A brownie is a commonly known faerie that secretly lives in someone's house, usually without being discovered, and cleans up after the house's occupants or does unfinished work, much to the occupants' surprise. They are usually encouraged to stay by setting out offerings of food for them, though it varies as to what they are said to like best. (Some say pastries with honey and some milk.) Sometimes they are a bit mischievous, but the best (and most popularly known) of them prefer to help out to their liking for a time, and once they feel that the family is no longer deserving or that someone else needs them more, they leave. This legend of brownies is the inspiration for the modern troops of young good deed do-ers: Brownie Girl Scouts.