 | Dwarf: Encyclopedia II - Dwarf - Mythology and folklore
Dwarf - Mythology and folklore
For Norse dwarves specifically, see that article.
Dwarves are also called little Hill-men (Swiss), Earth-men (Härdmandle, pl. Härdmändlene. - Swiss) and Kröpel (German). Dwarves were described as the height of a 3-year old human child (about 3 feet tall), ugly and big-headed. Nidavellir is the land of the dwarves in Norse mythology. Some dwarves of mythology and fairy tales are: Rumpelstiltskin, the dwarves from Snow White, Snorri, Dvalin, Lit, Fjalar and Galar, Alvis, Eitri, Brokk, Hreidmar, Alfrik, Mimir, Berling, Grer, Fafnir, Otr, Regin, and Alberich (or Andvari).
Dwarf - The creation of dwarfs
"Then the gods set themselves in their high-seats and held counsel. They remembered how the dwarves had quickened in the mould of the earth like maggots in flesh. The dwarves had first been created and had quickened in Ymer’s flesh, and were then maggots; but now, by the decision of the gods, they got the understanding and likeness of men, but still had to dwell in the earth and in rocks. Modsogner was one dwarf and Durin another. So it is said in the Völuspá:
Þá gengu regin öll
á rökstóla,
ginnheilög goð,
ok um þat gættusk,
hverr skyldi dverga
dróttir skepja,
ór Brimis blóði
ok ór Bláins leggjum.
Þar var Mótsognir
mæztr um orðinn
dverga allra,
en Durinn annarr.
Þeir mannlíkön
mörg um gørðu,
dvergar, ór jörðu,
sem Durinn sagði.(standardized)
Then sought the gods
their assembly-seats,
The holy ones,
and council held,
To find who should raise
the race of dwarves
Out of Brimir’s blood
and the legs of Blain.
There was Motsognir
the mightiest made
Of all the dwarves,
and Durin next;
Many a likeness
of men they made,
The dwarves in the earth,
as Durin said. (Bellow's translation)
As for non-Germanic cultures, the Egyptian gods Bes and Ptah were dwarves. In Judaism, the wise men of the Talmud said that the Egyptian Pharaoh of the Bible and the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar were dwarves. A number of Native American peoples also believed that dwarves had special powers and often chose dwarves born among them as priests.
Other mythological beings characterized by shortness are:
- underground: mine kobolds (German), gnomes (alchemy), Kallikantzaroi (Modern Greek), knockers (Cornish—see Pasty)
- house spirits: vetter (Scandinavian, including the tomte), Brownies (British), Domovoi (Slavic)
- pygmies (Classical Greek), Hackers (Sweden), leprechauns (Irish), menehune (Polynesian), Ebu Gogo (Indonesian)
Dwarf - Dwarf places
The Dwarves' Cavern : (In Hasel, Germany) was once home to many dwarves. This legend gives the cavern its name.
Harz mountains : (Germany) On the north and the south sides of the Harz mountains, and in areas of the Hohenstein region, there once lived many thousands of dwarves, according to local tradition. In the clefts of the cliffs still exists the dwarf caves.
Tyre : In ancient Jewish scriptures, dwarves were numerous in the towers of the fortresses of Tyre.
Dwarf - Fairy tales with dwarves in them
Aid & Punishment, Chamois-Hunter, Curiosity punished, Dwarf in search of Lodging, Dwarf-Husband, Dwarf's Banquet, Dwarves borrowing Bread, Dwarf's Feast, Dwarves on the Tree, Dwarves stealing Corn, Dwarf-Sword Tirfing, Friendly Dwarfs, Gertrude and Rosy, The Hill-Man at the Dance, History of Dwarf Long Nose, Journey of Dwarves over the Mountain, Laird O' Co', Loki & the Dwarf, Lost Bell, Nihancan & Dwarf's Arrow, Nutcracker Dwarf, Rejected Gift, Rose-Red and Snow-White, Rumpelstiltskin, Sir Thynnè, Smith Riechert, Snow White, Thorston & the Dwarf, Wonderful Little Pouch, The Yellow Dwarf
Other related archivesAlberich, Alfrik, Alvis, Andvari, Artemis Fowl, Aulë, Babylonian, Bes, Bible, Brokk, Bronze Age, Brownies, Children of Ilúvatar, Christopher Paolini, Dark elves, Discworld, Domovoi, Dungeons & Dragons, Dvalin, Dwarf (Dungeons & Dragons), Dwarf (Warcraft), Dwarf (Warhammer), Dwarves, Dwarves (Middle-earth), Ebu Gogo, Egyptian, Eitri, Elf versus dwarf, Eragon, Fafnir, Fenris, Fjalar and Galar, Germany, Hackers, Hreidmar, Ilúvatar, Inheritance Trilogy, J. R. R. Tolkien, Judaism, Kallikantzaroi, Lineage II, Lit, Mimir, Moria, Mulch Diggums, Native American, Nebuchadnezzar, Nidavellir, Norse dwarves, Norse mythology, Otr, Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game, Pasty, Pharaoh, Pointy hat, Ptah, Regin, Rumpelstiltskin, Scottish, Snorri, Snow White, Sprite (creature), Svartalfar, Talmud, Terry Pratchett, The Lord of the Rings, Troll, Tyre, Valar, Völuspá, Warcraft, Westron, actual beards, armor, beards, bronze, dwarfism, elves, fairy tales, fantasy fiction, giants, gnomes, goblins, gold, humans, kobolds, leprechauns, massively multiplayer online role-playing game, menehune, metallurgy, miners, mountainous, neolithic, orcs, precious stones, pygmies, role-playing game, role-playing games, sex appeal, silver, tin, tomte, treasures, vetter, wolf
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Mythology and folklore", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
