A goblin is an evil or mischievous creature of French folklore, often described as hideously disfigured or an elf-like phantom. They are similar in many ways to household spirits in other countries, for instance, brownies in England and Scotland, domoviks in Russia and kobolds in Germany. Goblins are believed to live in grottos but may also attach themselves to households, especially those that have lots of wine and children. They may help with household chores but on some nights they show their mischievous nature and instead of doing chores will create chaos by moving furniture and banging pots and pans. They are also said to count the dead among their companions and to be able to weave nightmares out of gossamer and insert them into the ear of a sleeping human. Legend also has it that goblins borrow horses from stables and ride them all night, leaving the horses exhausted by the morning. It is also said that they sometimes steal women and children and hide them away underground. If a goblin woman takes a liking to a human baby she may steal it away and replace it with a goblin baby, or changeling.