Tradition: French Mythology
Alternative Names: Tiffenotes
Category: Fairy
The Myth
The Tiffenottes are small fairies of the Moselle who live secretly in forests, caves, and rocky places. They are often playful but can also be malicious, fiercely protective of their hidden existence. At Pré Aubry near the Côte de Drince, they are said to gather and dance among the rocks. A person who intrudes upon them may receive either a terrible curse or unexpected gifts and riches, depending on the legend.
One of the best-known stories comes from Rombas, where three Tiffenottes are said to live inside caves in the forest. A young herdsman once noticed a magnificent, unusually large cow emerging from the woods and joining his herd. He cared for the animal as though it belonged to him, but every evening it disappeared back into the forest. The next day it returned, this time carrying small tulle bags filled with gold, which it left for the young man. The strange arrangement continued for months, and the more kindly he treated the cow, the more gold it brought him.
Eventually, curiosity—or more likely greed—overcame the herdsman. He decided to follow the cow when it returned to the forest and discovered that it belonged to the three Tiffenottes. When the fairies saw that he had followed their secret and betrayed their trust, they became furious. In one telling they beat him with whips; in another, he managed to flee. Either way, when he emerged from the forest, his entire herd had disappeared. The beautiful cow never again came down from the woods, and the herdsman lost the mysterious source of his wealth.
Sources
“Tiffenotte.” Wikipédia, l’encyclopédie libre (French Wikipedia). Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 4, 2026. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiffenotte