3 household spirits who are up to mischief

Many famous horror movies focus on the ghost that can’t leave the haunted house, and sometimes you’ll pass a property that you know just feels a little…wrong, somehow.

However, household spirits have existed in multiple cultures for generations. The question is, are they there to trick, or treat?

Here’s our top 3 mischievous household spirits. You can find out more about the interesting supernatural beings that are living in your house on What House?

1.    Trasgo

Trasgo are your regular household goblin, no biggie. Stories of the trasgo come from Celtic and Roman mythology, and they frequent Northern Europe. They’ll creep into your home at night, and if you’ve treated them well, they’ll help out with some chores. If not, they’re likely to cause havoc wherever they can. So if you come downstairs to spilt water, broken objects or spooked pets, it’s likely you haven’t treated your goblins nicely. Another bad thing about trasgo is that they follow you from home to home if you’ve irritated them! The only way to rid yourself of a trasgo is to set it an impossible task. The goblins are arrogant and believe themselves capable of anything, so set it a task it can never complete, and you’ll be free of it. Shame about missing out on the free housework though.

2.    Zakishi-Warashi

Zakishi-Warashi are Japanese spirits who reside in the house. They often appear as children, from the age of 3 to about 15. The happiness of the Zakishi-Warashi often has an effect on the family, who are the only ones who can see them. As such, treats are left out for the spirits to ensure good fortune. Zakishi-Warashi are mischievous and often cause trouble. There are some areas of Japan where it is custom to create a room just for the Zakishi-Warashi, decorated in the style a child would like, in the hopes that the spirit would stay as a member of the household and bring them good fortune.

3.   Brownies

No, we don’t suggest you encourage a group of girl scouts to clean your kitchen. Brownies come from Scottish and English folklore, and were seen as a type of goblin or sprite. Brownies are happy to help out with household chores, but only at night, when they’re not seen. They enjoy receiving gifts of food, especially porridge and honey. However, Brownies become offended if you refer to these gifts as ‘payment’ or take advantage of their good nature. They often reside in hidden bits of the house, like attics or holes in the walls. Some houses keep a little chair by the fire for their Brownie, to let them know they feel welcome.

Whichever kind of spirit, sprite or mystical creature is living in your home, make sure you don’t irritate them! It might leave you feeling rather unlucky!