There is a legend that little people live in the forest.
In that fantasy novel, a brave dwarf warrior appears.
little person (dwarfism); dwarf; midget
Refers to a person with dwarfism. Note that 小人 (こびと) can be considered insensitive in modern usage; more respectful terms like 低身長者 (ていしんちょうしゃ) or 小人症の人 (こびとしょうのひと) are often preferred. The term 小人 (こびと) itself is still used in some contexts, but caution is advised.
He has dwarfism and is short in stature, but he is very active.
He performs on stage as a little person actor.
Lots of little people appear in this fairy tale.
ドワーフ is the katakana loanword used mainly in Western-style fantasy and games, while 小人 is the native Japanese term with a broader, more folkloric feel.
小人 is a neutral folklore/fairy-tale term for a small person or dwarf, while ちび is a casual, sometimes teasing or insulting word for a short person.
counter for people
The reading こびと is a compound of 小 (こ, 'small') and 人 (ひと, 'person'), with rendaku voicing the second element to びと. The kanji spelling 小人 is shared with other readings (しょうにん, こども), but the meaning 'little person' is specific to こびと.