During the early modern period, goblins were caught up in Reformation-era debates about the existence of demonic entities on Earth. Protestant authors largely dismissed preternatural creatures as conjurations of Catholic fearmongers or superstitions of the ignorant. With Protestant ascendency in Britain came the minimization of goblins as a threat to the Christian faithful. Underneath this demonological discourse, however, were goblins of folk traditions that operated alongside Christian practices. Some beliefs held that goblins could assist in household chores if provided with the appropriate provisions—reminiscent of another folkloric creature, the “hob,” and linked to the creation of the hybrid “hobgoblin.” Others considered goblins to be more dangerous creatures that could inflict harm on humans by kidnapping children, harassing travelers in the woods, and pinching people when they were not looking. The ballads of Robin Goodfellow and plays of Shakespeare depicted goblins that were comical, mischievous, or helpful depending on the circumstance. Lurking beneath these interpretations, however, was a clear association of the goblin with notions of harm, trickery, and abnormality. The literary deployment of the goblin not as a creature, but as an abstraction or descriptor, trended toward this malevolence more than merriment.