Tales out of school

by Frank R. Stockton

He despatched a trusty messenger to a colony of dwarfs who lived in a large ruined castle. These dwarfs, or Kobolds, as they are called in that part of the country, sleep all day, and do their work at night. Therefore the king chose an owl, venerable with age and wisdom, for his messenger. He was to travel in the night-time, and rest in the day.

On the second night, quite early, the owl arrived at the castle. He flew quietly into the ruin, so as not to frighten the dwarfs, but he found they had already gone. He was afraid he was too late; and that they had all dispersed to perform their several duties; but, hearing a great noise outside, on the opposite wall from that he had entered, he flew up into a narrow window where there was no glass, and looked solemnly down, with his great staring eyes, upon a very merry scene.

THE KOBOLDS.

The little kobolds were having a frolic before they separated for the night’s adventures. They were chiefly employed in running up and down the wall, chasing lizards, though some were dancing on the grass at the foot of the castle, and others were swinging on the vines, and gathering grapes. They were making such a hubbub that the owl thought he had better wait for them to get quiet before attempting to make himself heard.

He soon noticed that there were three dwarfs who took no part in the fun, and these sat upon the root of a tree near the castle talking very earnestly together. The owl knew something of the habits of the kobolds, and he supposed this trio to be the Council, chosen yearly by the colony. It was the business of the Council to assign to each dwarf his nightly task, and the affairs of the colony were mainly placed in its hands.

While the three are holding counsel together, and the owl is waiting, I will tell you something about these dwarfs.

They were generally larger than Fairies, although some of them were very small indeed.

There were three or four kinds of these little people, all called dwarfs, although there was a great difference in their characters, and labors. Some were wicked, and thought only of doing spiteful tricks; some were lazy drones, some mingled publicly with men, and became kings’ fools; some would never show themselves to human beings; and some were gnomes and worked underground.

The kobolds were the brightest, and most industrious of all the dwarfs, and were famed for being good-tempered and obliging. Every night these little creatures were busy in the fields, and the stables, and the kitchens of the neighborhood. They never quarrelled among themselves, and they gave nobody any trouble. Hence they were spoken of as the Peaceful People.