Gremlins

Mischievous spirits of tools and machinery, gremlins were said to have helped inventors and craftsmen to bring about the Industrial Revolution, but because they were not given any credit for this, began to channel their efforts into making life difficult for humans. They often caused machinery to break down at the most inconvenient moments during World War Two, making it rather surprising that Britain emerged triumphant in the end, and today infest houses, doing much the same thing to toasters, sewing machines and word processors as they did to aero planes. Gremlins are thought to be small with long, webbed feet which allow them to move quietly, green skin, pointed ears and mischievous smiles on their faces, as they are friendly pranksters rather than malicious goblins. Sometimes they are said to dress like mechanics, at other times they appear in spats, top hat and breeches.