According to Sami beliefs, gnomes, Gufihtars, live beneath the surface of the ground. Their lives are much like human lives. They are well-to-do and good-looking spirits. The songs they sing are very pleasing. Their reindeer herds are just beautiful. The gnomes are usually invisible to humans. They know the weather and they are fond of certain places. They show themselves to humans they like. But they get very annoyed, if people are building houses above their dwellings. In such a case a gnome may threaten to burn down a house or a cowshed. And it is not allowed to camp over night on certian paths. You can make an agreement with the Gufihtar in your area: If you happen to see their reindeer, you can throw a knife or an other piece of steel over them. Then the herd will become yours.

Here is a story about a boy who fell in love with a gnome girl.
Once there was a young man who came to a swamp to pick cloudberries. Suddenly he heard an unusual voice singing and he saw a young girl coming down the path. She was very beautiful. The reindeer following her were colored with all the colors the reindeer could have. The boy thought: ”That must be a Gufihtar’s daughter! She shall be mine.” He shouted to her: ”Hello there! Stay with me! Be my wife!” But the girl did not seem to hear him.

Later on, the young man came back to the same place to pick cloudberries. He met the same spirit girl and now they fell in love. This time, when he asked her to come home with him, she replied: ”I am ready.” She also told him not to look back anymore once they left the place where they were standing. He agreed to do so and so he received a huge reindeer herd from the spirits. How pleased he was! Soon they were married.

As years went by, they, however, lost their luck and wealth as well as most of their reindeer. Their wealthy life did not remain. But, according to some tales, many people who marry a Gufihtar live happily ever after.
It is important to have harmonious relations to all creatures who live around us. The ways of the Gufihtar are much like the ways of the Sami people. They migrate with their reindeer in the autumn and in the spring. And they are good at forecasting weather.