Is there a kind giant named Hagrid Rubes in Greek mythology?

Question

If you have read Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Joanne Rowling, you see references to Greek/Roman Mythology everywhere. To name a few (or more),

• Hermione, princess of Sparta
• Minerva, Roman goddess of wisdom
• Fluffy/Kerberos, three headed guard dog
• Scamander, river god near Troy
• Theseus, Greek hero

But one I never imagined would come up in relation to Greek Mythology was Rubeus Hagrid. I always heard Rowling was struck with the inspiration for this character after she saw a tall biker somewhere.

But, I just came across a Prezi that lists Hagrid as a Greek Mythology inspiration. On slide eleven, it says that Hagrid Rubes, known as the giant of the jewels, was a kind giant, but was framed for murder and banished from Olympus to take care of animals.

After a few searches online, this is all the information that is said about Hagrid Rubes. But what murder did Hagrid Rubes get blamed for? Why was his punishment to take care of animals? Why was he known as the giant of the jewels?

Answer 1

This sounds inaccurate.

Rowling has partly explained where she came up with the name for Hagrid.

Rubeus comes from a word for red:

Colours also played their part in the naming of Hagrid and Dumbledore, whose first names are Rubeus (red) and Albus (white) respectively. The choice was a nod to alchemy, which is so important in the first Harry Potter book, where ‘the red’ and ‘the white’ are essential mystical components of the process.

Although I can't find any authorial confirmation, Hagrid seems to come from "hag-ridden," an old word referring to a variety of disruptive sleep states (including some brought on by heavy alcohol consumption, as Hagrid engages in) and possibly The Mayor of Casterbridge in particular.

Further, searching the internet reveals plentiful references to "Hagrid Rubes," but none citing original sources. Some include dubious assertions, such as Rubes being framed by Hades (that wasn't really his thing) or living on Olympus (not likely for a giant, however friendly), or having been framed for the murder of "Piraeus." The only instances in Google Books are from the 21st century.

The fact that rubeus is Latin, and the Greek for red is ἐρυθρός, like the blood cell (which can also mean other colors), is another giveaway, since this is supposed to be Greek mythology.

Answer 2

This is not at all true. There is no such person in Greek mythology, and unless the person claiming it is can give a source for the assertion, I would dismiss it as made up.