 The "spekhøkeren" does not mean just "grocer" but a materialistic "Philistine" as well, and he uses pages ripped out of a precious book of poems to wrap merchandise such as cheese.Hence the alternate title "The Goblin and the Huckster".The tale "Nissen hos Spækhøkeren" was first published November 30, 1852, and republished several times during the author's lifetime.