Tradition / Region: Estonian mythology
Alternate Names: Ox Knee, Son of the Ox-Knee
Category: Gnome
The Myth
In the old tales of Estonia, the Härjapõlvlane is one of the small underground people, no taller than a bull’s knee, yet far stronger than any full-grown man. Though tiny, he is clever, quick, and dangerous to underestimate.
One night, after a great battle, Kalevipoeg and his companions came upon an old woman cooking broth in a cauldron beside a cave. She warned them sternly to guard the pot well, for a strange thief lurked nearby—if the cauldron were drained, they would go hungry. The heroes agreed to take turns keeping watch while the old woman lay down to sleep.
But one by one, as each man nodded off, the thief appeared.
Out of the grass crept the son of the Ox-Knee: a small grey-bearded figure with a head too large for his body, horns peeking near his ears, and a golden bell hanging from his neck. With sly speed he climbed the cauldron, drank it dry, and vanished again. Each time, the men had to rekindle the fire and start anew.
When Kalevipoeg’s turn came, the trick failed. As the Ox-Knee climbed up, Kalevipoeg seized the golden bell and struck the little man. With a burst of blue smoke, the Ox-Knee plunged into the abyss and was gone.
At dawn, the old woman awoke and saw the bell. She knew it at once—a source of strength and power. With a cry, she leapt after the Ox-Knee into the depths, revealing her true nature as one of the underground folk.
Beyond this tale, Härjapõlvlased are said to live beneath the earth, where they forge metal in hidden smithies, often working together in groups. Their hammering is usually silent, but on certain nights—midwinter or midsummer—it can be heard faintly, a sign that they are at work. Though small, they are immensely strong, quick to anger, and dangerous when offended. Those who treat them well may be rewarded, but those who anger them may suffer without ever knowing why.
Thus the Ox-Knee remains a warning figure: a reminder that even the smallest beings may carry great power, and that the unseen world beneath the ground is never as quiet—or as harmless—as it seems.
Gallery
Sources
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Härjapõlvlane. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia (Estonian), from https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A4rjap%C3%B5lvlane
Interpretive Lenses
Religious Readings
- Christian Ascetic Deep Dive
Philosophical Readings
- Nietzschean Deep Dive
Psychological Readings
- Jungian Deep Dive
Esoteric Deep Dive
- Hermetic Deep Dive
Political / Social Readings
- Marxist Deep Dive
Other
- How to Invite The Härjapõlvlane