Ogre facts for kids

An ogre is a scary, giant monster often found in fairy tales and stories. They are usually very big and strong. A female ogre is called an ogress. In many stories, ogres are known for eating people, sometimes even children. The word "ogre" first came from France. A famous French writer named Charles Perrault wrote about an Ogre in his fairy tale "Little Thumbling" in 1697. In that story, the word "ogre" was also sometimes translated as "giant".

What is an Ogre?

Ogres are often shown as very large and ugly creatures. They usually have big heads, lots of hair, and sometimes strange skin colors like green or brown. They are known for being very strong and sometimes not very smart. In many tales, they live in dark places like caves, castles, or deep forests.

Ogres in Famous Stories

Ogres appear in many well-known fairy tales.

• In "Hop-o'-My-Thumb", a small boy outsmarts a giant ogre who wants to eat him and his brothers. The ogre has special seven-league boots that let him travel very fast.
• In "Puss in Boots", a clever cat tricks an ogre who can change into different animals. The cat convinces the ogre to turn into a mouse, then eats him.
• The character Shrek from the popular movies is also an ogre. However, he is a friendly ogre who helps people, which is different from most traditional ogre stories.

Ogres Around the World

Creatures similar to ogres can be found in stories from many different cultures.

• In Japan, there are monsters called oni. Oni are often depicted as large, scary figures with red or blue skin, sharp claws, and horns. They sometimes carry iron clubs. Like ogres, they can be very dangerous.
• Some old European stories also feature giant, man-eating monsters that are very much like ogres. These creatures often guard treasures or live in isolated places.

Images for kids

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  Puss in Boots before the ogre. One of the platters on the table serves human babies (illustrated by Gustave Doré).

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  Puss in Boots before the ogre (illustrated by Walter Crane).

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  Giovanni Lanfranco: Norandino and Lucina Discovered by the Ogre, oil on canvas, c. 1624

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  Gustave Doré (1832–1883): Bluebeard, woodcut from an 1862 edition of Histoires ou contes du temps passé

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  Gustave Doré: Illustration for Le Petit Poucet, 1862

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  Alexander Zick (1845–1907): Illustration for Der kleine Däumling

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  The ogre and his wife, illustration for Hop-o'-My-Thumb from a late-19th-century German fairy tale book

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  An oni in pilgrim's clothing

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  Kawanabe Kyōsai (1831–1889): An oni in wandering Buddhist priest's robes, 1864

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  Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849): An oni being chased away by scattered beans, detail of a print

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  Political cartoon from 1900 depicting Australia as an ogre and referencing its origins as a penal colony

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  The ogre from Hop-o'-My-Thumb at Efteling, Netherlands

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  An ogre king represented at Mandalay Hill, Myanmar

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  The ogress Sanda Muhki represented at Mandalay Hill

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  A Japanese oni

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  An oni in Beppu, Kyushu

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  Ogre Fountain (lit. "Child Eater Fountain") at Corn House Square, Bern , Switzerland .

See also

In Spanish: Ogro para niños