An elf is a creature of Germanic mythology. Elsa Beskow ( née Maartman) ( February 11, 1874 &ndash June 30, 1953) was a Swedish author and illustrator of The elves were originally imagined as a race of minor nature and fertility gods, who are often pictured as youthful-seeming men and women of great beauty living in forests and underground places and caves, or in wells and springs. See also List of deities A deity is a Postulated Preternatural or Supernatural Being, who is always A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria A cave is a natural underground void large enough for a human to enter They have been portrayed to be long-lived or immortal and as beings of magical powers. Immortality (or eternal life) is the concept of living in physical or spiritual form for an Infinite length of Time. Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and Following J. R. R. Tolkien's influential The Lord of the Rings, wherein a wise, immortal people named Elves have a significant role, elves became staple characters of modern fantasy (see Elves in fantasy fiction and games). The Lord of the Rings is an epic In J R R Tolkien 's Legendarium, an Elf is an individual member of one of the races that inhabit the lands of Arda. A stock character is one which relies heavily on cultural types or names for his or her personality manner of speech and other characteristics Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting In many works of modern Fantasy, elves are a race of semi-divine Humanoid beings

Contents 1 Etymology 2 Elves in Norse mythology 3 Scandinavian elves 3.1 Icelandic elves 4 German elves 5 Dutch elves 6 English elves 7 Modern elves 7.1 Elves at Christmas 7.2 Elves in modern fantasy 8 References 8.1 Citations 8.2 General 9 See also

Etymology

The English word elf is from Old English ælf (also ylf), from a Proto-Germanic *albo-z, *albi-z, whence also Old Norse álfr, Middle High German elbe. Proto-Germanic, or Common Germanic, is the hypothetical common ancestor ( Proto-language) of all the Germanic languages such as modern English Old Norse is the North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age Middle High German (MHG German Mittelhochdeutsch) is the term used for the period in the history of the German language between 1050 and 1350 In Middle English, until the 14th century, elf was the masculine, while the corresponding feminine was elven (Old English ælfen, from *albinnja). Middle English is the name given by Historical linguistics to the diverse forms of the English language spoken between the Norman invasion of In Linguistics, grammatical genders, sometimes also called Noun classes are classes of nouns reflected in the behavior of associated words every noun must belong

The word's ultimate etymology may be the Proto-Indo-European root *albh- meaning "white", from which also stems the Latin albus "white". ^[1][2] Alternatively, a connection to the Rbhus, semi-divine craftsmen in Indian mythology, has also been suggested (OED). In Hinduism, the Ribhus (ṛbhú- meaning "clever skilful" cognate to Latin labor and perhaps to English Elf, said of The Oxford English Dictionary ( OED) published by the Oxford University Press (OUP is a comprehensive Dictionary of the English In this case, a Latin etymological root cognate would be labor.

Elf can only be pluralised as elves, elfs and elf's are not valid plurals although often found written as such. Plural is a Grammatical number, typically referring to more than one of the Referent in the real world Something associated with elves or the qualities of elves is described by the adjectives elven, elvish, elfin or elfish. In Grammar, an adjective is a word whose main syntactic role is to modify a Noun or Pronoun, giving more information about the According to a convention of modern fantasy, the 'v' in elven or elvish refers to human-sized elves (who correspond more closely to those of the old Germanic paganism), whereas the f in elfin or elfish refers to tiny-sized elfs (who correspond more closely to the folklore of the Renaissance and Romantic Eras). Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting

The corresponding terms in Germanic languages other than English are:

• North Germanic
  • Old Norse: álfr, plural álfar. The Germanic languages are a group of related languages that constitute a branch of the Indo-European (IE Language family. An elf is a creature of Norse mythology. The elves were originally imagined as a race of minor nature and fertility gods, who are often pictured as youthful-seeming
  • Icelandic: álfar, álfafólk and huldufólk (hidden people). An elf is a creature of Norse mythology. The elves were originally imagined as a race of minor nature and fertility gods, who are often pictured as youthful-seeming
  • Danish: Elver, elverfolk or alfer (note alfer today translates to fairies). An elf is a creature of Norse mythology. The elves were originally imagined as a race of minor nature and fertility gods, who are often pictured as youthful-seeming .
  • Norwegian: alv, alven, alver, alvene / alvefolket (note alvefolket today translates to elfpeople)
  • Swedish: alfer, alver or älvor (feminine form - today translated to fairies). An elf is a creature of Norse mythology. The elves were originally imagined as a race of minor nature and fertility gods, who are often pictured as youthful-seeming An elf is a creature of Norse mythology. The elves were originally imagined as a race of minor nature and fertility gods, who are often pictured as youthful-seeming A fairy (also fay, fey, fae, faerie; collectively wee folk, good folk, people of peace, fair
• Continental West Germanic
  • Dutch: elf, elfen, elven, alven (Middle Dutch alf)
  • German: from the English: Elf (m), Elfe (f), Elfen "fairies". The West Germanic languages constitute the largest of the three traditional branches of the Germanic family of Languages and include languages such as English An elf is a creature of Norse mythology. The elves were originally imagined as a race of minor nature and fertility gods, who are often pictured as youthful-seeming Middle Dutch is a collective name for a number of closely related West Germanic dialects (whose ancestor was Old Dutch) which were spoken and written between 1150 An elf is a creature of Norse mythology. The elves were originally imagined as a race of minor nature and fertility gods, who are often pictured as youthful-seeming A fairy (also fay, fey, fae, faerie; collectively wee folk, good folk, people of peace, fair ^[3] Elb (m, plural Elbe or Elben) is a reconstructed term, while Elbe (f) is attested in Middle High German. Middle High German (MHG German Mittelhochdeutsch) is the term used for the period in the history of the German language between 1050 and 1350 Alb Alp (m), plural Alpe has the meaning of "incubus" (Old High German alp, plural *alpî or *elpî). An alp is a nightmare creature originating from Teutonic or German folklore.
• Gothic *albs, plural *albeis (Procopius has the personal name Albila)

Elves in Norse mythology

The earliest preserved description of elves comes from Norse mythology. Gothic is an extinct Germanic language that was spoken by the Goths. Procopius of Caesarea ( Προκόπιος ο Καισαρεύς, c "Frey" redirects here For other uses of Frey and Freyr, see Frey (disambiguation. Wayland (also spelled Weyland, Wieland, Weland, Welent and Watlende) is a smith of Germanic legend Dvergar or Norse dwarves ( Old Norse dvergar, sing dvergr) are highly significant entities in Norse mythology, who associate Norse mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and Legends of the Scandinavian peoples including those who settled on Iceland In Old Norse they are called álfar (singular, nominative case: álfr), and although no older or contemporary descriptions exist, the appearance of beings etymologically related to álfar in various later folklore strongly suggests that the belief in elves was common among all the Germanic tribes, and not limited solely to the ancient Scandinavians. Old Norse is the North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age In linguistics grammatical number is a Grammatical category of nouns pronouns and adjective and verb agreement that expresses count distinctions (such as "one" The nominative case is a Grammatical case for a Noun, which generally marks the subject of a Verb, as opposed to its object or other The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well

Although the concept itself is never clearly defined in the extant sources, the elves appear to have been conceived as powerful and beautiful human-sized beings. The myths about elves have never been recorded. Full-sized famous men could be elevated to the rank of elves after death, such as the petty king Olaf Geirstad-Elf. Olaf Gudrødsson, or as he was named after his death Olaf Geirstad-Alf, was a legendary Norwegian king of the House of Yngling from the Ynglinga saga. The smith hero Völundr is identified as 'Ruler of Elves' (vísi álfa) and 'King of Elves' (álfa ljóði), in the poem Völundarkviða, whose later prose introduction also identifies him as the son of a king of 'Finns', an Arctic people respected for their shamanic magic. Wayland (also spelled Weyland, Wieland, Weland, Welent and Watlende) is a smith of Germanic legend Völundarkviða ( Völundr's poem, the name can be anglicized as Völundarkvitha, Völundarkvidha, Völundarkvida, In the Thidrek's Saga a human queen is surprised to learn that the lover who has made her pregnant is an elf and not a man. Þiðrekssaga (also Thidreksaga, Thidrekssaga, Niflungasaga or Vilkina saga) is a chivalric saga of the adventures of the In the saga of Hrolf Kraki a king named Helgi rapes and impregnates an elf-woman clad in silk who is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. Hrólfs saga kraka, the Saga of King Hrolf kraki, is a late Legendary saga on the adventures of Hrólfr Kraki and his clan, the Skjöldungs Halga, Helgi, Helghe or Helgo was a Legendary Danish king living in the early 6th century.

Crossbreeding was consequently possible between elves and humans in the Old Norse belief. The human queen who had an elvish lover bore the hero Högni, and the elf-woman who was raped by Helgi bore Skuld, who married Hjörvard, Hrólfr Kraki's killer. Hagen ( German form or Högni ( Old Norse Hǫgni, often anglicized as Hogni) is a Burgundian warrior in tales Skuld was a Princess of Scandinavian legend who married Heoroweard and encouraged him to kill Hroðulf (Hrólfr Kraki Heoroweard is a character who appears in Beowulf and also in Norse legends, where he is named Hjörvarðr or Hiartuar. Hrólfr Kraki, Hroðulf, Rolfo, Roluo, Rolf Krage (early 6th century) was a Legendary Danish king who appears both in The saga of Hrolf Kraki adds that since Skuld was half-elven, she was very skilled in witchcraft (seiðr), and this to the point that she was almost invincible in battle. In Norse mythology, a half-elf is the offspring of an Elf and a Human. Seid or seiðr is an Old Norse term for a type of Sorcery or Witchcraft which was practiced by the pre-Christian Norse. When her warriors fell, she made them rise again to continue fighting. The only way to defeat her was to capture her before she could summon her armies, which included elvish warriors. ^[4]

There are also in the Heimskringla and in The Saga of Thorstein, Viking's Son accounts of a line of local kings who ruled over Álfheim, corresponding to the modern Swedish province Bohuslän and Norwegian province Østfold, and since they had elven blood they were said to be more beautiful than most men. Heimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse Kings' sagas. Þorsteins saga Víkingssonar or The Saga of Thorstein Viking's Son is a Legendary saga taking place in the 7th century and it is about the father of Alfheim redirects here For other uses see Alfheim (disambiguation Álfheimr or Alfheim ( Elf-home) is the abode of the is one of the 25 traditional non-administrative Provinces of Sweden ( landskap in Swedish situated on the west coast of the country is a county in southeastern Norway, bordering Akershus and southwestern Sweden ( Västra Götaland County and Värmland) while

The land governed by King Alf was called Alfheim, and all his offspring are related to the elves. They were fairer than any other people. . . ^[5]

The last king is named Gandalf. Gandalf is a Dvergr ( Norse dwarf) in Norse mythology, appearing in the poem Völuspá in the Poetic Edda. ^[6]

In addition to these human aspects, they are commonly described as semi-divine beings associated with fertility and the cult of the ancestors and ancestor worship. The notion of elves thus appears similar to the animistic belief in spirits of nature and of the deceased, common to nearly all human religions; this is also true for the Old Norse belief in dísir, fylgjur and vörðar ("follower" and "warden" spirits, respectively). Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals The English word " spirit " comes from the Latin " spiritus " (breath In Norse mythology, the dísir ("ladies" are fate goddesses who can be both benevolent and antagonistic towards mortal people and they include the Norns A Fylgja (literally she who follows plural Fylgjur) is according to Scandinavian mythology, a supernatural creature which accompanies a person In Norse mythology, a vörðr (" warden," "watcher" or "caretaker" is a warden spirit believed to follow from birth to death the soul Like spirits, the elves were not bound by physical limitations and could pass through walls and doors in the manner of ghosts, which happens in Norna-Gests þáttr. Norna-Gests þáttr or the Story of Norna-Gest is a Legendary saga about the Norse hero Norna-Gest It is said that elves are the Germanic equivalent to the nymphs of Greek and Roman mythology, and vili and rusalki of Slavic mythology. In Greek mythology, a nymph is any member of a large class of mythological entities in human female form Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance Roman mythology, or more appropriately Latin mythology, refers to the mythological beliefs of the Italic people inhabiting the region of Latium and its Fairies in Slavic mythology come in several forms and their names are spelled differently based on the specific language Fairies in Slavic mythology come in several forms and their names are spelled differently based on the specific language Slavic mythology is the Mythological aspect of the Religion that was practised by the ancient Slavs.

The Icelandic mythographer and historian Snorri Sturluson referred to dwarves (dvergar) as "dark-elves" (dökkálfar) or "black-elves" (svartálfar); but whether this reflects wider medieval Scandinavian belief is uncertain. Snorri Sturluson (1178 – September 23, 1241) was an Icelandic historian poet and politician DWARF is a widely used standardized Debugging data format. DWARF was originally designed along with ELF, although it is independent of Object file Dvergar or Norse dwarves ( Old Norse dvergar, sing dvergr) are highly significant entities in Norse mythology, who associate Dark elves (Old Norse Dökkálfar, usually called the Svartálfar "black elves" are known as a class of elves living underground in Old In Norse mythology, the Svartálfar ("black elves" or Dökkálfar (" Dark elves " are supernatural beings (Old Norse " ^[7] He referred to other elves as "light-elves" (ljósálfar), which has often been associated with elves' connection with Freyr, the god of the sun (according to Grímnismál, Poetic Edda). In Norse mythology, the light elves ( Old Norse: Ljósálfar) live in the Old Norse version of the heavens in the place called Álfheim "Frey" redirects here For other uses of Frey and Freyr, see Frey (disambiguation. Grímnismál ( Sayings of Grímnir) is one of the mythological poems of the Poetic Edda. Snorri describes the elf differences as follows:

"There is one place there [in the sky] that is called the Elf Home (Álfheimr). People live there that are named the light elves (Ljósálfar). But the dark elves (Dökkálfar) live below in earth, and they are unlike them in appearance – and more unlike them in reality. The Light Elves are brighter than the sun in appearance, but the Dark Elves are blacker than pitch. " (Snorri, Gylfaginning 17, Prose Edda)

"Sá er einn staðr þar, er kallaðr er Álfheimr. Gylfaginning, or the Tricking of Gylfi (c 20000 words is the first part of Snorri Sturluson 's Prose Edda after Þar byggvir fólk þat, er Ljósálfar heita, en Dökkálfar búa niðri í jörðu, ok eru þeir ólíkir þeim sýnum ok miklu ólíkari reyndum. Ljósálfar eru fegri en sól sýnum, en Dökkálfar eru svartari en bik. "^[8]

Further evidence for elves in Norse mythology comes from Skaldic poetry, the Poetic Edda and legendary sagas. The skald was a member of a group of Poets whose courtly poetry (Icelandic dróttkvæði) is associated with the courts of Scandinavian and Icelandic The Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems primarily preserved in the Icelandic mediaeval Manuscript Codex Regius. A Legendary saga or Fornaldarsaga (literally a tale of times past) is a Norse saga that unlike the Icelanders' sagas, takes place In these elves are linked to the Æsir, particularly by the common phrase "Æsir and the elves", which presumably means "all the gods". In Old Norse, áss (or ǫ́ss ás, plural æsir, feminine ásynja, feminine plural ásynjur) is the term denoting one of the principal ^[9] Some scholars have compared elves to the Vanir (fertility gods). Vanir is the name of one of the two groups of gods in Norse mythology, the other and more well known being the Æsir. ^[10] But in the Alvíssmál ("The Sayings of All-Wise"), elves are considered distinct from both the Vanir and the Æsir, as revealed by a series of comparative names in which Æsir, Vanir, and elves are given their own versions for various words in a reflection of their individual racial preferences. Alvíssmál ("Talk of Alvíss" is poem collected in the Poetic Edda probably dating to the 11th century at the end of the Viking Age that relates In Old Norse, áss (or ǫ́ss ás, plural æsir, feminine ásynja, feminine plural ásynjur) is the term denoting one of the principal It is possible that the words designate a difference in status between the major fertility gods (the Vanir) and the minor ones (the elves). Grímnismál relates that the Van Frey was the lord of Álfheimr (meaning "elf-world"), the home of the light-elves. Grímnismál ( Sayings of Grímnir) is one of the mythological poems of the Poetic Edda. "Frey" redirects here For other uses of Frey and Freyr, see Frey (disambiguation. Alfheim redirects here For other uses see Alfheim (disambiguation Álfheimr or Alfheim ( Elf-home) is the abode of the Lokasenna relates that a large group of Æsir and elves had assembled at Ægir's court for a banquet. Lokasenna ( Loki's flyting, Loki's wrangling, Loki's quarrel) is one of the mythological poems of the Poetic Edda. Ægir ( Old Norse "sea" is a Jötunn and a king of the sea in Norse mythology. Several minor forces, the servants of gods, are presented such as Byggvir and Beyla, who belonged to Freyr, the lord of the elves, and they were probably elves, since they were not counted among the gods. Byggvir is a figure in Norse mythology. The only surviving mention of Byggvir appears in the prose beginning of Lokasenna, and stanzas 55 through 56 of Beyla is one of Freyr 's servants along with her husband Byggvir, in Norse mythology. Two other mentioned servants were Fimafeng (who was murdered by Loki) and Eldir. Fimafeng is a servant of Ægir in Norse mythology. His name means "quick service" or "handy service In Cryptography, LOKI89 and LOKI91 are Block ciphers designed as possible replacements for the Data Encryption Standard (DES In Norse mythology, Eldir was a servant of the giant Ægir. At the beginning of Lokasenna ( Loki 's verbal slandering of

Some speculate that Vanir and elves belong to an earlier Nordic Bronze Age religion of Scandinavia, and were later replaced by the Æsir as main gods. The Nordic Bronze Age (also Northern Bronze Age) is the name given by Oscar Montelius to a period and a Bronze Age culture in Scandinavian Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well Others (most notably Georges Dumézil) argue that the Vanir were the gods of the common Norsemen, and the Æsir those of the priest and warrior castes (see also Nerthus). Georges Dumézil ( March 4, 1898 – October 11, 1986) was a French comparative Philologist best known for his analysis of Sovereignty Nerthus is a Goddess in Germanic paganism associated with fertility.

A poem from around 1020, the Austrfaravísur ('Eastern-journey verses') of Sigvat Thordarson, mentions that, as a Christian, he was refused board in a heathen household, in Sweden, because an álfablót ("elves' sacrifice") was being conducted there. Austrfararvísur "East Journey Verses" is a skaldic poem composed by the Icelandic Skald Sigvatr Þórðarson in the 1020s Sigvatr Þórðarson (Thordarson or Sigvat the Skald was a court poet to the kings Olaf II of Norway, Canute the Great, Magnus the Good and "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. The Álfablót or the Elven sacrifice was a pagan Scandinavian sacrifice to the elves towards the end of autumn when the crops had However, we have no further reliable information as to what an álfablót involved,^[11] but like other blóts it probably included the offering of foods, and later Scandinavian folklore retained a tradition of sacrificing treats to the elves (see below). The blót ( Old Norse plural same as singular refers to Norse pagan sacrifice to the Norse gods and Elves. Beings of Scandinavian folklore Perhaps most abundant are the stories about the race of Trolls ' a cunning and deceitful people living in the forestlands From the time of year (close to the autumnal equinox) and the elves' association with fertility and the ancestors, we might assume that it had to do with the ancestor cult and the life force of the family. An equinox is the event of the Sun passing over the Earth's equator in its annual cycle

In addition to this, Kormáks saga accounts for how a sacrifice to elves was apparently believed able to heal a severe battle wound:

Þorvarð healed but slowly; and when he could get on his feet he went to see Þorðís, and asked her what was best to help his healing. Kormáks saga is one of the Icelanders' sagas. It tells of the 10th century Icelandic poet Kormákr Ögmundarson, and Steingerðr the love of

"A hill there is," answered she, "not far away from here, where elves have their haunt. Now get you the bull that Kormák killed, and redden the outer side of the hill with its blood, and make a feast for the elves with its flesh. Then thou wilt be healed. "^[12]

Scandinavian elves

In Scandinavian folklore, which is a later blend of Norse mythology and elements of Christian mythology, an elf is called elver in Danish, alv in Norwegian, and alv or älva in Swedish (the first is masculine, the second feminine). Beings of Scandinavian folklore Perhaps most abundant are the stories about the race of Trolls ' a cunning and deceitful people living in the forestlands Christian mythology ( μῦθος (mythos in Greek is the body of traditional Narratives associated with Christianity. Danish ( d̥ænsɡ̊ is one of the North Germanic languages (also called Scandinavian languages a sub-group of the Germanic branch of the Norwegian ( norsk) is a North Germanic Language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is an official language Swedish ( is a North Germanic language spoken by more than nine million people predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along the The Norwegian expressions seldom appear in genuine folklore, and when they do, they are always used synonymous to huldrefolk or vetter, a category of earth-dwelling beings generally held to be more related to Norse dwarves than elves which is comparable to the Icelandic huldufólk (hidden people).

In Denmark and Sweden, the elves appear as beings distinct from the vetter, even though the border between them is diffuse. The insect-winged fairies in British folklore are often called "älvor" in modern Swedish or "alfer" in Danish, although the correct translation is "feer". A fairy (also fay, fey, fae, faerie; collectively wee folk, good folk, people of peace, fair British people, or Britons, are the native inhabitants of Great Britain and their descendants or citizens of the United Kingdom, of the In a similar vein, the alf found in the fairy tale The Elf of the Rose by Danish author H. C. Andersen is so tiny that he can have a rose blossom for home, and has "wings that reached from his shoulders to his feet". Hans Christian Andersen (ˈhanˀs ˈkʰʁæʂd̥jan ˈɑnɐsn̩ in Danish or simply H Yet, Andersen also wrote about elvere in The Elfin Hill. The elves in this story are more alike those of traditional Danish folklore, who were beautiful females, living in hills and boulders, capable of dancing a man to death. Death is the termination of the biological functions that define living Organisms It refers both to a specific Like the huldra in Norway and Sweden, they are hollow when seen from the back. Huldra is also the name of a witch in Sheri S Tepper 's The True Game series of novels

The elves of Norse mythology have survived into folklore mainly as females, living in hills and mounds of stones. ^[14] The Swedish älvor. ^[15] (sing. älva) were stunningly beautiful girls who lived in the forest with an elven king. They were long-lived and light-hearted in nature. The elves are typically pictured as fair-haired, white-clad, and (like most creatures in the Scandinavian folklore) nasty when offended. In the stories, they often play the role of disease-spirits. The most common, though also most harmless case was various irritating skin rashes, which were called älvablåst (elven blow) and could be cured by a forceful counter-blow (a handy pair of bellows was most useful for this purpose). A rash is a change of the Skin which affects its color appearance or Texture. A bellows is a device for delivering pressurized Air in a controlled quantity to a controlled location Skålgropar, a particular kind of petroglyph found in Scandinavia, were known in older times as älvkvarnar (elven mills), pointing to their believed usage. Petroglyphs are Images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising pecking carving and abrading One could appease the elves by offering them a treat (preferably butter) placed into an elven mill – perhaps a custom with roots in the Old Norse álfablót. Butter is a Dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented Cream or Milk.

In order to protect themselves against malevolent elves, Scandinavians could use a so-called Elf cross (Alfkors, Älvkors or Ellakors), which was carved into buildings or other objects. ^[13] It existed in two shapes, one was a pentagram and it was still frequently used in early 20th century Sweden as painted or carved onto doors, walls and household utensils in order to protect against elves. Early history Sumer The first known uses of the pentagram are found in Mesopotamian writings dating to about 3000 BC "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. ^[13] As the name suggests, the elves were perceived as a potential danger against people and livestock. ^[13] The second form was an ordinary cross carved onto a round or oblong silver plate. ^[13] This second kind of elf cross one was worn as a pendant in a necklace and in order to have sufficient magic it had to be forged during three evenings with silver from nine different sources of inherited silver. ^[13] In some locations it also had to be on the altar of a church during three consecutive Sundays. ^[13]

The elves could be seen dancing over meadows, particularly at night and on misty mornings. They left a kind of circle where they had danced, which were called älvdanser (elf dances) or älvringar (elf circles), and to urinate in one was thought to cause venereal diseases. A sexually transmitted disease ( STD) or venereal disease ( VD) is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between Humans Typically, elf circles were fairy rings consisting of a ring of small mushrooms, but there was also another kind of elf circle:

On lake shores, where the forest met the lake, you could find elf circles. For the article dedicated to the Southwest African phenomenon of fairy circles see Fairy circle (Africa. A mushroom is the fleshy Spore -bearing Fruiting body of a Fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source They were round places where the grass had been flattened like a floor. Elves had danced there. By Lake Tisaren,^[16] I have seen one of those. It could be dangerous and one could become ill if one had trodden over such a place or if one destroyed anything there. ^[14]

If a human watched the dance of the elves, he would discover that even though only a few hours seemed to have passed, many years had passed in the real world. (This time phenomenon is retold in Tolkien's Silmarillion when Thingol watches Melian dance. The Silmarillion is a collection of J R R Tolkien 's mythopoeic works edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in In The Silmarillion Thingol originally known as Elwë, is introduced as one of the three chieftains of the Elves who depart from Cuiviénen Character Overview A visual description of Melian is given in the Lay of Leithian There Melian came the Lady grey and dark and long her It also has a remote parallel in the Irish sídhe. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world ) In a song from the late Middle Ages about Olaf Liljekrans, the elven queen invites him to dance. He refuses, he knows what will happen if he joins the dance and he is on his way home to his own wedding. The queen offers him gifts, but he declines. She threatens to kill him if he does not join, but he rides off and dies of the disease she sent upon him, and his young bride dies of a broken heart. ^[17]

However, the elves were not exclusively young and beautiful. In the Swedish folktale Little Rosa and Long Leda, an elvish woman (älvakvinna) arrives in the end and saves the heroine, Little Rose, on condition that the king's cattle no longer graze on her hill. She is described as an old woman and by her aspect people saw that she belonged to the subterraneans. ^[18]

These myths and legends of elves that are so popular among Scandinavians, are quite prevalent in their everyday lives. It has been said that to this day, many Scandinavians do still believe in this existence of " hidden people", and will often go out of their way to see that they do not disturb these creatures. For example, just outside of Reykjavik, Iceland, a soccer game was called to a halt when a misled ball rolled off the beaten path, and stopped right next to a sign that marked the home of 3 elves believed to dwell near the stones where the ball was resting. Instead of reclaiming the ball, the soccer player opted to leave it there in order to avoid disturbing the elves.

Icelandic elves

Natives of Iceland either believe in elves or are unwilling to rule out their existence. Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( ^[19] Several Icelanders believe in huldufólk or “hidden folk”, the elves that dwell in rock formations. If the natives don’t explicitly express their belief, they are certainly reluctant to express disbelief. ^[20] A 2006 and 2007 study on superstition by the University of Iceland’s Faculty of Social Sciences supervised by Terry Gunnell (associate folklore professor), reveal that natives would not rule out the existence of elves and ghosts (similar results of a 1974 survey by Professor Erlendur Haraldsson, Fréttabladid reports). Superstition ( Latin superstitio, literally "standing over" derived perhaps from standing in awe used in Latin as a unreasonable or excessive belief A ghost is said to be the apparition of a Deceased person frequently similar in appearance to that person and usually encountered in places she or he frequented Erlendur Haraldsson is a Professor emeritus Faculty of Social science at the University of Iceland who despite having retired from his former post at the University Gunnel stated: “Icelanders seem much more open to phenomena like dreaming the future, forebodings, ghosts and elves than other nations. ” His results were consistent with a similar study conducted in 1974. ^[21]

German elves

The original German elves (Old Saxon alf; Middle High German: alb, alp; plural elbe, elber; Old High German alb, by 13th century^[22]) are thought to be light creatures who lived in heaven during the era of Germanic paganism, and may have included dark elves or dwarves underground (as understood to be similar to the álfr of Old Norse mythology). In post-Christian folklore they began to be described as mischievous pranksters that could cause disease to cattle and people, and bring bad dreams to sleepers. The German word for nightmare, Albtraum, means "elf dream". A nightmare is a Dream which causes a strong unpleasant emotional response from the sleeper typically fear or horror being in situations of extreme danger or the sensations The archaic form Albdruck means "elf pressure"; it was believed that nightmares are a result of an elf sitting on the dreamer's chest. This aspect of German elf-belief largely corresponds to the Scandinavian belief in the mara. A mara, or a mare is a kind of malignant female Wraith in Scandinavian folklore believed to cause Nightmares She also appears in Slavic It is also similar to the legends regarding incubi and succubi. A succubus (plural succubi) is a Demon who takes the form of a beautiful woman to seduce men especially monks in Dreams to have Sexual intercourse ^[23]

As noted above, an elven king occasionally appears among the predominantly female elves in Denmark and Sweden. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. In the German middle-age epic the Nibelungenlied, a dwarf named Alberich play an important role. The Nibelungenlied, translated as The Song of the Nibelungs, is an epic poem in Middle High German. DWARF is a widely used standardized Debugging data format. DWARF was originally designed along with ELF, although it is independent of Object file Alberich was a legendary sorcerer who originated in the mythology or epic sagas of the Frankish Merovingian Dynasty of the 5th to 8th century AD and whose Alberich literally translates as "elf-sovereign", further contributing to the elf–dwarf confusion observed already in the Younger Edda. The Prose Edda, also known as the Younger Edda, Snorri's Edda ( Snorra Edda) or simply Edda, is an Via the French Alberon, the same name has entered English as Oberon – king of elves and fairies in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (see below). Oberon, also Auberon, King of Shadows and Fairies, is best known as a character in William Shakespeare 's play A Midsummer Night's Dream A fairy (also fay, fey, fae, faerie; collectively wee folk, good folk, people of peace, fair A Midsummer Night's Dream is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, suggested by " The Knight's Tale " from

The legend of Der Erlkönig appears to have originated in fairly recent times in Denmark and Goethe based his poem on "Erlkönigs Tochter" ("Erlkönig's Daughter"), a Danish work translated into German by Johann Gottfried Herder. A legend ( Latin, legenda, "things to be read" is a Narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to Der Erlkönig (often called just Erlkönig) is a Poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe ˈjoːhan ˈvɔlfgaŋ fɔn ˈgøːtə (in English generally ˈgɝːtə 28 August 1749 22 March 1832 was a German writer Johann Gottfried von Herder ( August 25, 1744 December 18, 1803) was a German philosopher, Poet, and Literary

The Erlkönig's nature has been the subject of some debate. The name translates literally from the German as "Alder King" rather than its common English translation, "Elf King" (which would be rendered as Elfenkönig in German). Alder is the common name of a Genus of Flowering plants ( Alnus) belonging to the Birch family (Family Betulaceae) It has often been suggested that Erlkönig is a mistranslation from the original Danish ellerkonge or elverkonge, which does mean "elf king". Danish ( d̥ænsɡ̊ is one of the North Germanic languages (also called Scandinavian languages a sub-group of the Germanic branch of the

According to German and Danish folklore, the Erlkönig appears as an omen of death, much like the banshee in Irish mythology. The banshee (ˈbænʃiː from the Irish bean sí ("woman of the síde " or "woman of the Fairy mounds " is a The Mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved shorn of its religious meanings Unlike the banshee, however, the Erlkönig will appear only to the person about to die. His form and expression also tell the person what sort of death they will have: a pained expression means a painful death, a peaceful expression means a peaceful death. This aspect of the legend was immortalised by Goethe in his poem Der Erlkönig, later set to music by Schubert. ˈjoːhan ˈvɔlfgaŋ fɔn ˈgøːtə (in English generally ˈgɝːtə 28 August 1749 22 March 1832 was a German writer Der Erlkönig (often called just Erlkönig) is a Poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

In the first story of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale Die Wichtelmänner, the title protagonists are two naked mannequins, which help a shoemaker in his work. The Brothers Grimm ( German: Die Gebrüder Grimm) Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, When he rewards their work with little clothes, they are so delighted, that they run away and are never seen again. Even though Wichtelmänner are akin to beings such as kobolds, dwarves and brownies, the tale has been translated into English as The Elves and the Shoemaker, and is echoed in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter stories (see House-elf). The kobold is a sprite of German folklore. Although usually invisible a kobold can materialise in the form of an animal fire a human being and a mundane DWARF is a widely used standardized Debugging data format. DWARF was originally designed along with ELF, although it is independent of Object file The Elves and the Shoemaker, or conversely The Shoemaker and the Elves is an often copied and remade story about a poor Shoemaker who receives Joanne "Jo" Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965 who writes under the Harry Potter is a series of seven Fantasy novels written by British author J

Variations of the German elf in folklore include the moss people^[24] and the weisse frauen ("white women"). Moss people (also known as wood people, the females known as moss maidens) come from Southern Germanic folklore and are a type of tree elf tree spirit Continental Germanic mythology and Folklore, the Weisse Frauen (meaning White Women) are elven -like spirits that may have derived from Germanic On the latter Jacob Grimm does not make a direct association to the elves, but other researchers see a possible connection to the shining light elves of Old Norse. Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm ( Hanau, January 4, 1785 &ndash September 20, 1863 in Berlin) German Philologist ^[25]

Dutch elves

Dutch elves are like the German, in most respects. See the discussion of the Dutch "elf spirit" or "elf ghost" in Elegast, the wood people and the elvenized witte wieven. Elegast ( elf spirit or elf guest) is the Hero and noble robber in the poem Karel ende Elegast, a Medieval Dutch epic poem that has Moss people (also known as wood people, the females known as moss maidens) come from Southern Germanic folklore and are a type of tree elf tree spirit In Dutch mythology and Legends the Witte Wieven (also known as Wittewijven) are spirits of " wise women " (or else elven beings

English elves

The word elf came into Modern English as the Old English word ælf (pl. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States ælfe, with regional and chronological variants such as ylfe and ælfen), and so came to Britain originally with the Anglo-Saxons. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south ^[26] Words for the nymphs of the Greek and Roman mythos were translated by Anglo-Saxon scholars with ælf and variants on it. In Greek mythology, a nymph is any member of a large class of mythological entities in human female form Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance Roman mythology, or more appropriately Latin mythology, refers to the mythological beliefs of the Italic people inhabiting the region of Latium and its ^[27]

Although our early English evidence is slight, there are reasons to think that Anglo-Saxon elves (ælfe) were similar to early elves in Norse mythology: human-like, human-sized supernatural beings, predominantly if not exclusively male, capable of helping or harming the people who encountered them. In particular, the pairing of æsir and álfar found in the Poetic Edda is mirrored in the Old English charm Wið færstice and in the distinctive occurrence of the cognate words os and ælf in Anglo-Saxon personal names (e. In Old Norse, áss (or ǫ́ss ás, plural æsir, feminine ásynja, feminine plural ásynjur) is the term denoting one of the principal An elf is a creature of Norse mythology. The elves were originally imagined as a race of minor nature and fertility gods, who are often pictured as youthful-seeming The Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems primarily preserved in the Icelandic mediaeval Manuscript Codex Regius. Wið færstice is an Anglo-Saxon medical text composed in Old English, surviving in the collection known now as Lacnunga. g. Oswald, Ælfric^[28]).

In relation to the beauty of the Norse elves, some further evidence is given by old English words such as ælfsciene ("elf-beautiful"), used of seductively beautiful Biblical women in the Old English poems Judith and Genesis A. Judith is an Old English poetic Biblical paraphrase retelling the story of the beheading of Holofernes, an Assyrian military leader by the eponymous heroine ^[29] Although elves could be considered to be beautiful and potentially helpful beings in some sections of English-speaking society throughout its history, Anglo-Saxon evidence also attests to alignments of elves with demons, as for example in line 112 of Beowulf. Beowulf is an Old English Heroic epic poem of anonymous authorship dating as recorded in the Nowell Codex manuscript from between On the other hand, oaf is simply a variant of the word elf, presumably originally referring to a changeling or to someone stupefied by elvish enchantment. A Changeling is a being in West European Folklore and Folk religion, typically described as the offspring of a Fairy, Troll

Elf-shot (or elf-bolt or elf-arrow) is a word found in Scotland and Northern England, first attested in a manuscript of about the last quarter of the 16th century. Although first attested in the sense 'sharp pain caused by elves', it is later attested denoting Neolithic flint arrow-heads, which by the 17th century seem to have been attributed in the region to elvish folk, and which were used in healing rituals, and alleged to be used by witches (and perhaps elves) to injure people and cattle. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos Flint (or flintstone) is a hard sedimentary Cryptocrystalline form of the Mineral Quartz, categorized as a variety of Chert An arrow is a pointed Projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most Cultures. ^[30] So too a tangle in the hair was called an elf-lock, as being caused by the mischief of the elves, and sudden paralysis was sometimes attributed to elf-stroke. Compare with the following excerpt from an 1750 ode by Willam Collins:

There every herd, by sad experience, knows

How, winged with fate, their elf-shot arrows fly,

When the sick ewe her summer food forgoes,

Or, stretched on earth, the heart-smit heifers lie. William Collins ( 25 December, 1721 – 12 June, 1759) was an English Poet. ^[31]

The elf makes many appearances in ballads of English and Scottish origin, as well as folk tales, many involving trips to Elphame or Elfland (the Álfheim of Norse mythology), a mystical realm which is sometimes an eerie and unpleasant place. A ballad is a Poem usually set to Music; thus it often is a story told in a Song. Alfheim redirects here For other uses see Alfheim (disambiguation Álfheimr or Alfheim ( Elf-home) is the abode of the The elf is occasionally portrayed in a positive light, such as the Queen of Elphame in the ballad Thomas the Rhymer, but many examples exist of elves of sinister character, frequently bent on rape and murder, as in the Tale of Childe Rowland, or the ballad Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight, in which the Elf-Knight bears away Isabel to murder her. Not to be confused with Thomas Rymer, a 17th century English historian " Childe Rowland " is a Fairy tale, the most popular version being by Joseph Jacobs in his English Folk and Fairy Tales, published in 1892 Most instances of elves in ballads are male; the only commonly encountered female elf is the Queen of Elfland, who appears in Thomas the Rhymer and The Queen of Elfland's Nourice, in which a woman is abducted to be a wet-nurse to the queen's baby, but promised that she may return home once the child is weaned. Not to be confused with Thomas Rymer, a 17th century English historian "The Queen of Elfan's Nourice" or "The Queen of Elfland's Nourice" is Child ballad number 40 although fragmentary in form A wet nurse is a woman who breast feeds a baby that is not her own In none of these cases is the elf a spritely character with pixie-like qualities. The term sprite is a broad term referring to a number of Preternatural Legendary creatures The term is generally used in reference to Elf -like creatures Pixies (also Piskies and Pigsies as they are sometimes known in Cornwall) are mythical creatures of Folklore, considered to be particularly concentrated

English folktales of the early modern period commonly portray elves as small, elusive people with mischievous personalities. History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological The early modern period is a term initially used by historians to refer mainly to the period roughly from 1500 to 1800 in Western Europe ( Early modern Europe) They are not evil but might annoy humans or interfere in their affairs. They are sometimes said to be invisible. In this tradition, elves became similar to the concept of fairies. A fairy (also fay, fey, fae, faerie; collectively wee folk, good folk, people of peace, fair

Successively, the word elf, as well as literary term fairy, evolved to a general denotation of various nature spirits like Puck, hobgoblin, Robin Goodfellow, the Scots brownie, and so forth. Puck is a mythological Fairy or mischievous Nature Spirit. Puck is also a generalised personification of land spirits Hobgoblin is a term typically applied in folktales to describe a friendly or amusing Goblin. Puck is a mythological Fairy or mischievous Nature Spirit. Puck is also a generalised personification of land spirits These terms, like their relatives in other European languages, are no longer clearly distinguished in popular folklore. Most of the many Languages of Europe belong to the Indo-European Language family. History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological

Significant for the distancing of the concept of elves from its mythological origins was the influence from literature. In Elizabethan England, William Shakespeare imagined elves as little people. Romance and reality The Victorian era and the early twentieth century idealised the Elizabethan era William Shakespeare ( baptised He apparently considered elves and fairies to be the same race. In Henry IV, part 1, act II, scene iv, he has Falstaff call Prince Henry, "you starveling, you elfskin!", and in his A Midsummer Night's Dream, his elves are almost as small as insects. Henry IV Part 1 is a History play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597 Sir John Falstaff is a Fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare as a companion to Prince Hal the future King Henry V. Henry V (16 September 1386 &ndash 31 August 1422 was one of the most significant English warrior kings of the 15th century A Midsummer Night's Dream is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, suggested by " The Knight's Tale " from Insects ( Class Insecta) are a major group of Arthropods and the most diverse group of Animals on the Earth with over a million described On the other hand, Edmund Spenser applies elf to full-sized beings in The Faerie Queene. Edmund Spenser (c 1552 &ndash 13 January, 1599) was an important English Poet and Poet Laureate best known for The The Faerie Queene is an English epic poem by Edmund Spenser, published first in three books in 1590 and later in six books in 1596

The influence of Shakespeare and Michael Drayton made the use of elf and fairy for very small beings the norm. Michael Drayton (1563 &ndash December 23, 1631) was an English Poet who came to prominence in the Elizabethan era. A fairy (also fay, fey, fae, faerie; collectively wee folk, good folk, people of peace, fair In Victorian literature, elves usually appeared in illustrations as tiny men and women with pointed ears and stocking caps. Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities An example is Andrew Lang's fairy tale Princess Nobody (1884), illustrated by Richard Doyle, where fairies are tiny people with butterfly wings, whereas elves are tiny people with red stocking caps. For the former National Basketball Association player see Andrew Lang (basketball. Richard "Dickie" Doyle (September 1824 &ndash 11 December 1883) was a notable Victorian illustrator A butterfly is an Insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all Lepidoptera butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a There were exceptions to this rule however, such as the full-sized elves who appear in Lord Dunsany's The King of Elfland's Daughter. Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett 18th Baron of Dunsany ( 24 July 1878 &ndash 25 October 1957) was an Anglo-Irish writer and The King of Elfland's Daughter is a 1924 Fantasy novel written by Lord Dunsany.

There is a legend concerning the Buckthorn vows that if one sprinkles Buckthorn in a circle and then dances within it under a full Moon, an elf will appear. For the genus Hippophae, see Sea-buckthorn. The Buckthorns ( Rhamnus) are a genus (or two genera if Frangula The dancer must notice the elf and say, 'Halt and grant my boon!' before the creature flees. The elf will then grant one wish.

Modern elves

Elves at Christmas

In the USA, Canada, and Britain, the modern children's folklore of Santa Claus typically includes diminutive elves at Christmas; green-clad elves with pointy ears (and, occasionally, long noses and pointy hats) as Santa's assistants or hired workers. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or simply " Santa " is the No one knows who wraps the gifts at Christmas but they make toys in a workshop located in the North Pole. The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is subject to the caveats explained below defined as the point in the northern In recent years, other toys—usually high-tech toys like computers, video games, DVDs and DVD players, and even mobile phones—have also been depicted as being ready for delivery, but not necessarily made, in the workshop as well. A personal computer ( PC) is any Computer whose original sales price size and capabilities make it useful for individuals and which is intended to be operated In this portrayal, elves slightly resemble nimble and delicate versions of the dwarves of Norse mythology. Dvergar or Norse dwarves ( Old Norse dvergar, sing dvergr) are highly significant entities in Norse mythology, who associate

The vision of the small but crafty Christmas elf has come to influence modern popular conception of elves, and sits side by side with the fantasy elves following Tolkien's work (see below). The American cookie company Keebler has long advertised that its cookies are made by elves in a hollow tree, and Kellogg's, who happens to now be the owner of Keebler, uses the elves of Snap, Crackle, and Pop as mascots of Rice Krispies cereal, and the role of elves as Santa's helpers has continued to be popular, as evidenced by the success of the movie Elf. The Keebler Company is the second-largest cookie and cracker manufacturer in the United States. Kellogg Company (often referred to as simply Kellogg or Kellogg's, or even more formally Kellogg's of Battle Creek) is an American multinational Snap Crackle and Pop! are the Cartoon Mascots of Kellogg's Breakfast cereal Rice Krispies (Rice Bubbles in Australia) Rice Krispies (known as Rice Bubbles in Australia) is a Brand of Breakfast cereal that was created in 1927 by Kellogg's and released Elf is a 2003 Christmas -themed Comedy film directed by Jon Favreau and released in the United States on November 7 It should be noted that these elves are referred to as elfish, as opposed to elvish.

Elves in modern fantasy

Main article: Elves in fantasy fiction and games

The first appearance of modern fantasy elves occurred in The King of Elfland's Daughter a 1924 novel by Lord Dunsany. The King of Elfland's Daughter is a 1924 Fantasy novel written by Lord Dunsany. Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett 18th Baron of Dunsany ( 24 July 1878 &ndash 25 October 1957) was an Anglo-Irish writer and The next modern work featuring elves was The Hobbit, a 1937 children's book by J. R. R. Tolkien. The Hobbit or There and Back Again is an award-winning fantasy Elves played a major role in many of Tolkien's later works, notably The Lord of the Rings. The Lord of the Rings is an epic Tolkien's writing has such popularity that in the 1960s and afterwards, elves similar to those in Tolkien's novels became staple non-human characters in high fantasy works and in fantasy role-playing games. High fantasy, or epic fantasy, is a subgenre of Fantasy fiction that is set in invented or parallel worlds. A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. Post-Tolkien fantasy elves (popularized by the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game) tend to be more beautiful and more wise than humans, with sharper senses and perceptions. Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a Fantasy Role-playing game (RPG originally designed by A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. They are also said to be much more gifted in magic and stronger physically and mentally (although this can be disputed by comparing human advances in technology to the somewhat rustic elven technology). Magic in Fiction is the endowing of Fictional characters or objects with magical powers. Often elves do not possess facial or body hair, and are consequently perceived to be androgynous. A hallmark of fantasy elves is also their long and pointed ears (a convention begun with a note of Tolkien's that the ears of elves were "leaf-shaped"). The ear is the sense organ that detects Sounds The Vertebrate ear shows a common biology from Fish to Humans with variations Elves of the Tolkien mold have become standardized staple characters of modern fantasy. It is worth noting that those things described as being of or related to these fair elves are referred to as "elven", as opposed to "elfish" (a term more closely associated with the sprite-like elves of medieval conception).

References

Citations

General

Old Norse

• Wikisource:Prose Edda/Gylfaginning (The Fooling Of Gylfe) by Sturluson, Snorri, 13th century Edda, in English. Accessed Apr. 16, 2007
• Gylfaginning in Old Norse[3] Accessed Apr. 16, 2007.
• Marshall Jones Company (1930). Mythology of All Races Series, Volume 2 Eddic, Great Britain: Marshall Jones Company, 1930, pp. 220-221.

Other beliefs Some believe that elves are actually humans just genetically mutated. The are smarter in some ways, stronger, faster, and are basically just super human. Most of these elves are pagans.

Fairy Tales

• Anderson, H. C.. Hans Christian Andersen (ˈhanˀs ˈkʰʁæʂd̥jan ˈɑnɐsn̩ in Danish or simply H 1842. The Elf of the Rose (Danish original: Rosen-Alfen).
• Anderson, H. C. 1845. The Elfin Hill (Danish original: Elverhøi).
• Coghlan, Ronan. 2002. Handbook of Fairies.
• Lang, Andrew. For the former National Basketball Association player see Andrew Lang (basketball. 1884. The Princess Nobody.

See also

Concerning traditional elves:

• Álfar
• Álfheim
• Dark elves
• Erlking
• Ljósálfar
• Svartálfar

Related folklore creatures:

Brownie Demon Devil Dryad Dwarf Fairy Ghost Gnome Goblin Saci Huldra Haltija Iele Imp Lady of the Lake

Leprechaun Norse dwarves Nymph Orang Bunian Psotnik Puck Satan Sídhe Slavic fairies Sprites Sylph Tomte Troll Wight Yule Lads

Miscellaneous:

• Alfred (name) - from the Old English aelfraed, meaning "elf counsel"
• Elenari
• Fairytale
• Mythology
• Sir Orfeo (Medieval English poetry involving elves)

---

An elf is a creature of Norse mythology. The elves were originally imagined as a race of minor nature and fertility gods, who are often pictured as youthful-seeming Alfheim redirects here For other uses see Alfheim (disambiguation Álfheimr or Alfheim ( Elf-home) is the abode of the Dark elves (Old Norse Dökkálfar, usually called the Svartálfar "black elves" are known as a class of elves living underground in Old In German and Scandinavian folklore, an erlking is a mischievous or malevolent sprite. In Norse mythology, the light elves ( Old Norse: Ljósálfar) live in the Old Norse version of the heavens in the place called Álfheim In Norse mythology, the Svartálfar ("black elves" or Dökkálfar (" Dark elves " are supernatural beings (Old Norse " The Devil is the The DRYAD Numeral Cipher/Authentication System (KTC 1400 D is a simple paper Cryptographic system currently in use by the U DWARF is a widely used standardized Debugging data format. DWARF was originally designed along with ELF, although it is independent of Object file A fairy (also fay, fey, fae, faerie; collectively wee folk, good folk, people of peace, fair A ghost is said to be the apparition of a Deceased person frequently similar in appearance to that person and usually encountered in places she or he frequented A gnome is a Mythical creature characterized by its extremely small size and subterranean lifestyle A goblin is an evil crabby or Mischievous Creature of Folklore, often described as a grotesquely disfigured or Gnome -like phantom The Saci (IPA) is arguably the most popular character in Brazilian Folklore. Huldra is also the name of a witch in Sheri S Tepper 's The True Game series of novels Haltija (haltia is a Spirit, Gnome or Elf -like creature in Finnish mythology, that guards helps or protects something or somebody In Romanian mythology, the Iele are feminine Mythical creatures. An imp is a mythological being similar to a Fairy or Demon, frequently described in Folklore and Superstition. The Lady of the Lake is the name of several related characters who play integral parts in the Arthurian legend. In Irish mythology, a leprechaun (leipreachán Dvergar or Norse dwarves ( Old Norse dvergar, sing dvergr) are highly significant entities in Norse mythology, who associate In Greek mythology, a nymph is any member of a large class of mythological entities in human female form Orang Bunian are Supernatural beings in Malay Legends similar to Elves. Psotnik is an Elf, "mischief maker" in Polish mythology. Puck is a mythological Fairy or mischievous Nature Spirit. Puck is also a generalised personification of land spirits Satan, ( Standard Hebrew Satan'el, English accuser) is a term that originates from the Abrahamic faiths, being traditionally Fairies in Slavic mythology come in several forms and their names are spelled differently based on the specific language The term sprite is a broad term referring to a number of Preternatural Legendary creatures The term is generally used in reference to Elf -like creatures Sylph (also called sylphid) is a mythological creature in the Western tradition This article is about the mythical creature tomte For the band see Tomte (band. A troll is a fearsome member of a race of creatures from Norse mythology. Wight: from Old English word wiht, is a Middle English word used to describe a Creature or a living being The Yule Lads, or Yulemen (jólasveinarnir are figures from Icelandic Folklore who in modern times have become the Icelandic vector of Santa Claus. In English the meaning of the name Alfred is Sage wise elvin From the Old English Aelfraed meaning elf counsel Otherkin are a Subculture of people primarily Internet -based who identify in some way as other than Human. A fairy tale or fairy story is a fictional Story that may feature folkloric characters (such as fairies, enchantments]] often involving The word mythology (from the Greek grc μυθολογία mythología, meaning "a story-telling a legendary lore" Sir Orfeo is an anonymous Middle English narrative poem. It retells the story of Orpheus as a king rescuing his wife from the

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic