famous elves in norse mythology

Born of Loki and the Jtunn Angrboa, he is the brother of the great serpent, Jrmungandr, and queen of the underworld, Hel. The second time they visit Vlund kills them and hides their bodies under his bellows. The short narrative called Srla ttr, where the goddess Freyja sleeps with some dwarves in exchange for a magnificent collar, also states that they live in rocks or likely caves. Odin, Thor, and Freyr were among the most revered of all the gods; thus, they could be considered the three main deities. For example, a group of dwarfs known as the Sons of Ivaldi famously crafted Odin's spear Gungnir, the god Freyr's ship Skidbaldnir, and Sif's golden hair. The word "sharvara" means variegated or spotted. The fact that he has the looks of a serpent suggests a relationship to the earth, andThidrekssagaadds that he has learned the art of forging from the dwarves. Made famous by J. R. R. Tolkien, the dwarves and the elves originate from Norse Mythology. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. However, unlike current popular depictions, dwarves are never described as short in stature in the Poetic Edda. Some poems suggested certain burial mounds were haunted by the elves. 10 Most famous Norwegians throughout history. Books Included among the Jtunn are Hel, leader of the Underworld, and Ymir, the ambiguously gendered first being of all creation in Norse mythology. "Elves & Dwarves in Norse Mythology." Although historians have done their best to depict what elves might have looked like and symbolized in the Viking times, were still not entirely sure. In Norse mythology why do the light elves and dark elves hate each other? They bring it to the gods, together with the ring Draupnir, which drips nine other rings every ninth night, and Gullinborsti, a magic boar faster than any horse. From the serpent circling this world to the powerful horse of Odin, the list of Norse mythology creatures looks really interesting. Loki wagers his head with another dwarf called Brokk that he and his brother Eitri would not be able to make three objects as precious as these. Among the many names, we also find Norri, Suri, Austri, and Vestri north, south, east, and west, the ones holding the sky up. Men could be elevated to the rank of elves after death, such as king Olaf Geirstad-Elf. Generally, however, mostdvergarare male. They were identified as master craftsmen, and their works were greatly treasured. According to Norse mythology, the universe is composed of nine realms, one for each of the races of Norse beings: men, elves, gods, giants, dwarves, and more. Dwarves appear in several important stories, such as the one about the forging of Thors hammer, or dragon Fafnirs treasure. The best-known gods of the Norse pantheon are Aesir or live in Asgard: Odin, Thor, Loki, and Baldr. Thirdly, we have those characters from the story of Sigurd. Elf mythology also depicts these creatures as having strong connections with the Gods. The surviving literature about Viking elves and the origin of elves in the Nordic landscape is somewhat blurry. Not only do we pay for our servers, but also for related services such as our content delivery network, Google Workspace, email, and much more. Vanir were a race of gods responsible for wealth, fertility, and commerce. The dark elves, otherwise known as svartalfar, were less beautiful than their counterparts, and potentially more connected to evil and misdeeds. In legendary sagas, kings of elven blood seem to be of higher importance. Depicted as the mother of all wolves. It is fair to say that two of the best-known groups of Scandinavian mythical creatures are the dwarves and the elves. The medieval Icelandic author Snorri Sturluson, who wrote The Prose Edda, states that they came out of the primordial giant Ymirs flesh like maggots, and then the gods endowed them with reason. They had the power to spread disease, and cure illness, depending on the situation. Disturbingly, Thor cooks the goats and eats their flesh before resurrecting them again with his hammer. Even though arguments can be made for such a continuity in certain cases, it may be jeopardous to make general assumptions from only limited or specific instances. Another fallacy would be to assume that we always know what medieval concepts and terminology signify because we know what the same words were used to indicate during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, without ever examining their actual usage in the medieval sources. Very little is known of the elves in Norse myth. Regin, son of Hreidmar, acts as his foster father yet entices him to go on a quest that would trigger his impending doom. Table of Contents 1. The smith hero Vlundr is identified as 'Ruler of Elves' in the poem Vlundarkvia, who is the son of a king of the 'Finnar'. The gods and goddesses of Norse mythology include Odin, the chief god and god of war, wisdom, and poetry; Thor, the god of thunder and protector of humanity; Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility; and Loki, the trickster god and shape-shifter. Famous Giantesses in Norse Mythology. The runic inscription reads: "Hrvisl and Farbjrn and Gunnbjrn". Jrmungandrs most hated enemy is Thor. Dwarves and elves are some of the better-known Scandinavian mythological creatures, thanks in part to the growing popularity of books like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. She is taken in by Alf, prince of Denmark, and her son Sigurd turns out to be of extraordinary might and character. She appears in only one narrative in the Prose Edda. However, for pagan Northmen, the lines drawn between these creatures must have been much blurrier than it is for us. She is said to produce the clearest mead and that theres an everlasting amount. Related Content Scandification is a participant in Amazon Service LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated websites. Freya: Norse Goddess Who Was The Most Prominent Vlva. Trolls . The Anglo-Saxon poem Against a Dwarf is a charm supposed to cure an illness of some kind of trouble sleeping, a nightmare, "elf-dream" (Alptraum in German). The figure is present in Old English as early as the 8th century CE, probably spreading in Scandinavia a century later. In Norse mythology, Freya is a powerful goddess. The dwarves forge the strongest chain ever made, Gleipnir, to bind him. by William Reid. Freyr who is the brother of Freya became the ruler of their realm Alfheim (Old Norse: lfheimr). He tells him the story of his family and his two brothers, Fafnir and Otr, and how one day Odin, Loki, and Hoenir killed Otr in his otter shape. This is why poetry is sometimes called the dwarves drink. Before confessing, the elf makes him swear no harm will come to his bride, Bothvild that is, and the child she is carrying. They are commonly depicted in one of two different forms: Small nature spirits affiliated with the fairies. Elves & Dwarves in Norse Mythology. Beyond the powerful yet fickle gods of Norse mythology, the nose sagas provide us with countless tales of legendary creatures and beings that have captured the modern imagination. They have survived in modern folklore as part of thehluduflk, the hidden peoples. Fenrir, or He Who Dwells in the Marshes, is the most famous wolf in Norse mythology. They see the 700 rings on a rope but only take one. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. Then the dwarves invite a giant named Gilling and his wife. Dwarves appear in several important stories, such as the one about the forging ofThors hammer, or dragon Fafnirs treasure. Sif, Thors wife, has her hair cut off byLokias a prank. Looking for more great information on Norse mythology and religion? One day Nithuths sons come to the island to see the elfs great treasure. Stay tuned and well bring the essence of Scandinavia to you. The king takes Vlunds sword, his daughter receives the gold ring meant for Vlunds wife, and the queen speaks of his bad appearance and upcoming unhappiness of this creature or Myrkwood (a magical place also used by Tolkien). Grmnisml, stanza 5. Among the many names, we also find Norri, Suri, Austri, and Vestri north, south, east, and west, the ones holding the sky up. The sons of Ivaldi - the most skilled craftsmen There were four sons of Ivaldi, whose names meant bowman. Regarding the differences between all these supernatural creatures, scholar rmann Jakobsson adds: Notions of a continuity of Northern folk traditions [] are revived in every generation, with subtle changes, without having ever really gone out of fashion. Regin drinks Fafnirs blood and asks Sigurd to roast his heart for him to eat. Jules William Press is a small press devoted to publishing the best about the Viking Age, Old Norse, and the Atlantic and Northern European regions. These are the kind usually found in Celtic mythology. For example, they forged Mjollnir, Thors hammer, and the chains that bind Fenrir, who broke free of all others. Sharvara - one of the two dogs that guards the netherworld. The most famous elf was Wayland the Smith (Vlund in Old Norse, Wland in Anglo-Saxon, Wieland in German) whose story must have circulated in various versions across the whole Germanic space. (1801-1872), better known as Myllarguten, was a famous fiddle player from Telemark, Norway, who was so good it was rumored he had sold his soul in exchange for Fossegrimmen . There is perhaps no Norse god more famous and beloved than Thor, the protector of Asgard (the realm of the gods) and Midgard (the realm of humankind). The race of dwarves, down to a character named Lofar, leaves the mountains for a new home, but this story is unexplained. Daniel McCoy 2012-2019. This spirit motivates all of our publications, as we expand our catalogue to include Viking archaeology and history, as well as Scandinavian historical fiction and our Saga Series. Hildr: Hildr was the name of a Valkyrie in the Norse legend. There are many other gods, monster and creatures that inhabit the 9 worlds. The sir are the main gods in Norse mythology and live in Asgard. Influenced by later folklore and popular culture, we tend to think about elves, dwarves, and many other supernatural beings as having certain characteristics which makes them very easily identifiable. Perhaps the god Freyr, connected to prosperity and good harvest, had something in common with them, as the poem Grmnisml suggests that the realm of the light-elves, Alfheim, has been given to him. Instead, the Vanir were linked to the earthly plane and were gods of harvest . ai thinker esp32 cam datasheet The elven sacrifice that the poet Sigvat briefly comments on in his poemAustrfararvsurmight have been a feast related to good harvest and ancestor worship. The art of prophecy was a divine gift that the Norse goddess Freya taught Odin and the Aesir, Norse gods associated with war, magic, and the sky. The Ljosalfar, on the other hand, were radiantly beautiful and were considered the same as the gods. It is implied that they are shorter by the use of the phrase dvergrofvoxt, short like a dwarf. Another name in the list, Dvalin, is credited in another poem of the Poetic Edda, the Hvaml, with having given some magic runes to his kin, which perhaps explains their skills (stanza 144). 6. The elves in Norse mythology were called the lfar and were believed to cause illness, have strong magic, and be very beautiful. Anyhow, both Regin and Fafnir succumb to their greediness, allowing the glittering gold to overcome their judgment. Dwarves appear in several important stories, such as the one about the forging of Thor 's hammer, or dragon Fafnir's treasure. Moreover, he too describes the dwarves as Durins folk. There is a theory that the Vikings and other Germanic peoples would change out their supreme deities. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[120,600],'planetnorway_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_12',163,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-planetnorway_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[120,600],'planetnorway_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_13',163,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-planetnorway_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0_1');.mobile-leaderboard-1-multi-163{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:15px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:15px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:600px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia. As he is doing this, Nithuth hears about his whereabouts and sends his men to Vlunds hall when he is away. They were very different. Unlike various other creatures taken from the Nordic landscape, Elves in Norse mythology are still relatively mysterious and confusing. The Volsunga saga was written in the 13th century CE, and it makes use of plenty of supernatural motifs. The Eagle is Odin's animal and associated with him. Lets take a closer look at elves in Norse mythology. License. In the introduction, Vlund is presented as a son of king Finni, possibly a reference to inhabitants of Lapland associated with magic in Norse sagas. For a long time, views about elves in Old Norse mythology were defined by Snorri Sturluson's . Originally from Bucharest, Romania, now residing in Hesse, Germany. A Hamingja is a kind of female guardian spirit with a similar connection to a person as their fylgja. 1 Thor Long before he became a Hollywood character, Thor was a mighty hammer wielding god of thunder and lightning, a symbol of strength and a protector of mankind. The elves are luminous beings, more beautiful than the sun,[2] whose exalted status is demonstrated by their constantly being linked with the Aesir and Vanir gods in Old Norse and Old English poetry. DovregubbenThe troll king in Peer Gynt. jim martin death couples massage class san diego beaver falls football famous bears in norse mythology. After they kill him, they drain his blood, mix it with honey, and thus concoct the mead of poetry, the enchanted liquid that will turn anyone into a talented skald. Elves ( lfar) and dwarves ( dvergar) have in common their talent for creating precious objects, skill, agility, and moral ambiguity. Fenrir is also destined to kill Odin, whereas Odins son Varr will then turn around and slay him. Given their ability to produce exquisite objects and their knowledgeable, somewhat enchanted nature, we could suppose elves and dwarves occupied an intermediary place between gods and men. The stories that make up what is known today as Norse mythology Old Norse-Icelandic Literature: A Short Introduction, Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. [2] Snorri Sturluson. Technically, although the word Aesir refers only to multiple male gods, we use it today to refer to the entire pantheon of . Because depictions of elves in Norse mythology are somewhat scarce, its difficult to know for certain what they were considered to look like. Before the adventures of Sigurd, thesagadeals with the power struggles of Sigurds ancestors. We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. Brands from Sweden: What are the most famous Swedish brands? In Old Norse: The earliest preserved descriptions of elves comes from Norse mythology. The reason ravens might have become such an important symbol was that as carrion birds, they could be considered to be gathering gifts for Odin after a battle. The Old Norse word "gard" means enclosure or fortress. Enraged by these mischievous acts, Suttung, the couples son seizes Fjalar and Galar but receives as compensation the magic mead. Start typing to see results or hit ESC to close. Regin drinks Fafnirs blood and asks Sigurd to roast his heart for him to eat. Another fallacy would be to assume that we always know what medieval concepts and terminology signify because we know what the same words were used to indicate during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, without ever examining their actual usage in the medieval sources. Some turn into animals, for example, the aforementioned Fafnir from the legend of the clan of the Volsungs (related to the continental cycle of Nibelungs), Andvari who lives like a fish, and Otr, which means quite literally an otter, from the same story. These messages go between Verflnir, the eagle who lives in the high branches on top, and Nidhggr, who gnaws on the roots below. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. Valkyries are Odins female spirits, flying maidens who ferry the slain on the battlefield to Valhalla. One day Nithuths sons come to the island to see the elfs great treasure. Thor compels him to answer his questions to prove his skill after the dwarf states that he was promised his daughter Throdr, and irritates him by calling him a vagrant due to his lack of refinement. 6. The story concludes with Bothvild confirming Vlunds sayings and the flight of the elf. In the poem Ffnisml of the Poetic Edda, the dragon killed by the legendary hero Sigurd mentions that some of the Norns, the deities who have the gift of prophecy and decide the fates of all, are from the family of Dvalin. Heidrun is a mythical goat described in both the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda. The huldra or hulder may sound rugged and masculine but they are actually exceptionally fair female mystical beings in Norse mythology. They see the 700 rings on a rope but only take one. They can live in soil or in rocks. Some scholars believe the Dkklfar may simply be another name for dwarves. Elves occasionally also were benevolent and helpful. Sif, Thors wife, has her hair cut off by Loki as a prank. Asgard is depicted as a celestial city of high towers surrounded by a great wall. Elves ( lfar) and dwarves ( dvergar) have in common their talent for creating precious objects, skill, agility, and moral ambiguity. Its especially hard to discern the boundary that distinguishes the elves from the Vanir gods and goddesses. It could be an interesting change of perspective now for those of your who rewatch Lord of the Rings, to imagine what Legolas would look like if he were more similar to Gimli. Asgard - Realm of the Aesir travelling between worlds on the bifrost 4. What many don't realise is that most of these creatures are heavily influenced by Norse mythology. In fact, it was said that they used terrible magic to ensure this from time to time during major conflicts. The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. Hamingja can also appear as animals but differ from the fylgja in their different roles throughout ones life. Clovis is famous for being the first Germanic king to convert to Christianity. Details on their origin are found in the creation poemVlusp, the first poem of thePoeticEdda, the 13th-century CE collection of Norse poems. When they get to the task in their workshop, Loki in the form of a fly starts troubling Brokk, but he keeps blowing in the forge. In stanza 9, the gods gather and decide who should lead the dwarves out of Brimirs blood and the legs of Blain (Hildebrand, 16), two names possibly synonymous withYmiror his flesh.SNORRI MAKES A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIGHT-ELVES WHO LIVE IN A SPLENDID PLACE CALLED ALFHEIM & DARK-ELVES (SVARTLFAR) FROM THE GROUND. Watch artist Sam Flegal draw a Light Elf from Viking Lore while he discusses the history of the Light Elve. Ultimately, then, their veneration lasted longer than even that of the gods. The Aesir were connected to the celestial plane and were gods of war, courage, and natural elements. . if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[120,600],'planetnorway_com-narrow-sky-2','ezslot_19',165,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-planetnorway_com-narrow-sky-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[120,600],'planetnorway_com-narrow-sky-2','ezslot_20',165,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-planetnorway_com-narrow-sky-2-0_1');.narrow-sky-2-multi-165{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:15px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:15px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:600px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. All rights reserved. Asgard is perhaps the most famous of all of the Nine Worlds. Associated with Canis Major. The Valkyries on the Battlefield. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Before confessing, the elf makes him swear no harm will come to his bride, Bothvild that is, and the child she is carrying. Norse mythology. Freya. Nidhggr, therefore, is trying to make the cosmos fall into chaos along with the other dragons. He, therefore, decides to kill his foster-father, eat some of the heart, and take much of the treasure. Even today, with various interpretations of Old Norse texts to work from, we dont know much about the purpose of the elves, or what they were responsible for in Viking myth. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'planetnorway_com-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_14',170,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-planetnorway_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0'); Her diet of buds is carefully controlled to keep this relationship going and provide for the warriors at the hall. This piece of information indicated that the Norse story had a southern inspiration. Vlund makes the princess her lover, who then weeps for her partner who manages to escape the island. [7] Humans and elves can interbreed and produce half-human, half-elfin children, who often have the appearance of humans but possess extraordinary intuitive and magical powers. She eats the buds off the tree Lrar, producing so much mead that she fills a huge cauldron every day to provide her magical drink for all the warriors of Valhalla. In one story, the dwarf Andvari is described as being from Svartlfar, a realm for the elves. Ivaldi: Two dwarfs called the 'sons of Ivaldi' make three great treasures for the gods. Odin's famous hall of Valhalla, where his throne may have been located, is in Asgard. Manea, Irina-Maria. She is most famous for licking the salt stone that revealed Bri, grandfather of the gods. They dwell underground in Svartalfheim, the home of the black elves, living in a vast labyrinth of mines and forges. Elves were believed to be both beautiful and magical beings . Thor asks what the earth is called, the clouds, the wind, the sea, the fire, and so on. View more posts, You can now buy the audio pronunciation albums for Viking Language 1 in our store! Wanting to test it, Sigurd begins to understand the speech of birds who talk about Regins plans to slay Sigurd. Dwarves appear in several important stories, such as the one about the forging of Thor 's hammer, or dragon Fafnir's treasure. The second time they visit Vlund kills them and hides their bodies under his bellows. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1695/elves--dwarves-in-norse-mythology/. In the legends, Norse dwarves are most famous for being highly skilled artisans and smiths. Upon coming home, the master of elves (stanza 13) notices the missing one, thinking his wife Hervor has returned. . As a result, many Vikings may have associated the elves with the concepts of life, death, and wellbeing. The elves have been described as being more beautiful than the sun. DunkerTroll depicted in a folktale from Fosen. World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. Talented smiths as they are, their creative power can turn against them. Thus Sigurd, after avenging his father first, accepts the challenge and stabs Fafnir in the heart while laying in a ditch he digs underneath, following Odins advice. TrymThe king of giants in Jotunheimen region. Norse Mythology for kids: Illustrated Myths of Gods, Goddesses, Giants Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. There are a number of dogs in Hindu mythology. Unlike the elves in general, which commonly stay outside of the spotlight in Norse mythology, there are many dwarves featured in Viking lore. Theres more to the story than that, as their name means choosers of the slain, which implies they determine who will die in battle. Dwarves are described as pitch-black in complexion in Norse mythology. Interestingly, Elves in Norse mythology are often differentiated into various groups. Tales of their magical powers are also numerous, with some draugr shapeshifting, entering into dreams, and creating darkness in their surroundings. The relationship between Norway and the Euro. In norse mythology the Gods Odin and his brothers, Vili, and Ve, created the world we live in out of the body of Ymir. The final group are the inhabitants of Svartalfaheim, called Svartalfar or Black elves, however, the context . Also, it is said that If a dwarf stays above ground after daybreak, they turn to stone. Their children were said to have the appearance of a normal human but had the magical powers and intuition of an elf. The name translates into English as the stronghold/enclosure of Aesir, the principal gods in Norse religion. Each case must instead be judged on its own merit. Does Norway use the Euro? GeirrdA jtunn and father of giantesses Gjalp and Greip. The most famous elf was Wayland the Smith (Vlund in Old Norse, Wland in Anglo-Saxon, Wieland in German) whose story must have circulated in various versions across the whole Germanic space. These creatures are also described as being fairer than the sun, which is perhaps what inspired creators like J R.R. Ive also written a popular list of The 10 Best Norse Mythology Books, which youll probably find helpful in your pursuit. This is further enhanced by the connections Nordic elves had with nature. However, the Norse people viewed elves as creatures with strong connections to the Gods, the evolution of humanity, and the cycle of life and death. In some tales such as rlfr bgiftr (Thorolf Twist-Foot), the draugr possess a kind of transmission of their undead qualities, turning others they attack into draugr. Remember, Norse mythology is about mythical creatures, including Kraken, Norns, elves, dwarves, and giants. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,100],'planetnorway_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_0',147,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-planetnorway_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Elves in Norse mythology are split into two different types: The Dkklfar (Dark Elves) and the Ljslfar (Light Elves). And just as recognizable as his Viking warrior facade is his trusted hammer, Mjolnir. Top section of a runestone found at Sanda, Gotland, Sweden, dating to the Viking Age (793-1066 CE). Tired of his wifes weeping, they drop a millstone on her head. Talented smiths as they are, their creative power can turn against them. [8][9] Humans can apparently become elves after death, and there was considerable overlap between the worship of human ancestors and the worship of the elves.[10][11]. 1964. ucla environmental science graduate program; four elements to the doctrinal space superiority construct; woburn police scanner live. Egil is also the one compelled by Nithuth to shoot at Vlund, but not before hiding a bladder filled with blood under his arm so that the king believes his enemy is killed. "Elves & Dwarves in Norse Mythology." TheLay of Vlunddoes not explain how he manages to fly away, but we can draw on another source to infer that. [3] The lines between elves and other spiritual beings such as the gods, giants, dwarves, and land spirits are blurry, and it seems unlikely that the heathen Germanic peoples themselves made any cold, systematic distinctions between these various groupings. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Our mission is to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. The Old Norse Language and How to Learn It, The Swastika Its Ancient Origins and Modern (Mis)use. Thor asks what the earth is called,the clouds, the wind, the sea, the fire, and so on. World History Encyclopedia. Her name means hornless, milk-rich cow.. The boy is taken on as one of Thors servants. Of these, the gods and the giants figure most prominently in Viking myths and legends. She was the Goddess of love. Ljsalfar, light elves & Dkkalfar, dark elves. Dvergar can shapeshift and sometimes get quite vicious. Even though arguments can be made for such a continuity in certain cases, it may be jeopardous to make general assumptions from only limited or specific instances. Dark elves live underground and have a dark complexion, said to be blacker than pitch. They are said to act quite differently from the light elves. Two wicked dwarves named Fjalar and Galar come up in the story of the mead of poetry. Another one of Odins helper spirits, Odin rides Sleipnir on his journeys through Yggdrasils roots and branches, leading him through the nine worlds. Medical texts, possibly under Christian influence, see them rather negatively, as demons. Role: Principal clan of Norse gods. In theSkldskaparml(Language of poetry), Snorri tells us this tale as an answer to the question of why Sifs hair is calledgold. The draugr were undead creatures, stronger than humans and possessing the ability to increase their size and to shapeshift. One visitor, King Alf, slayed the creatures and attempted to marry Alfhild. Light elves are tall, slender beings who are said to be fairer than the sun. This is one example of an ouroboros, a popular motif. To complicate things even more, Snorri makes a difference between light-elves who live in a splendid place called Alfheim and dark-elves (svartlfar) from the ground, who might be the same as or related to dwarves.

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