Elf History

Elf history

Elf is non-human in old myth of Germanic (Scandinavia and Germany). The elves were originally thought of as a race of divine beings endowed with magical powers. Elf painting is described to a man or woman that look young and beautiful live in forest, cave, under world or spring. Believe that they have long live or immortal (In Lord of the ring elves are diligent and immortal race.)

Kind of Elf

From myth of Old Norse, is oldest story that elf appear. Norse call elf “álfar” (nominative singular álfr). However there is no evident but the name álfar is concern to local legend in German.

Some people are esteemed to be an elf after dead such as Olaf Geirstad-Elf. The smith hero Völundr is identified as 'Ruler of Elves' (vísi álfa) and 'One among the Elven Folk' (álfa ljóði), in the poem Völundarkviða, whose later introduction also identifies him as the son of a king of 'Finnar', an Arctic people respected for their shamanic magic. Thidrek's Saga is first time of love between elf and human. Human queen is pregnant with elf. In the saga of Hrolf Kraki a king named Helgi rapes and impregnates an elf-woman.

The Icelandic mythographer and historian Snorri Sturluson referred to dwarves (dvergar) as "dark-elves" (dökkálfar) or "black-elves" (svartálfar). Other elves are "light-elves" (ljósálfar), which has often been associated with elves' connection with Freyr, the god of fertility (according to Grímnismál, Poetic Edda). Snorri describes the elf differences as follows:

"There is one place there that is called the Elf Home (Álfheimr which is the elven city). People live there that are named the light elves (Ljósálfar). But the dark elves (Dökkálfar) live below in earth,in caves and the dark forest 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)

Elf in Scandinavian myth

Legend of Scandinavian mix legend between Norse and Christian, they call elf in different name. Elver in Danish, Alv in Norwegian, Alv (Alva) in Swedish. Elf from Norway is mean nonhuman that live in hole under world But in Denmark and Sweden mean elf is small pixie. (Be call älvor, alfer and "alf")

Elf in Germany

Original Elf in German middle-age is dark elf and dwaf under earth. In Christian age Elf is described to naughtily crowd bring illness to people and animal. Nightmare in German language is Albtraum mean Elf’s dream. Some of German legend that same as Scandinavian is Mara, awful Girl spirit cause nightmare beside it same to legend of incubi and succubi.

Elf in English

The elf makes many appearances in ballads of English and Scottish origin, as well as folk tales. The elf is occasionally portrayed in a positive light. There is no elf a spiritedly character with pixie-like qualities.

American Christmas Elf

In the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland the modern children's folklore of Santa Claus typically includes elves at Christmas; green-clad elves with pointy ears, long noses, and pointy hats as Santa's helpers. They make the toys in North Pole. In this portrayal, elves slightly resemble nimble and delicate versions of the dwarves of Norse mythology as well as the elves in English folktakes in the Victorian period.

The "Christmas elves" of contemporary popular culture were popularized during the 1870s

Thanks: Supernatural Dream Elf wallpapers