<P> The name Rumpelstilzchen in German means literally "little rattle stilt", a stilt being a post or pole that provides support for a structure . A rumpelstilt or rumpelstilz was consequently the name of a type of goblin, also called a pophart or poppart, that makes noises by rattling posts and rapping on planks . The meaning is similar to rumpelgeist ("rattle ghost") or poltergeist, a mischievous spirit that clatters and moves household objects . (Other related concepts are mummarts or boggarts and hobs, which are mischievous household spirits that disguise themselves .) The ending - chen is a German diminutive cognate to English - kin . </P> <P> The earliest known mention of Rumpelstiltskin occurs in Johann Fischart's Geschichtklitterung, or Gargantua of 1577 (a loose adaptation of Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel) which refers to an "amusement" for children, i . e. a children's game named "Rumpele stilt oder der Poppart". </P> <P> Translations of the original Grimm fairy tale (KHM 55) into various languages have generally substituted different names for the dwarf whose name is Rumpelstilzchen . For some languages, a name was chosen that comes close in sound to the German name: Rumpelstiltskin or Rumplestiltskin in English, Repelsteeltje in Dutch, Rumpelstichen in Portuguese, Rumpelstinski or Rumpelestíjeles in Spanish, Rumplcimprcampr or Rampelník in Czech . In Japanese it is called ルン ペル シュティル ツキン (Runperushutirutsukin). Russian might have the most accomplished imitation of the German name with Румпельшти́льцхен (Rumpelʹštílʹcxen). </P> <P> In other languages the name was translated in a poetic and approximate way . Thus Rumpelstilzchen is known as Päronskaft (literally "Pear - stalk") in Swedish, where the sense of stilt or stalk of the second part is retained . Likewise, in Danish and Norwegian, he is known as Rumleskaft (literally "Rumble - shank"). Italian has Tremotino (which loosely means "Little Earthquake"). French has--besides other names--Tracassin (like tracasser "to pester"). In other translations an entirely different and generally meaningless name was selected, such as Barbichu, Broumpristoche, Grigrigredinmenufretin, Outroupistache or Perlimpinpin in various translations to French . Turkish translations use "Hariparibuşki Baripinpon" which does not mean anything and was chosen just because the name was complicated . </P>

Who asked the grimms to help him collect german folktales