It can appear as a dwarf creature typically having green clothes and hair, living underground or in stone heaps, and characteristically exercising magic powers to benevolent ends; as a diminutive sprite commonly in the shape of a . [56][57] John Lindow noted that stanza 10 of the Poetic Edda poem Vlusp can be read as describing the creation of human forms from the earth and follows a catalogue of dwarf names; he suggests that the poem may present Ask and Embla as having been created by dwarfs, with the three gods then giving them life. Beyond Svama, the named dyrgja in jalar-Jns saga, the only other explicitly named dwarf woman in saga literature is the daughter of Sindri in orsteins saga Vkingssonar, Herrr. Daniel McCoy 2012-2019. J.R.R. In the Norse belief system, valkyries were supernatural women who determined who lived and died on the battlefield. These days, Draugen is commonly associated with anything dark and mystical about the sea. Some legendary and romance sagas diverge from this, with dwarfs acting friendlily and helpfully, however, this is attributed to their lateness and likely do not represent perceptions that predate Christianisation. They played no part in Homeric and Classical Greece but flourished in imperial Rome, where slave children were sometimes stunted to increase their price. Being southerners, they generally were of shorter stature than northern Europeans and had darker skin, hair, and beards. There is a story of a man who once ran from Draugen and into a churchyard, where he shouted for the spirits of the dead to protect him. Perhaps they originate in real people, those suffering from dwarfism, or simply people from distant lands with different appearance and skills. He is, in Norwegian tradition, described as a dark monster with his eyes just above the surface, watching as people walk by. The Edda, a textbook about Norse mythology written in the 13th century by the Icelander Snorri Sturluson, claims that the valkyries served drinks to fallen warriors in Valhalla. They were originally maggot-like creatures who grew in Ymirs dead flesh until the gods gave them the gift of reason. Naal i vatn. fairy, also spelled faerie or faery, a mythical being of folklore and romance usually having magic powers and dwelling on earth in close relationship with humans. In European folklore, dwarf-like earth spirits called gnomes guarded underground treasures. In Slavic mythology, the Kikimora is a legendary monster creature that is represented as a female house spirit. Published on January 18, 2021. They are often depicted as having a low affinity for most magical abilities and/or a resistance to magic. For more information, please see our They are famed miners and smiths, although, like humans, they specialize in any number of trades. Keep reading for explanations of the differences . Fafnir and Regin killed their father for the cursed ring Andvarinaut. The first detailed description was made by the Danish writer and biologist Erik Pontoppidan in 1752. In Ynglingatal, it is told how King Sveigder is lured into a stone by a dwarf. Regin is the son of Hreidmar and he has two brothers, Otr and Fafnir. Otr is the son of Hreidmar, Otr has two brothers Regin and Fafnir. And Regin then planned to kill Sigurd afterward, but the birds warned Sigurd, what Regin was about to do and killed Regin first. The publics fascination with dwarfs continued into the 19th century. Dwarves are short and human-like beings who originate from Norse mythology. [77] Despite the Christian elements in the Wi Dweorh charms, such as the saints called upon for help, their foundations likely lie in a shared North-Sea Germanic tradition that includes inscribed runic charms such as those found in Ribe and Norfolk. On the whole, however, much of the modern view of dwarves is influenced by Tolkeins combination of popular folklore and Norse legends. According to ancient Irish myth, Enbarr was a mythological horse who could take to both land and water. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. They were small people, often pictured as little men with long beards, who were master smiths, and made the swords, shields, and armor for the gods themselves. [7] Turville-Petre, E.O.G. In Gods and Creatures by SkjaldenJune 1, 2011. The also created the goddess Freyas magnificent necklace Brisingamen. There were trolls of all kinds in the old tales, some living in the high mountains, in castles carved out of the stone, in deep forests, and some even by the shore. In early literary sources, only males are explicitly referred to as dwarfs, although they are described as having sisters and daughters, while both male and female dwarfs feature in later saga literature and folklore. ). Hreidmar demanded to get enough gold to cover the dead otters pelt and fill its insides. In fact, the names of some dwarves imply that they are exceptionally large rather than shorter than the average human. These dwarves burrow deep inside mountains, being very skilled miners, and create entire civilizations underground. Required fields are marked *. [58], In Eddic and some saga sources, rather than being exchanged, items of value move from dwarfs to others, often through extortion. [75] A similar inscription dating between the 8th and 11th century is found on a lead plaque discovered near Fakenham in Norfolk, which reads "dead is dwarf" (Old English: dead is dwerg), and has been interpreted as another example of a written charm aiming to rid the ill person of the disease, identified as a dwarf. Stories of dwarves may have a historical background: During the Bronze Age, tin miners from southern and south-eastern Europe slowly migrated northwest, since the relatively rare tin, which is needed to make bronze, was more common in the north. Some stories portray them as old hags and others depict them as young maidens or middle-aged women. From memory: A dwarven child belongs to the social caste of the parent of the same gender, and this can effectively raise the social class of a female dwarf if they have a male child with a noble; your sister is pregnant . Dwarfs were of various types, all of small stature, some being no more than 18 inches (45 cm) high and others about the height of a two-year-old child. The Prose Edda. The alternate plural, dwarves, has been recorded in the early eighteenth century, but was not generally accepted until used by philologist J. R. R. Tolkien in his fantasy novel, The Hobbit. After reading some examples of dwarf names, also check female dwarf names and dwarf last names. 7. The typical fantasy dwarf is, like the original dwarves, short in stature, long-bearded and skilled at mining and metallurgy. In The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien gives many of the dwarves names taken directly from the Norse Eddas. Out of the limited information that we have about a character, its name holds the prime spot. Lit hereby gained immortality in Norse mythology, by being burned to ashes along with Baldur and his wife Nanna. Accounts of dwarfs vary significantly throughout history; however, they are commonly, but not exclusively . Ymir in Norse Mythology: Meaning, Family Tree, Symbols, & Death, The Boston Massacre: The American Revolution, Fenrir in Norse Mythology Origins, Family, Meaning, & Power, Thors identity across different mythologies, Ragnark in Norse Mythology: Meaning, Summary, & Cause, Although the male dwarfs are the ones usually mentioned in Norse mythology, there existed female dwarfs as well. Other characteristics of dwarves include long (but mortal) life, antipathy to Elves and distrust to other races. Alfrigg, Berling, Dvalin, and Grerr are the four dwarves, who made the Brisingamen for the Goddess Freya. Afra is an Arabic female dwarf name that means "the color shade of the earth". Alfrigg, Berling, Dvalin and Grerr: Alfrigg, Berling, Dvalin, and Grerr are the four dwarves, who made the Brisingamen for the Goddess Freya. Made famous by J. R. R. Tolkien, the dwarves and the elves originate from Norse Mythology. p. 234. 4 (Dec., 1929) (pp. The Scandinavian words for Nightmare are Norwegian Mareritt, Danish Mareridt, Swedish Mardrm, which directly translated means Mare-ride and Mare-dream. A similar plot occurs in the fragmentary poem Goldemar. [4] Regarding his use of this plural, Tolkien wrote in 1937, "I am afraid it is just a piece of private bad grammar, rather shocking in a philologist; but I shall have to go with it. Accounts of dwarfs vary significantly throughout history; however, they are commonly, but not exclusively, presented as living in mountains or stones and being skilled craftsmen. Yet, most of the oral traditions involved humans encountering dwarfs. The contemporary English spelling comes from the Old English dweorg or dweorh.[1]. So, Cheery Littlebottom from Discworld is the only one I can name. It was a time when people feared nature because we were becoming more industrialized. Hlfdan's brother later gives the child a gold ring to atone for the harm and is rewarded by the father, once more in a dream. According to Vladimir Orel, the English noun and its cognates ultimately descend from Proto-Germanic *dwergaz. This interpretation is paralleled in Wi Dweorh XCIIIb (Against a Dwarf XCIIIb) in which a harmful dwarf's sister is called to prevent him from causing an afflicted person's illness. [79][80] In the case of dwarfs, this association has continued in places into the modern period such as in the Norwegian words dvergskot or dvergskott which refer to an 'animal disease' and translate literally as 'dwarfshot'.[23][81]. In orsteins saga Vkingssonar, this family love is extended to the human Hlfdan who develops a fostering relation with the dwarf Litr, likely with Hlfdan as the foster son. From Who Were the Valkyries in Norse Mythology. Du sk, k flyt! was a riddle for protection, meaning: Nyk! Many names listed for the dwarves also give credence to the idea that they were closely related to the elves. The Dragon Age: Origins intro story for dwarfs did a good job covering their culture and gender relations in that setting. This page was last edited on 12 April 2023, at 17:50. [5][6] Another potential synonym is dkklfar ('dark elves'); however, it is unclear whether svartlfar and dkklfar were considered the same at the time of the writing of the Prose Edda. The forests, mountains, and sea all seemed strange, dark, and magic, and because of that, we are now left with evil spirits and monsters who represent our own way of seeing nature. In old times, the Kraken was said to be in the shape of a huge crab, the size of an island, and many sailors and fishermen found themselves stranded on an island that had not been there minutes before. In contrast, Snorri describes dkklfar (which are typically identified as dwarfs) as "blacker than pitch". The dwarves are most often noted for being extremely skilled smiths and craftspeople. According to Skldskaparml, due to the role of dwarfs in crafting the drink, poetry can be referred to by kennings such as "the Billow of the Dwarf-Crag", "Thought's Drink of the Rock-Folk", "the Drink of Dvalinn", "the Dwarves' ship" and the "Ale of the Dwarves". This combination of traits set the standard for how dwarves are depicted in modern media. In Gods and Creatures by SkjaldenJune 1, 2011. Seen as minor or lesser beings, the dwarves eventually came to be thought of as physically smaller and less attractive. [29] Dwarf names in Eddic sources include Fullangr ('tall enough') and Hr ('high'), however, the terms are ambiguous and do not necessarily mean the dwarfs were conceived of as tall relative to a human. Cookie Notice Maybe female protagonists that are short, heavily built and have beards are not appealing? Another origin might go back to hunter-gatherer times, when perhaps only those with physical defects would be available to do anything other than hunting and gathering. Medieval myths depicted gnomes as creatures resembling little old men, often with hunched over backs. He is a beautiful young man in Swedish tradition, tricking women into jumping into the water and then drowning them. Cosette (French origin) meaning "tiny or little". Mare is a female Vette who gives people bad dreams at night by sitting on them in their sleep. The character of Alviss seems to have more in common with the usual depiction of a troll than of a dwarf. Instead, the title could have been another name for the dwarves. Thor, as he was prone to do . He is huge and monster-like and covered in seaweed, rowing in half a boat. Instead, it was added by later writers who had been introduced to Judeo-Christian concepts of angels and demons. The legend of Leshy says that he can appear in different sizes (as a dwarf or even as a giant) and . While his brother Fafnir was cursed by the ring Andvarenaut and ended up turning himself into a dragon. In Das Lied vom Hrnen Seyfrid, Siegfried is aided by the dwarf Eugel, who is son of the dwarf king Nibelung, originator of the Nibelung's treasure. A Dwarf is a creature from Germanic mythologies, fairy tales, fantasy fiction, and role-playing games. No one really knows what the word dwarf and its cognates originally meant, but theres no indication that it had anything to do with a small stature, a characteristic which is never mentioned in ancient descriptions of these beings. A prime example of this is the tale of how Thor got his hammer in the Skldskaparml of the Poetic Edda. They are similar to the dwarves of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, which they largely started out as a homage to, and dwarfs/dwarves in other fantasy novels. It was employed by Tolkien for some time before 1917. Kvasir, for example, was murdered by two dwarves who brewed his blood into the Mead of Poetry after he was invited to their home as a guest. The dwarves lived in their own part of Midgard, a place no human could find. It is said that Adam and Eve had many children and that one day, when Eve was bathing her children, God came to visit. Fafnir decided that he wanted the ring for himself, so he turned into a dragon and scared Regin away. They were most often described as living underground and were known to be great metalsmiths and inventors. Thor was as always hot-tempered and kicked Lit, into the flames of the funeral ship. Some are even given the cosmological function of holding the dome of the sky aloft, certainly not a job for a three-foot-tall creature. The primary role of the dwarves in Norse mythology is to craft unusual or magical objects for the gods. [44] In later German folklore, the Zwergknig ('Dwarf King') is a tiny being but is capable of becoming enormously tall at will. p. 81. It has been proposed this may be because narratives typically centre on the gods rather than dwarfs and that female dwarfs were not conceived of as of great relevance to the gods, given their primary interest in obtaining goods from dwarfs, which does not depend on their gender. Dwarves have made appearances in European stories and folklore for centuries. In Ynglingatal stanza 2 and the accompanying prose in the Ynglinga saga, a dwarf lures King Sveigir into an open stone which closes behind them, whereupon he is never seen again. Many dwarves in the stories are villainous characters. Pairs or groups of brothers are seen relatively abundantly in Eddic contexts, as with the sons of valdi, and Fjalarr and Galarr. They were fair and beautiful and commonly seen as peaceful creatures. Living below ground, particularly with the hot forges associated with metalsmithing, they were seen as demonic in comparison to the near-godly elves. Madeline Miller and Rebecca Caprara reexamine the women of Greek mythology : NPR's Book of the Day Today's episode starts with a familiar feeling - the way your heart drops when a book character . Fossegrimmen, or just Grim (Foss is Norwegian for Waterfall), is a water-creature. [70], The term 'dweorg' can be used in Old English texts to describe an illness; it is commonly used in medical texts derived from Greek or Latin sources, where it is used to gloss symptoms such as fever. They looked back in time to rediscover their old myths and legends, folklore which had been forgotten because of the coming of Christianity. he also has a foster son named Sigurd. In Irish mythology, Elln Trechend is a three-headed beast. In the universe of The Elder Scrolls, "dwarves" (or Dwemer) are presented as a race of subterranean elves, whose culture was centred around science and engineering, that differs from Tolkiens conceptualisation, in that they are not particularly short, and are extinct. Household dwarfs were kept by the early pharaohs of Egypt and still abounded at the courts of the Ptolemies. While some aspects of these depictions are true to the old myths, the Norse likely thought of dwarves as more similar to elves than most modern audiences would expect. He teaches humans how to play if they secretly brought him a stolen piece of meat. The dark elves, or dwarves, came to be seen as aligned with evil because of this. Mallet, Paul Henri: Northern Antiquities; London, 1847 (p. In another legend a dwarf called Alviss seeks to marry Thors daughter. The origin of dwarves in Norse mythology is linked to a rather famous Old Norse tale. . Christopher Tolkien (ed. [36], In the early Old Norse sources, dwarfs are typically described vaguely, with no reference to them being particularly small; in the legendary sagas and later folklore, however, they are often described as being short. 939-967). [86][87][88], The emergence of fantasy video games has led to differing depictions and interpretations of dwarfs. [32] In skaldic and Eddic sources, it has been noted that their roles are what define them rather than their physical appearance, which has no great relevance. However, German dwarfs do not seem able to speak human language. While many of them are featured in extant myths of their own, many others have come down to us today only as names in various lists provided for the benefit of skalds or poets of the medieval period and are included here for the purpose of completeness. Though slow runners and poor riders, dwarves are said to be excellent warriors and defenders of their strongholds. Both The Hill Man at the Dance and The Dwarfs Feast tells of a dwarf presenting a human with an allegorical treasure, while The Dwarf Stealing Corn and The Dwarf Borrowing Bread are anecdotal stories that revolve around their mischievous behavior.[4]. [46], The inscription on the 8th century Ribe skull fragment has been interpreted by some scholars as explicitly referring to a dvergynju ('female-dwarf') that may have been believed to have been causing harm to the user of the fragment. Some were troll-like villains like Alviss, while others were industrious inventors like the sons of Ivaldi. The dwarves also fabricated a certain kind of helmet, called hulishjlmr (concealing helmet), or sometimes a cloak, with which they could make themselves invisible. Updates? [4] They turn to stone if exposed to the rays of the sun.[5]. in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. [43], Diversity in appearance is not only seen between dwarfs throughout time and region but also with individual dwarfs, who can be capable of changing their shape and size, such as in Reginsml, in which the dwarf Andvari lived as a pike in the water due to curse from a Norn, however, could also take on a human-like shape. They could be heard moving about the lower levels and were sometimes seen by miners, who took care to placate them by gifts of food. Torgeir Augundsson (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 Fossegrimmens skills. In contrast, female dwarfs seek to possess the male hero in the legends. But how were they really depicted in Norse mythology? A long-standing enmity between Dwarves and Elves is also a staple of the racial conception. Dwarf (folklore), a being from Germanic mythology and folklore Dwarf, a person or animal with dwarfism; Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities. So it is said in the Vlusp: In Norse mythology dwarves are mostly seen as selfish, greedy, and cunning. [26] Anglian folklore tells that one can hear a forge from within a mound and feel furnace fires under the earth, while in Switzerland, the heat can be attributed to the underground kitchens of dwarfs. It has been suggested that this would imply that dwarfs could be very tall, however, it has been noted that the sky could have been conceived of as being close to the earth at the horizon. While their metalworking and names were Norse, however, some details were more in line with later Germanic folklore. The dwarfs Eggerich and Baldung play a role in aiding Dietrich in the poem Sigenot: Baldung gives Dietrich a magical gem that prevents him from being bitten when thrown into a snake pit, whereas Eggerich helps Dietrich and Hildebrand escape. This was translated into being physically lesser, leading to their distinctive stunted stature. 6 . [3], German dwarfs are more mysterious than the others. Maybe the very male-centric nature of dwarves is what's holding them back? . He erupts a terrible scream when he appears, and legend has it he can be seen during stormy nights at sea, drowning sailors and fishermen and sinking their boats and ships. Instead, the difference between Alfheim and Svartalfheim is often interpreted as a light world on the surface and a dark world below ground. But older sources, which are closer to what the Vikings thought and believed, usually emphasize the valkyries warlike aspects and their agency over life and death. It nonetheless appears to have been recognised as a dwarf, however that may have been due to its behaviour as opposed to its physical appearance. The poem, Dwarfs in Norse mythology were sometimes associated with the death and the underworld. Some modern writers have challenged the long-established view of the dwarves. Alfrigg, Berling, Dvalin and Grerr: Alfrigg, Berling, Dvalin, and Grerr are the four dwarves, who made the Brisingamen for the Goddess Freya. The troll comes from Norse Mythology, inspired by the cruel giants who were the main enemies of the gods, known as jotner/jotuner/jtunn, who lived in the mountains of Utgard. This female spirit in Irish folklore heralds the death of a family member by wailing at nightfall. Others were more friendly with the gods, and at least one beautiful goddess is said to have had a dwarven parent. Their knowledge of metallurgy might have seemed magical to the northerners, whose lifestyle was still neolithic; the southerners' superior weapons and armor might well have been perceived as enchanted. [25] These craftsmen can be referred to explicitly as dwarfs or terms that describe their roles such as Swedish: bergsmed ('mountain smith'). [2] Snorri Sturluson. It has its roots in Appendix A of J.R.R. Dwarfs are common in modern fantasy sub-culture and fairy tales. Some scholars have proposed that female dwarfs were not believed to exist, however they are likely attested in charms dating to the early medieval period and are explicitly described in later saga material. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the tsars and noblemen of Russia kept innumerable dwarfs. In orsteins saga Vkingssonar and Egils saga einhenda ok smundar berserkjabana, central characters help these children and are rewarded in return by the father with treasures. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed. The dwarves were a race of creatures known in many Germanic cultures. (For the physiology of dwarf human beings, see dwarfism. Some folklorists believe that the dwarves came to be seen as a lesser type of being. He was killed by Loki because he thought he was a real otter. She is a common belief in Germanic folklore and appears in many different shapes. He is a young, handsome man who sits naked under waterfalls, playing the fiddle. Lindow, John: Handbook of Norse Mythology; 2001 (p. 98). American showman P.T. While the elves were tall and beautiful, the dwarves were almost grotesque. Other games like Dragon Age and Warcraft present an image of dwarfs as stout, bearded mountain dwellers, separate from Elves. In the Heldenbuch-Prosa, a dwarf takes Dietrich out of this world after the death of all the other heroes, a role given to Laurin in some different versions of Dietrich's end. Modern day perceptions of dwarves derive mostly from Tolkien's cosmology. In western Europe household dwarfs were still heard of in the 18th century, but the institution declined. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The gender of a dwarf is usually derived from the name itself. (1996). In a competition, the trickster Loki bet the dwarf Brokkr and Eitri, that they could not make anything as fine as the gifts, as another group of dwarfs had already made for the Gods, a golden headpiece, a ship, and a spear. These creatures are typical pranksters but can easily be befriended, and around Christmas, they have the same function as Santa in Western traditions. [53], In German heroic legend, male dwarfs are often portrayed as lusting after human women. Dwarves in Tolkien's works are long-lived, living nearly four times the age of humans (about 250 years), but are not prolific breeders, having children rarely and spaced far apart, and having few women among them. https://www.britannica.com/topic/dwarf-mythology, World History Encyclopedia - Elves & Dwarves in Norse Mythology. God asked: Are there not more children? and when Eve said no, God said: Then let all that is hidden, remain hidden, and the hidden children became De Underjordiske (the ones living underground), lost souls who live under the surface of the earth, calling for someone to be with them, usually human passersby. A dwarf ( PL dwarfs or dwarves) is a type of supernatural being in Germanic folklore, including mythology. [51], Female dwarfs feature in the late Gibbons saga, Bsa saga and jalar-Jns saga, where they are referred to by the term "dyrgja". Dwarvish children are cherished by their parents, and are defended at all costs from their traditional enemies, such as Orcs. Here is a list of (almost) all Slavic mythical creatures. Tolkien writes his dwarf-women are "in voice and appearance, and in garb if they must go on a journey, so like to dwarf-men that the eyes and ears of the other peoples cannot tell them apart. While modern readers have preconceived notions of what the dwarves were, Norse sources are in less agreement. [78], The conception of diseases as being caused by projectiles from supernatural beings is widespread in Germanic folklore through time, such as in the phenomenon of elfshot, in Wi frstice, where they are thrown by elves, se and witches, and in the Canterbury charm in which an infection is caused by the 'wound-spear' (Old Norse: sr-vara) used by the "lord of ursar". Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Omissions? However, most dwarf names are unisex and therefore make your work easier. They are skilled metal-workers and the makers of most of the artifacts of the gods, both sir and Vanir. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The day after, all the graves were open, and the churchyard was covered in seaweed. They are also vengeful and Hervarar saga relates that when king Svafrlami had forced the dwarves Dvalin and Durin to forge the magic sword Tyrfing, the dwarves cursed it so it would bring death to Svafrlami and cause three evil deeds. Male Dwarf Names. There were ways to protect oneself from him; you could throw a piece of metal into the water, like a needle or an iron cross, and so save yourself. In Teutonic and especially Scandinavian mythology and folklore, the term dwarf (Old Norse: dvergr) denoted a species of fairy inhabiting the interiors of mountains and the lower levels of mines. Nkken/Nyk/Nykkjen is a mysterious water creature residing in freshwater, lakes, and deep ponds. These names are not explained by stories but it has been theorised that they refer to the fires in the forges the dwarfs work, or to haugaeldarcode: isl promoted to code: is ('grave mound fires') that are found in later Icelandic folklore.
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