Brown Man of the Muirs

Lore & Background

In the account from Henderson's Folklore of the Northern Counties (1866), based on a letter from Robert Surtees to Sir Walter Scott, the Brown Man appears to two hunters from Newcastle on the moors above Elsdon. He is described as a dwarf, very strong and stoutly built, dressed in brown like withered bracken, with frizzled red hair, a ferocious countenance, and eyes glowing like a bull's. He reproves one hunter for trespassing and slaying his subjects (wild animals), stating that he himself lives only on whortleberries, nuts, and apples. The dwarf invites the youth home, but the youth is called back by his companion and the Brown Man vanishes. It was thought that had the youth crossed the water, the dwarf would have torn him to pieces; the youth died within the year, supposedly from slighting the dwarf's admonition.

Reader's Guide

The Brown Man of the Muirs represents a type of solitary fairy in border folklore, distinct from the more common brownie or hobgoblin. His role as a guardian of wild animals and his violent reaction to hunters reflect a theme of nature's retribution against human encroachment. The story recorded by Surtees and Scott highlights the peril of ignoring supernatural warnings, as the hunter who disregarded the dwarf's admonition died within a year. Walter Scott himself suggested a possible connection to the duergar (dwarfs) of Northumberland, linking the figure to broader Germanic dwarf traditions. In later fairy tale literature, the Brown Man becomes part of a collective tribe, illustrating how solitary figures can be expanded into a mythological race. The incantation 'Munko tiggle snobart tolwol dixy crambo' adds a folkloric element of control over these beings. The figure's appearance in both a 19th-century table book and Henderson's collection shows its persistence in regional storytelling, and its mention alongside creatures like boggleboes, hobbits, and redmen places it within a rich tapestry of Northern English and Scottish supernatural beings.

Did You Know?

• The Brown Man of the Muirs is described as a dwarf with frizzled red hair and eyes glowing like a bull's.
• In the story from Henderson's Folklore of the Northern Counties, the Brown Man lives on whortleberries, nuts, and apples.
• Walter Scott suggested the Brown Man may be related to the duergar (dwarfs) of Northumberland.