Editing Nisse (folklore) (section)

==Appearance==
[[File:Eventyrbog for Børn2(1884)-back.png|thumb|Nisse and cat.{{right|―[[Erik Werenskiold]], back cover of Asbjørnsen (1884) ''Eventyrbog for Børn''}}]]

The Norwegian ''nisse'' was no bigger than a child, dressed in gray, wearing a red, pointy hat ({{lang|da|pikhue}} {{=}} ''[[:da:pikkelhue|pikkelhue]]'';<ref name="EtymOrdbogNorske-pikkelhue"/> a ''{{linktext|hue}}'' is a soft brimless hat) according to [[Andreas Faye|Faye]].<ref name="faye-p043">{{harvp|Faye|1833|pp=43–45}}; tr. {{harvp|Thorpe|1851|pp=16–17}} and tr. {{harvp|Craigie|1896|pp=189–190}}</ref>

In Denmark also, ''nisser'' are often seen as long-bearded, wearing gray and a red brimless cap ({{lang|da|hue}}).<ref name="dahl&hammer-dict-nisse"/>{{sfnp|Kristensen|1893|p=43}}<ref name="HistDictDenmark-thomas2016"/> But the ''nisse'' turned bearded is an alteration, and the traditional purist ''nisse'' is beardless as a child, according to the book by [[Axel Olrik]] and Hans Ellekilde.{{sfnp|Olrik|Ellekilde|1926|p=292}}

The ''tomte'', according to [[Arvid August Afzelius|Afzelius]]'s description, was about the size of a one year-old child, but with an elderly wizened face, wearing a little red cap on his head and a gray{{Refn|Cf. Lecouteux's dictionary under "Niss": "In Sweden, an old bearded man wearing a red cap and gray clothing".<ref name="lecouteux-dict-niss"/>}} [[wadmal]] (coarse woolen){{Refn|Original text: "{{lang|sv|Walmarsjackan}}", variant of "{{lang|sv|vadmal}}"<ref>Svenska Akademiens Ordbok, s.v. "{{URL|1=https://www.saob.se/artikel/?seek=vadmal |2=Vadmal}}".</ref>}} jacket, short [[breeches]], and ordinary shoes such as a peasant would wear.<ref name="afzelius1"/>{{Refn|group="lower-alpha"|It is remarked that the tomte is outfitted in little gray jackets (not the blue-yellow national colors of Sweden), and the troll ({{lang|sv|trålen}}) sings: "{{lang|sv|Surn skall jag inför Ronungen gå /Som inte år klädd, utan bara i walmaret grå?}} [Sorely do I go forth to {{illm|Ranungen|sv}} / Who am clad in mere wadmal of gray]".<ref name="afzelius3"/>}}{{efn|The [[knee breeches]] with [[stocking]]s were still the common male dress in rural Scandinavia in the 17th, 18th, or 19th century.}}

The ''tonttu'' of Finland was said to be one-eyed,{{Refn|Castrén (German tr.),<ref name="castren1853"/> translated into English by Macc da Cherda [[Whitley Stokes (Celtic scholar)|Whitley Stokes]] signeed Macc da Cherna.<ref name="FrasersMag1857"/>}} and likewise in Swedish-speaking areas of Finland, hence the stock phrase "{{lang|sv|Enögd som tomten}}" (one-eyed like the tomten).{{sfnp|Schön|1996|p=19}}

[[File:Nisser i vinduskarmen.JPG|thumb|Nisser on a windowsill]]
The ''Tomte''{{'}}s height is anywhere from {{cvt|60|cm|ft|sigfig=1}} to no taller than {{cvt|90|cm|ft|sigfig=1}} according to one Swedish-American source,<ref name=swedish-council-america/> whereas the ''tomte'' (pl. ''tomtarna'') were just 1 ''[[Swedish units of measurement#Old length units|aln]]'' tall (an ''aln'' or Swedish [[ell]] being just shy of 60&nbsp;cm or 2&nbsp;ft), according to one local Swedish tradition.{{Refn|group="lower-alpha"|While a ''gaste'' was 2 ''alnar'' tall.<ref name=arill/>}}<ref name=arill/>

===Shapeshifter===
The ''nisse'' may be held to have the ability to transform into animals such as the buck-goat.<ref name="eichberg2018"/><ref name="HistDictDenmark-thomas2016"/> horse, or a goose.<ref name="HistDictDenmark-thomas2016"/>

In one tale localized at {{illm|Oxholm (manor)|da|Oxholm (herregård)|lt=Oxholm}}, the ''nisse'' (here called the ''gaardbuk'') falsely announces a cow birthing to the girl assigned to care for it, then tricks her by changing into the shape of a calf. She stuck him with a pitchfork which the sprite counted as three blows (per each prong), and avenged the girl by making her lie precarious on a plank on the barn's ridge while she was sleeping.<ref>{{harvp|Craigie|1896}}. "{{URL|1=https://books.google.com/books?id=hGsKAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA205 |2=Nisse and the Girl}}", p. 434, translated from {{harvp|Grundtvig|1854}} {{URL|1=https://books.google.com/books?id=tc1oAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA156 |2=[204], Paa oxholm varden engang en Gaardbuk.. }}, p. 156.</ref>{{Refn|Craigie, note, p. 434 writes that a cognate tale involving a lad occurs in Thiele, (II, 270)  and translated by {{harvp|Keightley|1828}}: "The Nis and the Mare",'''1''': 233–232, but is lacking the cause (the nis performing a prank such as transforming), and only the general motif of the lad hitting with a "dung fork" and getting revenge is paralleled.}}