Barbaik Lokho and the Brownie

Barbaik Lokho was a servant in Kerarborn, near Plouar. At that time, she was still young and known as a mischievous and cheerful girl.

In Kerarborn, as everywhere else, there was a kind house spirit who took care of the farm's cows—which is why they produced so much of the best milk, rich and with thick cream. The house spirit of Kerarborn paid no attention to the horses; he only catered to the female gender. At night, he would sweep the kitchen, wash the dishes, scrub the pots and copper basins, and polish them until they shone. He would wax the furniture, cabinets, sideboards, and the old carved oak cupboards, doing it so well that the kitchen of old Markharit, Barbaik's predecessor, was a joy to behold. Everywhere there was an astonishing cleanliness, everything sparkled and gleamed so brightly that one could see their reflection in every object as if in a mirror.

It goes without saying that life was good for the cook in Kerarborn! But every day, when Markharit went to bed, she always made sure that in winter there was enough heat in the stove; in the corner, right by the hearth, she would place a round, smooth stone, polished by the sea waves and shaped like a pumpkin. Lying in bed, she would watch as her dear house spirit, having finished all his work, would make his way to the stone, settle on it, and warm himself, listening to the songs of his friend the cricket until the roosters crowed. He was a little less than a foot tall, but Markharit never managed to see his face, as it was always hidden under a wide-brimmed hat, like those worn in Cornwall. Everyone had grown accustomed to the kind house spirit and was not afraid of him, because he never harmed anyone.

But then old Markharit died, and the position of cook, which everyone coveted, went to young Barbaik. She was happy and proud of it. At first, everything went as well as could be. The house spirit willingly helped the beautiful and cheerful Barbaik and spared her from the heaviest chores: he enjoyed her songs and her laughter, which filled the house all day instead of the grumbling and complaints of old Markharit. But Barbaik always had some mischief or prank in mind, and one day she decided to play a trick on her friend, the house spirit. Alas, this was the beginning of all her misfortunes!

One evening, before going to bed, she heated the smooth stone until it was very hot and then placed it in its usual spot. She lay in bed, eagerly awaiting the house spirit's arrival. He came as usual and, suspecting nothing, headed to his usual place, but immediately jumped up with a terrible cry that shook the entire house. He ran away, scratching his backside and knocking over everything in his path.

Barbaik was frightened: she realized her mistake and now bitterly regretted it! But alas! It was already too late! From that day on, everything went downhill. The cows grew thin, became emaciated, and almost stopped giving milk, and the little they did produce would sour immediately. The kitchen was in disarray and unimaginable filth. The poor girl forgot how to laugh, and her touch became so unlucky that whenever she touched a plate or a pot, it would fall to the stone floor and shatter into pieces, followed by a terrible, malicious laugh. Her cooking also became dreadful: the soup and porridge were always either under-salted or over-salted, the pancakes burned, and the meat undercooked. The servants constantly complained about the food, and in the end, Barbaik was dismissed.

She soon found another position, but misfortunes followed her like a shadow, and eventually, no one wanted to keep her. The poor girl completely despaired, lost heart, and not long after, she had to knock on every door and beg for alms.

And so, because of the curse of the house spirit she had offended, by the age of thirty, she had turned into a hunched old woman.

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Barbaik Lokho and the Brownie

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