elves
Elves are magical, human-like beings from Germanic folklore and are especially common in Norse mythology. In early stories, they were seen as beautiful and powerful—sometimes helpful, sometimes harmful. In medieval times, elves were linked to gods, magic, illness, and seduction.
↻ synthesized from 7 sources
When
- First attested
- 0 CE
- Attested period
- 0 – 2020
- Historical notes
- Associated with Landvættir, dwarfs, and landdísir.
Relationships
- allied with
- Landvættir, dwarfs, landdísir
- co occurs with
- Kiṃpuruṣas, dusii, ùruisg, goayr heddagh, Deuadai, Pay(n), household gods, Helen of Troy, fairy folk, álfr, dwarfs, Glaistig, bócanach, leshy, Thor, Freyr, Odin, Jötunn
- syncretized with
- Engkanto, Orang Bunian
Mentioned by
Sources
Source passages
“Elves are magical, human-like beings from Germanic folklore and are especially common in Norse mythology.”
#7136 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“Landvættir have been variously connected by scholars to other beings believed to inhabit the land such as elves, dwarfs and landdísir, with which they were potentially identified at different points in history.”
#7247 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“In Germanic mythology, elves were also said to dance in woodland clearings and leave behind fairy rings. They were also thought to play pranks, steal horses, tie knots in people's hair, and steal children and replace them with changelings.”
#7401 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“What are our elves and fairies, goblins, nisses, brownies, and pixies but latter-day survivals of arkite ancestor worship?”
#9608 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“The plant traditionally was held to be associated with the elves and fairy folk.”
#40253 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001