Brownie (folklore)

A brownie is a legendary kind of elf popular in folklore around England and Scotland. He is the British counterpart of the Scandinavian tomte and the Russian domovoi. Customarily they are said to inhabit houses and aid in tasks around the house. However, brownies do not like to be seen and will only work at night, perhaps in exchange for small gifts or food. They usually abandon the house if their gifts are called payments, or if they are offered gifts of clothes (no matter how shabby their own clothes are). In some stories, brownies have no noses.

By extension, the name of Brownie was given to the junior branch of the Girl Guides (American Girl Scouts).