Where the goblins came from

This essay tracing the literary origins of goblins in fantasy fiction vaulted to the top of Hacker News with 478 upvotes—proving the forum's appetite for obscure cultural history still exceeds its hunger for new JavaScript frameworks. A deep dive into medieval folklore and 19th-century fairy tales, it connects goblins from *The Princess and the Goblin* to modern RPGs, offering a concrete lineage that satisfies curious minds.