andwere endowed with
special skills and
wisdom far beyond
those of ordinary
men. In their smith-
ies they forged
wonderful magickal
implements, weap-
ons, armor, and jew-
elry, esteemed by
gods and heroes
alike. The secret
wisdom attributed
to Dwarves enabled
them to foresee the
future, become in-
visible, and assume other forms.
Dwarves are famous for their love of gold and
other precious metals and for gathering great treasures
under the mountains. Anyone treating them with kind-
ness and courtesy was generously rewarded. Up to
the 18th century, many dwarves occupied favored and
trusted positions at the courts of Europe, often as tu-
tors and playmates of the royal children.
Gnomes are Earth Elementals who are often re-
garded as a sub-race of Dwarves. They are guardians
of mines and quarries, and of all the precious minerals
under the Earth. This is why Gnomes appear in the
Harry Potter stories as operating
the Wizards’ Bank of Gringotts!
Leprechauns are the famous
“little people” of Ireland. Less
than two feet tall, they are
dapper dressers who keep
hidden hordes of treasure.Lesson 5: Faeries, Pixies,
and GoblinsThe Fae
(by Ian “Lurking Bear” Anderson)
Small spirits inhabit every part of our world, ani-
mating it, driving the passionate dance of the atoms
and all the myriad forms of evolving life. The process
of evolution is so much more then a bizarre series of
accidents. Great spirits animate the collective intelli-
gence of forests, the oceans, the weather, our planet,
and all the stars. Although these beings have threads
of connection to physical matter, they do not live in
the ego centered, highly attached manner most mod-
ern humans are used to. If we dare, we may grow to
become more like they are, more attuned to the primal
energies of our living world, and less walled up within
ourselves, no longer entirely alone in our tiny rooms.
Nature spirits are associated with places, with
powers of Nature, or with species. Faeries, Dryads,
Nymphs, Manitou, Kami, Devas, and animal totems16th-century court dwarvesSicilian
dwarf
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