Folklore throughout history has been used as a way to educate, entertain, and make sense out of the world around us. These stories are not just extremely entertaining but also help us share who we are as a community. Have you ever heard someone say Knock on wood to stop a jinx? Have you heard a local ghost story? Have you ever talked to a kid about Santa Claus? That’s all folklore! While we know Santa Claus isn’t real, we share the story because it adds a bit of whimsy to our world.
Sock Goblinz aims to provide a place to share, create, and discuss folklore. Whether that be a grimms tale, a video of a goblin, sharing a mothman sighting, or a story that exsplains why cats meow. Folklore is not only old stories, but it’s constantly being created and changing. A good example of this is what this site is named after.
Why the name Sock Goblinz?
The Sock Goblin is a modern day spin on a mythical creature. According to Dictionary.com, a Goblin is “a grotesque sprite or elf that is mischievous or malicious toward people.” This definition is extremely outdated and frankly rude to our goblin friends. While yes, a goblin has a taste for mischief, and yes, they tend to take revenge on those who have wronged them. Their mischief is all in good fun, and they never give back more than what’s rightfully earned.
Today, Goblins coexist with humans, but due to our constant ridicule of their appearance, they have been forced into hiding. In fact, the Sock Goblin is actually the annoying roommate you never knew you had. Have you ever lost a sock in the wash only to have it reappear later? Perhaps you could have sworn it was just there, but now it seems to have simply vanished. Isn’t it just a bit too convenient that the same sock seems to always show up the second you stop looking? Well, it’s no coincidence. It’s those pesky sock goblins doing!
These little creatures live in your house, collecting any object you seem to be taking for granted. Every sock goblin is different; however, they share a few things in common. First, like the name suggests, a Sock Goblin’s favorite thing to collect is socks. Their use for such an object is unknown. Perhaps they wear the socks as hats, jackets, use them as sleeping bags, or some even theorize they treat sock hunting as a friendly competition amongst themselves. All we know is that they always leave one sock behind. Perhaps a calling card to remind us to take better care of our belongings. The sock goblin is known on rare occasion to step out of the wonderous world of foot covers, and take other things. A single earring, an old pair of pants with holes in it, a ring you haven’t worn in a while. However, I belive the sock goblin is not merely a menace. The sock goblin see’s value is everything and everyone. They see how little people appreciate what they have and take action to give that object a home. They choose to find the joy and whimsy in eveything. Plus like any slightly awful roommate they always give what was taken back. Just not until they have had their fun.
Up the airy mountain,
Down the rushy glen,
We daren’t go a-hunting
For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,
Trooping all together;
Green jacket, red cap,
And white owl’s feather!
-“Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry” (Yeats, 1888 p. 4)
Are Sock Goblins Real?
Probably not. But isn’t it fun to believe in something so blatantly false? Believing in creatures like fairies adds whimsy to the repetitive nature of modern life. I mean, it’s not my fault, I keep losing socks. It’s that pesky Sock Goblin at it again! The Sock Goblin reflects a long-held belief in creatures called fairies. When referring to fairies, I am not referring to a small woman with butterfly wings (sorry, Tinker Bell). Instead, I am referring to creatures found across European folklore. What is considered a fairy varies based on the location and where the folklore originates. However, for this website, fairies will often times refer to human like creatures with magical abilities. A lot of folklore is meant to share lessons, entertain, and give creative explanations for why the world is the way it is. By choosing to see the value in the old, the weird, and the unbelivable we make life more enjoyable. We can turn boring, irritating or sad situtions into fun stories to share with generations to come.
The name Sock Goblinz is a reminder to sometimes steping outside of reality is the best way to appreacite the world around us. So, lets be Sock Goblinz. Let’s go out of our way to teach kind of useless lessons. Let’s cherish the little things in life. Let’s find treasure in other’s trash. Let’s cause a little mischief and create a space where the weird and wonderful are welcome. Even if it’s not exactly scientifically sound.
Wikimedia Foundation. (2025, August 10). Fairy. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy