The typical fantasy dwarf is, like the original dwarves, short in stature, long-bearded and skilled at mining and metallurgy. [39], Not all late sagas involving dwarfs describe their size but all that do describe them as short. The first dwarfs in Norse mythology. They often appeared in ballads throughout Scandinavia, such as in Eline af Villenskov, Sir Thynne, and the Heimskringla, where they are described as friendly creatures that are often kind towards humans, incredibly wealthy and rich, but also very ugly. Male Dwarf Names. [7] The partial overlap of dwarfs in Eddic sources with elves is supported by the names of dwarfs recorded in the Dvergatal section of Vlusp, which include lfr ('Elf'), Gandlfr ('Wand-elf'), Vindlf ('Wind-elf'). Among their most famous creations are the spear Gungnir, and the golden ring, Draupnir, of Odin; Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor; the golden hair of Sif; Freyja's necklace, Brsingamen; and even the ship Skblanir of Freyr. Dwarves come in many different forms, but they usually have traits in common. The contemporary English spelling comes from the Old English dweorg or dweorh.[1]. (Oxford Press, 1971. Some literature ascribes to dwarves the ability to see in the dark and other adaptations for living underground. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Alfrigg, Berling, Dvalin and Grerr: Alfrigg, Berling, Dvalin, and Grerr are the four dwarves, who made the Brisingamen for the Goddess Freya. 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. Nyk! [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. [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. Others were more friendly with the gods, and at least one beautiful goddess is said to have had a dwarven parent. The scholar rmann Jakobsson notes that accounts of dwarfs in the Eddas and the section of Ynglinga saga regarding Sveigir lack prominence in their narratives and cohesive identity. In appearance they were sometimes beautiful, but more usually they resembled grave old men with long beards and, in some cases, humped backs. Some were troll-like villains like Alviss, while others were industrious inventors like the sons of Ivaldi. Looking for more great information on Norse mythology and religion? Larrington, Carolyne (transl. 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 . This would make them close relatives of the jotnar, or giants, who were formed from his sweat. In Slavic mythology, the Kikimora is a legendary monster creature that is represented as a female house spirit. Come on you know damn well that middle earth takes heavy inspiration from . Apart from the Eddas, they notably appear in the fornaldarsagas. The mountain dwarfs were organized in kingdoms or tribes, with their own kings, chieftains, and armies. A dwarf (Old Norse dvergr, Old English dweorg, Old High German twerg, Proto-Germanic *dwergaz[1]) is a certain kind of invisible being in the pre-Christian mythology and religion of the Norse and other Germanic peoples. These beliefs persisted in Germanic folklore, in which the gods were no longer worshipped both other aspects of the pagan worldview persisted. So it is said in the Vlusp: In Norse mythology dwarves are mostly seen as selfish, greedy, and cunning. In another legend a dwarf called Alviss seeks to marry Thors daughter. The Dwarf is also common in Germanic mythologies, fairy tales, fantasy fiction, and role-playing games, and recently were made popular by the collective works of twentieth century fantasy author J.R.R. Of course your favorite cartoon dwarfs are included, but this list doesn't only feature animated characters that can talk. The Scandinavian words for Nightmare are Norwegian Mareritt, Danish Mareridt, Swedish Mardrm, which directly translated means Mare-ride and Mare-dream. The dwarves were a race of creatures known in many Germanic cultures. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. The poem, Dwarfs in Norse mythology were sometimes associated with the death and the underworld. Tolkien. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. They are short, stocky, bearded metal-workers, generally seen wearing chain mail and brandishing axes. [1] Orel, Vladimir. More ambiguous are the dwarfs found in attendance on ladies in romances. [59], Dwarfs maintain their roles as reluctant donors of their possessions in some later Old Norse legends such as Volsunga saga and Hervarar saga ok Heireks, where they are forced to give up Andvaranaut and Tyrfing respectively. 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]. 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 . 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. Hreidmar is a master magician, Hreidmar has three sons Regin, Fafnir and Otr, and two daughters Lofnheid and Lyndheid. The dwarves also fabricated a certain kind of helmet, called hulishjlmr (concealing helmet), or sometimes a cloak, with which they could make themselves invisible. It makes or breaks the individual's image. 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. Many grammarians prefer "dwarfs," many fantasies prefer "dwarves." 5. [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]. dwarf, an individual who is much below the ordinary stature or size for his ethnic group or species. [68][69], It has been proposed by Lotte Motz that the inhabitation of mountains, stones and mounds by dwarfs may be derived from their earlier association with the dead who were frequently buried in mounds and around megaliths. In Norse mythology, dwarves are highly significant entities associated with stones, the underground, and forging. 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. The Prose and Poetic Eddas, which form the foundation of what we know today concerning Norse mythology, contain many names of dwarfs.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. There is no Santa in the shape of a fat, bearded guy who lives at the North Pole in the Scandinavian Christmas tradition. The dwarves were short, burly people who forged metals in their underground homes. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Ilvatar (who represents God) gave them life after speaking to Aul about what he had done and seeing that he was both humble and repentant. Inspired largely by these works, his publications also featured artwork and cultural details that highlighted the connection to Norse mythology. He plays the music of nature itself; the sound of the water, the wind in the trees, it all comes from his music. They are most familiar from the Norse myths and sagas, where they were called the dvergr. Some historians believe that the distinction between light and dark types of elves was not an original feature of Norse mythology. This was translated into being physically lesser, leading to their distinctive stunted stature. Modern fantasy, inspired by the works of J.R.R. [51], It has been noted that it may not be that female dwarfs did not exist in the folklore of this period, only that no explicit references to them survive in preserved narratives. Privacy Policy. Christopher Tolkien (ed. In some stories, dwarves have a bad reputation for stealing treasure. 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. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Household dwarfs were kept by the early pharaohs of Egypt and still abounded at the courts of the Ptolemies. 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. [62] Beyond this, in early Old Norse sources, there is ambiguity between whether dwarfs live within stones or whether they are themselves stones. All rights reserved. While many dwarves appear as villains in Norse stories, the darkness referred to in the name of their homeland is not generally thought to refer to evil. [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. Its been used in several movies, like Pirates of the Caribbean and Clash of the Titans, but originally, the Kraken belongs in the cold Norwegian Sea, where it was first said to be seen in the early 1700s. Common uses. Maybe the very male-centric nature of dwarves is what's holding them back? Dwarvish children are cherished by their parents, and are defended at all costs from their traditional enemies, such as Orcs. Hreidmar owned a house of glittering gold and flashing gems built by Regin and guarded by Fafnir. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Thor, as he was prone to do . They played no part in Homeric and Classical Greece but flourished in imperial Rome, where slave children were sometimes stunted to increase their price. Abhartach was another dwarf immortalised in Irish legend. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. [41] Despite their small size, dwarfs in these contexts typically have superhuman strength, either by nature or through magical means. Among the many irreplaceable treasures created by them are: Mjollnir, the hammer of Thor; Gleipnir, the chain that bound the wolf Fenrir when all other fetters failed; Skidbladnir, a ship which belongs to Freyr and always has a favorable wind; Gungnir, the spear of Odin; Draupnir, a ring owned by Odin; the Brisingamen, a magnificent necklace owned by Freya; and the long, golden hair of Sif, Thors wife. In the Norse belief system, valkyries were supernatural women who determined who lived and died on the battlefield. It usually has magical talents, often involving metallurgy. Eve had not finished bathing all of her children, and so hid those who were still dirty. . 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. Yet, most of the oral traditions involved humans encountering dwarfs. Modern scholarship believes that the problem with interpreting the dwarves may not lie in the contradictions in the stories. 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. Daniel McCoy 2012-2019. Otr is a shapeshifter and usually took the form of an otter. 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. [83][84], Most dwarfs in modern fantasy fiction closely follow those of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, where the dwarves (Tolkien's spelling) were distinguished from elves: most modern fantasy has continued this distinction. "[6] In later writings, Tolkien directly states that his female dwarves have beards "from the beginning of their lives", as do the males.[7]. This combination of traits set the standard for how dwarves are depicted in modern media. The modern view of dwarves is largely influenced by both folklore and modern fantasy fiction. [58], In Eddic and some saga sources, rather than being exchanged, items of value move from dwarfs to others, often through extortion. "[4], Scholars have noted that the Svartlfar ('black elves') appear to be the same beings as dwarfs, given that both are described in the Prose Edda as the residents of Svartlfaheimr. Gould, Chester Nathan: Dwarf-Names - A Study in Old Icelandic Religion; in PMLA, Vol. Credit: Axel Kirch Where are dwarves from in Norse mythology? [1] A different etymology of dwarf traces it to Proto-Germanic *dwezgaz, with the r sound being the product of Verner's Law. 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. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. He was killed by Loki because he thought he was a real otter. In Scandinavia and Germany also they were friendly to men, but occasionally they stole corn, teased cattle, and abducted children and young girls. [38] Some names suggest a small size such as Nori and Nabbi, which have been translated as "tiny" and "little nub" respectively, however it has been argued that this was not necessarily the general rule. If your favorite fictional dwarf is missing, don't be salty- just add it to the list so that other people can vote for for it too . The dwarves were short, burly people who forged metals in their underground homes. Enbarr. The dwarves are said to have come into existence while Odin and his brothers Vili and V fabricated the world from the corpse of the cosmic giant, Ymir. In contrast, Snorri describes dkklfar (which are typically identified as dwarfs) as "blacker than pitch". Sometimes, dwarves take on surprising roles. Tolkien, continues to link dwarves to their Norse roots through their imagined culture and connection to smithing. Fafnir decided that he wanted the ring for himself, so he turned into a dragon and scared Regin away. [22], The dwarf Alberich plays a vital role in the Nibelungenlied, where he guards the Nibelung's treasure and has the strength of twelve men. In The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien gives many of the dwarves names taken directly from the Norse Eddas. Published on January 18, 2021. He later rescues a woman whom Laurin had kidnapped. Speaking of Russian mythology creatures, it is worth mentioning the bylinas as one of the material proofs of Slavic mythology. 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. Some stories portray them as old hags and others depict them as young maidens or middle-aged women. The idea that dwarves cannot be in the sunlight is not mentioned anywhere else and many named dwarves live aboveground. 1- The Banshee. The Norse myths never mention the dwarves as being short or universally ugly. The gender of a dwarf is usually derived from the name itself. But how were they really depicted in Norse mythology? This name generator will give you 10 random names for dwarves. [55] They further created the Mead of Poetry from the blood of Kvasir, which grants skill in poetry to those who drink from it. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) Jomfru Maria kastet styaal i vatn! It was a time when people feared nature because we were becoming more industrialized. [note 1][50] As Norns are also female, this could mean that dwarfs were conceived of by the author of the poem as able to be female, it is not clear whether either their mother (or mothers) are dwarfs, or if they themselves are considered dwarfs just because they are descended from dwarfs. Elaborate dwarf weddings were celebrated at court, and in 1710 a dwarf couple spent their wedding night in the tsars bedchamber. [53], In German heroic legend, male dwarfs are often portrayed as lusting after human women. (For the physiology of dwarf human beings, see dwarfism. The Prose Edda, however, gives them an even more inglorious origin. They lived in subterranean halls, believed to be full of gold and precious stones. [72], The 8th century Ribe skull fragment, found in Jutland, bears an inscription that calls for help from three beings, including Odin, against either one or two harmful dwarfs. Gnomes are small, ugly, humanoid creatures from the Renaissance period. While his brother Fafnir was cursed by the ring Andvarenaut and ended up turning himself into a dragon. Later descriptions tell of a monster in the shape of an enormous octopus, which dragged ships down to the bottom of the sea. In Irish mythology, Elln Trechend is a three-headed beast. Out of the limited information that we have about a character, its name holds the prime spot. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, which says of dwarf women that "They are in voice and appearance, and in garb if they must go on a journey, so like to the dwarf-men that the eyes and ears of other peoples cannot . Some myths suggest that dwarves have the ability to forge magical items. [67][65] The presentation of dwarfs living within stones continued into modern folklore surrounding specific landscape features such as the Dwarfie Stane, a chambered tomb located on the island of Hoy, and the Dvergasteinn in Seyisfjrur. It was said that the dwarfs forged Gleipnir the chain that was used to shackle the mighty wolf Fenrir. Scholars have proposed theories about the origins of the being by way of historical linguistics and comparative mythology, including the idea that dwarfs may have originated as nature spirits, as beings associated with death, or as a mixture of concepts. This female spirit in Irish folklore heralds the death of a family member by wailing at nightfall. They were originally maggot-like creatures who grew in Ymirs dead flesh until the gods gave them the gift of reason. Afra is an Arabic female dwarf name that means "the color shade of the earth". . Maybe female protagonists that are short, heavily built and have beards are not appealing? The idea of dark and light elves may have originated with writers who were familiar with Christian notions of angels and demons. 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. [60] Typically in these later sagas, fighting dwarfs is considered dishonourable, in contrast to other beings such as dragons. Neither is the historical plural: "dwarf" was pluralized dwarrow in Anglo-Saxon. [27], Rather than existing a "true" single nature of a dwarf, they vary in their characteristics, not only across region and time, but also between one another in the same cultural context and some are capable of changing their form entirely.
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