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Ogre Facts & Worksheets

Generally known as loathsome creatures, ogres are legendary monsters notorious for terrorizing villages and eating humans, especially infants and children.

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Generally known as loathsome creatures, ogres are legendary monsters notorious for terrorizing villages and eating humans, especially infants and children. Unintelligent and clumsy, ogres are usually featured in classic works of literature to instill good behavior to children.

See the fact file below for more information on the ogres or alternatively, you can download our 19-page Ogre worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ETYMOLOGY

  • It is of French origin, derived from the brutal and cannibal Etruscan god, Orcus. It first appeared in the 12th century romance verse of Chrétien de Troyes’ Perceval, ili contes de graal, which states: “And it is written that he will come again, to all the realms of Logres, known as the land of ogres, and destroy them with that lance”. It is believed that Logres is King Arthur’s kingdom and the ogres mentioned in the verse are the same ogres who once lived in ancient Britain, prior to human settlement.
  • Some claim that it came from the Italian word orco, which means “ogre”.
  • French authors Charles Perrault and Marie-Catherine Jumelle de Barneville, Comtesse d’ Aulnoy popularized the word ogre in their literary works: Histoires ou Contes du temps Passé, Tales of Mother Goose, and L’Oranger et l’Abeille.
  • Others thought that it could have been derived from the word hongrois, which means “hungarian”, which was considered to be a form of monstrosity.

ORIGIN

  • Ogres might have similar origins with giants and trolls. Some researchers suggest they were Neanderthals who went extinct, native to Europe and some regions of Asia.
  • Finnish paleontologist Björn Kurtén also acknowledged this theory, proposing that trolls and ogres might be descendants of Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons when they migrated to northern Europe 40,000 years ago.
  • Another ogre myth states that they served as remnants of a Scandinavian ancestral cult until Christianity was introduced during the 10th century. The forefathers of this cult believed that when a person dies, their spirits continue to live near the family’s land, serving as guardians of the property. This myth applied to a “founding father” of the land who was buried in a massive haugr, or burial mound. Children kept playing near his resting place; thus, the notion that ogres feed on children.

POSSIBLE MYTHICAL CONNECTIONS

  • Orcus and the Ogre Legend. An Etruscan god described as a large bearded giant, Orcus, was famous for feeding on human flesh and for ruling the land of the dead.
  • Og – Last of the Giants. Derived from the Hebrew mythology and was documented in the bible chapters Deuteronomy, Numbers, and Psalms, Og was the last Rephaim (giant) who was approximately 13.5 feet in height. No records show that he craved human flesh, although he was known as a feared ruler who caused a lot of bloodshed.
  • Oiagros. Also called Oeagrus, Oiagros was a river god. A place near River Hebrus, Oeagria, was named after him. Some believed that ogres got their name from that piece of land and might have a connection to this river god.
  • Orco. A monstrous creature who had an intense craving for human flesh, Orco has a number of traits and characteristics similar to the traditional ogre.
  • Oni. Similar to the ogres who originated in Britain, an Oni is a hideous, gigantic Japanese creature that is usually red or blue in color, with large fangs and extremely hairy flesh. Just like Orco, Oni also feeds on human flesh.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

  • Noticeably large and ugly, because of their disproportionate features, an ogre’s appearance varies depending on the culture. Generally, they have a solid build, with large round heads and a big belly. They are extremely hairy, with a full set of teeth sticking out of its wide mouth.
  • An ogre’s skin is believed to be rough. Ogres who originated from Europe have dull earth-tone skin; however, those from Asia have a vibrant red or orange tone. The majority of these creatures have green and blue skin.
  • Ogres are well-known for their intense craving of human flesh. They are loathsome carnivorous beasts that are usually feared by mothers of infants and young children.

OGRES IN POP CULTURE

  • Ogres in children’s literature are popular for kidnapping princesses, who were soon rescued by knights in armor and peasants.
  • Classic tales featuring ogres include: (1) Puss in Boots, (2) Motiratika, (3) Tritill, Litill, and the Birds, (4) Don Firriulieddu, (5) Snow-White-Fire-Red, (6 Shortshanks, (7) Thirteenth, and (8) Don Joseph Pear.
  • Ogres also appeared in popular works of fantasy fiction, such as: (1) The Chronicles of Narnia, (2) Piers Anthony’s Xanth series, (3) Spiderwick Chronicles, and (4) A Book of Ogres and Trolls.
  • Shrek, a 2001 film, defied the hostile ogre stereotypes. The main character, Shrek, is a lonely ogre who lives in a swamp, turns into a hero, and marries the princess.

Ogre Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the ogres across 19 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Ogre worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the ogres which are legendary monsters notorious for terrorizing villages and eating humans, especially infants and children. Unintelligent and clumsy, ogres are usually featured in classic works of literature to instill good behavior to children.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Ogre Facts
  • Loathsome Ogres
  • Monstrous Facts
  • Ogres in Mythology
  • Ogre Origins
  • Same Roots
  • Mythical Connections
  • Your All-Star Ogre
  • Tell a Tale
  • An Ogre’s Ode
  • Happily Ever Ogre

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Link will appear as Ogre Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, October 15, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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