Seven-league boots

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Seven-league boots are a fictional element in the folklore of Europe. The boots allow the wearer to take great strides—seven leagues each step—resulting in great speed. The boots are presented, sometimes old and worn, to the protagonist in order that they may complete a significant task.

Mention of the legendary boots are found in:

France - Charles Perrault's - les Contes de ma mère l'Oye
Norway - Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe - Soria Moria Castle
England - Jack the Giant Killer, Howl's Moving Castle, The Midnight Folk

A contemporary reference is found in Terry Pratchett's Discworld universe, where it is noted that unless some basic precautions are taken, using the boots results in what might be considered obvious consequences for having one's feet twenty-one miles apart.

Other variations

Boots of speed are a frequent item in role-playing games, and roguelikes. In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game they are a variation of the famous magical boots. They enable the wearer to run very fast—usually as fast as a galloping horse, or slower if the wearer is heavy. The wearer must usually rest for long periods after use.

Seven Mile Boots is also a new media art piece by Erich Berger, Laura Beloff and Martin Pichlmair. The art piece consists of two boots that allow the wearer to travel through the internet. By taking a few steps, the user traverses from one chat room to the next. The user can hear people chatting through the speakers that are built into the tips of the shoes.

External links

[The Seven Mile Boots media art piece]

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