Ekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20, abashayeli bezindiza baseBrithani ababehlala ezindaweni ezikude baqala ukusebenzisa igama elithi “Gremlins” ukuze bachaze izidalwa ezinonya ezazibangela izinkinga zobuchwepheshe, ikakhulukazi ezindizeni.
Lezi zilwane ezinjengama-gnomeli, nesifiso sazo esinganeliseki sokubangela isiphithiphithi esingokobuchwepheshe, kukholelwa ukuthi zithatha injabulo enkulu ekuphazamiseni imishini yazo zonke izinhlobo, kodwa ikakhulukazi izindiza. Nakuba abaningi bengase bangakholelwa ebukhoneni babo, badlala indima ebalulekile ezinganekwaneni, basebenza njengembuzi efanelekile yokubalekela amaphutha obuchwepheshe kanye nokuchezukisa isibopho samaphutha omuntu.
Naphezu kwedumela lawo njengabahlukumezi, ama-Gremlin angomncane kunazo zonke izidalwa eziku-monster pantheon, ezalelwe e-United States futhi ehlala eduze kwamathuluzi nangaphakathi kwemishini nezinto zikagesi. Banentshisekelo ethile ezindizeni, kodwa baziwa ngokugxambukela kuzo zonke izinhlobo zemishini.
Igama elithi “Gremlin” lisuselwa egameni lesiNgisi Esidala elithi “gremian,” elisho ukuthi “tovex,” futhi laqala ukusetshenziswa iSquadron of Bomber Command esebenza eNorth West Frontier eNdiya ngo-1939, lapho bengakwazi ukuhlonza imbangela yochungechunge lokungasebenzi kahle kwezindiza futhi yanquma ukuyisola enganekwaneni enonya enolwazi olujulile lokucekelwa phansi kwezindiza.
Incazelo yoqobo yama-Gremlin iwaveze njengabantu abancane abanezindlebe ezifana ne-elf namehlo aphuzi, abagqoke ama-ovaroli amancane namathuluzi aphathekayo anosayizi wozimele abanciphayo. Kodwa-ke, isithombe esidume kakhulu samaGremlins namuhla yileso sezidalwa ezimfushane, ezinjengesilo ezinezindlebe ezinkulu, njengoba kuboniswe kufilimu ethi “Gremlins”.
Lezi zilwane eziyinqaba 'zathusa' abantu ngamathuluzi abuthuntu, zisunduza izando ezithupheni, zidlala ngamanzi ashisayo nabandayo ezihlahleni, zibambe i-toast kanye ne-toast evuthayo.
Phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, abashayeli bezindiza beRoyal Air Force (RAF) babevame ukusola abakwaGremlin ngokungasebenzi kahle kwezindiza, kodwa izidalwa zaphendukela isintu lapho omakhenika nososayensi beqala ukuzibongela ngomsebenzi wabo.
Babenecala lokuhluleka kwemishini ezindizeni ngezikhathi lapho zazibucayi kakhulu, futhi bakwenza lokho ngaphandle kokuthatha uhlangothi engxabanweni, bebonisa ukungabi nandaba nemifelandawonye yabantu. Eqinisweni, amaGremlin anekhono ngokuvamile ayekwazi ukuhlakaza yonke injini ngaphambi kokubona ukuthi inkinga yayingaxazululwa ngokuqiniswa okulula kwesikulufu esisodwa.
Ngenkathi ama-Gremlins engase abe isidalwa senganekwane, inganekwane yawo ibekezelele, futhi iyaqhubeka nokugqugquzela umcabango namuhla. Eqinisweni, ifilimu ethi "Gremlins" yandisa isithombe sezidalwa ezimfushane, ezinjengesilo ezinezindlebe ezinkulu. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bangempela noma cha, ama-Gremlins asebenza njengesikhumbuzo sokuthi ngezinye izikhathi izinkinga zobuchwepheshe azihlali ngaphansi kwamandla ethu, nokuthi kufanele sithole indlela yokuzinqoba noma kunjalo.
