A brownie or broonie, also known as a brùnaidh or gruagach (Scottish Gaelic), is a household spirit or hobgoblin from Scottish folklore that is said to come out at night while the owners of the house are asleep and perform various chores and farming tasks. The human owners of the house must leave a bowl of milk or cream or some other offering for the brownie, usually by the hearth. Brownies are described as easily offended and will leave their homes forever if they feel they have been insulted or in any way taken advantage of. Brownies are characteristically mischievous and are often said to punish or pull pranks on lazy servants. If angered, they are sometimes said to turn malicious, like a Boggart.

Brownies originated as domestic tutelary spirits, very similar to the Lares of ancient Roman tradition. Descriptions of brownies vary regionally, but they are usually described as ugly, brown-skinned, and covered in hair. In the oldest stories, they are usually human-sized or larger. In more recent times, they have come to be seen as small and wizened. They are often capable of turning invisible, and they sometimes appear in the shapes of animals. They are always either naked or dressed in rags. If a person attempts to present a brownie with clothing or baptize it, it will leave forever.

Regional variants in England and Scotland include hobs, silkies, and ùruisgs. Variants outside England and Scotland are the Welsh Bwbach and the Manx Fenodyree. Brownies have also appeared outside of folklore, including in John Milton's poem ''L'Allegro''. They became popular in works of children's literature in the late nineteenth century and continue to appear in works of modern fantasy. The Brownies in the Girl Guides are named after a short story by Juliana Horatia Ewing based on brownie folklore.

All published appearances of Brownies from before January 1, )-(95)}} are public domain in the US.

Some notable appearances are listed below:

* L'Allegro (1645)
* The Brownie of Bodsbeck (1818)
* The Brownie of Black Haggs (1828)
* Villette (1853)
* The Brownies, by Juliana Horatia Gatty (Dec. 1865) – reprinted in The Brownies and Other Tales (1871)
* The Adventures of a Brownie, as Told to My Child, by Dinah Maria Mulock Craik (1872)
* The Brownies: Their Book, by Palmer Cox (1887)
** Reprints “The Brownies’ Ride” (Feb. 1883), “The Brownies’ Feast” (Mar. 1883) and others
* Another Brownie Book, by Palmer Cox (1890)
* The Brownies at Home, by Palmer Cox (1893)
* Brownies Around the World, by Palmer Cox (1894)
* Brownie Year Book, by Palmer Cox (1895)
* The Brownies Through the Union, by Palmer Cox (1895)
* Busy Brownies, by E. Veale (1896)
* The Adventures of the Vegemen and the Brownies, by Geo E. Hobbs (1898)
* Our Brownies’ A B C, Together with Queerie Queers, by Palmer Cox (1898)
* The Brownies Abroad, by Palmer Cox (1899)
* Fun for Tiny Tots (1899)
* Brownies and Other Stories, by E. Veale (1900)
* The Brownies in the Philippines, by Palmer Cox (1903)
* The Brownies’ Kind Deed, by Palmer Cox (1903)
* The Brownie Primer, by N. Moore Banta and Alpha Banta Benson (1905)
* The Brownies’ Quest, by Clara J. Denton (1905)
* The Palmer Cox Brownie Primer, by Mary C. Judd (1906)
* “The Brownies’ Quilting‐Bee,” by Palmer Cox (Jan. 1910)
* “The Brownies Aid the Hospital,” by Palmer Cox (Feb. 1910)
* “The Brownies’ Ice‐Harvest,” by Palmer Cox (Mar. 1910)
* “The Brownies and the Water Famine,” by Palmer Cox (Apr. 1910)
* The Brownies’ Latest Adventures, by Palmer Cox (1910)
* Busy Brownies, by Geo. E. Hobbs (1911?)
* The Fairies and the Christmas Child, by Lilian Gask (1912)
* The Brownies’ Many More Nights, by Palmer Cox (1913)
* The Busy Brownies at Work, by Isobel Davidson and Catherine T. Bryce (1913)
* “The Brownies Build a Bridge,” by Palmer Cox (Nov. 1913)
* “The Brownies and the Railroad,” by Palmer Cox (Jan. 1914)
* A Year with the Fairies, by Anna M. Scott (1914)
* The Busy Brownies at Play, by Isobel Davidson and Catherine T. Bryce (1916)
* The Brownies and Prince Florimel; or, Brownieland, Fairyland, and Demonland, by Palmer Cox (1918)
* “Polly’s Thanksgiving Party,” by Ella Shannon Bowles (Nov. 1921) – includes the Thanksgiving Brownie
* Busy Little Brownies, by N. Moore Banta (1923)
*When We Were Very Young (1924)
* Book of Brownies (1926)
* “The Thanksgiving Brownie,” by Ethel Owen (1927)
* The Christopher Robin Story-Book (1929)

* The Brownies (pantomime), by George B. Bartlett (Mar. 1882)
* Palmer Cox's Brownies, libretto by Palmer Cox, music by Malcolm Douglas (1894)
* Thanksgiving in Brownie‐Land, by Effie Louise Koogle (1905)
* The Vegetable Brownies on a Frolic, by Agnes Hyde (1922) – includes nine “vegetable brownies” named Beet, Carrot, Cabbage‐head, Cucumber, Onion, Potato, Pumpkin, Turnip and Watermelon
* The Health Brownies, by Florence McClurg Everson (1929) – includes Brawny Brownie (the exercise brownie), Freshie (the fresh air brownie), Tuck‐M‐In (the sleep brownie), Washee Much (the cleanliness brownie), Cheffy (the nourishment or food brownie) and the King of the Brownies
* Santa’s Magic, by Florence McClurg Everson (1929) – includes unnamed brownies
* A Hallowe’en Nutting Party (play), by Mildred Corell and Irma Liccione (1930) – includes Captain Brownie and five unnamed brownies

* Frolic of the Brownies (1896)

* Brownie Clown of Brownietown (The Brownies) Comic Strip (1903-1908)
* Four Color #192, 244, 293, 337, 365, 398, 436 482, 522, 605
* New Funnies #69-85
* Raggedy Anne & Andy #28-36, 38-39
* Animal Comics #5
* Treasure Chest of Fun & Fact #244

* Brownies also appear to be very similar to the house elves of the Harry Potter series, by J.K.Rowling. These similarities include their distaste towards payment for their services, them staying in unused corners of a house, doing housework, staying hidden and unseen as well as them leaving a household if given clothes.
* A brownie serves as the mascot of the Cleveland Browns and previously for the defunct St. Louis Browns baseball team.
* In 1919, Juliette Gordon Low adopted "Brownies" as the name for the lowest age group in her organization of "Girl Guides".

*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownie_(folklore) Wikipedia]
*[https://mythus.fandom.com/wiki/Brownie Myths and Folklore Wiki]
*[https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Brownies Disney Wiki]
*[http://www.toonopedia.com/brownies.htm Toonopedia]
*[http://www.oldsundaycomics.com/sc0188.htm Old Sunday Comics]
*[https://comicvine.gamespot.com/app.php/brownies/4060-58126/issues-cover/ ComicVine]
*[https://www.giantbomb.com/brownies/3015-5453/games/ GiantBomb]
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