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From Nordan Symposia
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==Origin==
[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English] ''impe'', from [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._600-1100.09THE_OLD_ENGLISH.2C_OR_ANGLO-SAXON_PERIOD Old English] ''impa'', from ''impian'' to imp
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12th_century before 12th Century]
==Definitions==
*1 : obsolete : shoot, bud; also : graft
*2a : a small [[demon]] : fiend
:b : a mischievous child : urchin
==Description==
An '''imp''' is a [[mythological]] [[being]] similar to a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy fairy] or [[demon]], frequently described in folklore and [[superstition]]. The word may perhaps derive from the term ''ympe'', used to denote a young [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grafting grafted] tree.
Originating from Germanic [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folklore folklore], the imp was a small lesser [[demon]]. It should also be noted that demons in Germanic [[legends]] were not necessarily always [[evil]]. Imps were often mischievous rather than evil or harmful, and in some regions, they were portrayed as attendants of the gods.
Imps are often shown as small and not very attractive [[creatures]]. Their [[behavior]] is described as being wild and uncontrollable, much the same as fairies, and in some [[cultures]], they were considered the same [[beings]], both sharing the same sense of free spirit and enjoyment of all things fun. It was later in history that people began to associate fairies with being [[good]] and imps with being malicious and evil. However, both creatures were fond of pranks and misleading people. Most of the time, the pranks were harmless fun, but some could be upsetting and [[harmful]], such as switching babies or leading travellers astray in places with which they were not familiar. Though imps are often thought of as being [[immortal]], many cultures believed that they could be damaged or harmed by certain [[weapons]] and [[enchantments]], or be kept out of people's [[homes]] by the use of wards.
Imps were often portrayed as [[lonely]] little [[creatures]], always in search of human attention. They often used jokes and pranks as a means of attracting human [[friendship]], which often backfired when people became tired or annoyed of the imp's endeavors, usually driving it away.
Even if the imp was successful in getting the friendship it sought, it often still played pranks and [[jokes]] on its friend, either out of [[boredom]] or simply because this was the nature of the imp. This [[trait]] gave way to using the term "impish" for someone who loves pranks and practical jokes. Being associated with [[hell]] and [[fire]], imps take a particular pleasure from playing with [[temperatures]].
To this end, it came to be believed that imps were the familiar [[spirit]] servants of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witches witches] and [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/warlock warlocks], where the little demons served as [[spies]] and informants. During the time of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch_hunts witch hunts], [[supernatural]] creatures such as imps were sought out as [[proof]] of witchcraft, though often, the so-called "imp" was typically a black cat, lizard, toad, or some other form of uncommon [[pet]].
Imps have also been described as being "bound" or contained in some sort of object, such as a sword or crystal ball. In other cases, imps were simply kept in a certain object and [[summoned]] only when their masters had need of them. Some even had the [[ability]] to grant their owners [[wishes]], much like a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genie genie]. This was the object of the 1891 story ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bottle_Imp The Bottle Imp]'' by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Louis_Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson], which told of an imp contained in a bottle that would grant the owner their every wish, the catch being that the owner's [[soul]] would be sent to [[hell]] if they didn't sell the bottle to a new owner before their [[death]].
Imps can be found in [[art]] and [[architecture]] throughout the world, usually carefully and painstakingly hidden under the eaves of a church or the foot of a ceramic cup, so they can only be found by the most interested and observant of people.
Imps may be described as an [[evil]] spirit or [[demon]]. They frequently appear in children's [[stories]] such as 'Silvia' in which she is followed by a black Imp. Since their time, they have become more overlooked as not many people actually know what they are.
Imps are also portrayed as a [[servant]] to those of fey and [[magical]] being, such as wizards. Because of this reason, they are commonly used in [[games]] as minions.
[[Category: Mythology]]
==Origin==
[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English] ''impe'', from [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._600-1100.09THE_OLD_ENGLISH.2C_OR_ANGLO-SAXON_PERIOD Old English] ''impa'', from ''impian'' to imp
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12th_century before 12th Century]
==Definitions==
*1 : obsolete : shoot, bud; also : graft
*2a : a small [[demon]] : fiend
:b : a mischievous child : urchin
==Description==
An '''imp''' is a [[mythological]] [[being]] similar to a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy fairy] or [[demon]], frequently described in folklore and [[superstition]]. The word may perhaps derive from the term ''ympe'', used to denote a young [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grafting grafted] tree.
Originating from Germanic [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folklore folklore], the imp was a small lesser [[demon]]. It should also be noted that demons in Germanic [[legends]] were not necessarily always [[evil]]. Imps were often mischievous rather than evil or harmful, and in some regions, they were portrayed as attendants of the gods.
Imps are often shown as small and not very attractive [[creatures]]. Their [[behavior]] is described as being wild and uncontrollable, much the same as fairies, and in some [[cultures]], they were considered the same [[beings]], both sharing the same sense of free spirit and enjoyment of all things fun. It was later in history that people began to associate fairies with being [[good]] and imps with being malicious and evil. However, both creatures were fond of pranks and misleading people. Most of the time, the pranks were harmless fun, but some could be upsetting and [[harmful]], such as switching babies or leading travellers astray in places with which they were not familiar. Though imps are often thought of as being [[immortal]], many cultures believed that they could be damaged or harmed by certain [[weapons]] and [[enchantments]], or be kept out of people's [[homes]] by the use of wards.
Imps were often portrayed as [[lonely]] little [[creatures]], always in search of human attention. They often used jokes and pranks as a means of attracting human [[friendship]], which often backfired when people became tired or annoyed of the imp's endeavors, usually driving it away.
Even if the imp was successful in getting the friendship it sought, it often still played pranks and [[jokes]] on its friend, either out of [[boredom]] or simply because this was the nature of the imp. This [[trait]] gave way to using the term "impish" for someone who loves pranks and practical jokes. Being associated with [[hell]] and [[fire]], imps take a particular pleasure from playing with [[temperatures]].
To this end, it came to be believed that imps were the familiar [[spirit]] servants of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witches witches] and [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/warlock warlocks], where the little demons served as [[spies]] and informants. During the time of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch_hunts witch hunts], [[supernatural]] creatures such as imps were sought out as [[proof]] of witchcraft, though often, the so-called "imp" was typically a black cat, lizard, toad, or some other form of uncommon [[pet]].
Imps have also been described as being "bound" or contained in some sort of object, such as a sword or crystal ball. In other cases, imps were simply kept in a certain object and [[summoned]] only when their masters had need of them. Some even had the [[ability]] to grant their owners [[wishes]], much like a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genie genie]. This was the object of the 1891 story ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bottle_Imp The Bottle Imp]'' by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Louis_Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson], which told of an imp contained in a bottle that would grant the owner their every wish, the catch being that the owner's [[soul]] would be sent to [[hell]] if they didn't sell the bottle to a new owner before their [[death]].
Imps can be found in [[art]] and [[architecture]] throughout the world, usually carefully and painstakingly hidden under the eaves of a church or the foot of a ceramic cup, so they can only be found by the most interested and observant of people.
Imps may be described as an [[evil]] spirit or [[demon]]. They frequently appear in children's [[stories]] such as 'Silvia' in which she is followed by a black Imp. Since their time, they have become more overlooked as not many people actually know what they are.
Imps are also portrayed as a [[servant]] to those of fey and [[magical]] being, such as wizards. Because of this reason, they are commonly used in [[games]] as minions.
[[Category: Mythology]]
