puck, in Germanic mythology

puck pŭk [key], in Germanic folklore, generic name for various malevolent spirits. The medieval English pouke was often identified with the devil. However, the Puck of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is a mischievous but friendly fairy.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Folklore and Mythology