A gnome is a mythical creature characterized by its small stature and subterranean lifestyle. According to Paracelsus, gnomes are the most important of the elemental spirits of the classical element earth, and they move as easily through the earth as humans walk upon it. The sun's rays turn them into stone. In other traditions, they are simply small, mischievous sprites or goblins. Some sources claim they spe ...

Including:

• Gnome - Garden gnomes
• Gnome - Gnomic Culture

Read more here: » Gnome: Encyclopedia - Gnome

A goblin is an evil or merely mischievous creature of folklore, often described as a grotesquely disfigured or elf-like phantom. Goblin - Description. Goblins are grotesque faeries of about dwarf height. Various (sometimes conflicting) abilities and attributes have been given to them: They can appear as animals. They are sometimes said to be mostly invisible to human eye. They are said to count the dead among their companions. They can weave nightmares out of gossamer ...

Including:

• Goblin - Description
• Goblin - Etymology
• Goblin - Goblins in art and literature
• Goblin - Goblins in modern games

Read more here: » Goblin: Encyclopedia - Goblin

Two major branches of goblins exist in popular game properties. Along side with J. R. R. Tolkien's descriptions of small Orcs, the older branch is inherently evil and malicious, with varying coloring and generally matted and filthy hair. This type of goblin appears in Dungeons & Dragons. The distinctive green-skinned, hairless, capricious, and generally immoral (rather than absolutely evil) goblins created for Warhammer are direct progenitors of goblins in more modern games, such as those in the War ...

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Goblin, Goblin - Description, Goblin - Etymology, Goblin - Goblins in art and literature, Goblin - Goblins in modern games

Read more here: » Goblin: Encyclopedia II - Goblin - Goblins in modern games

The first garden gnomes were introduced to the United Kingdom in 1847 by Sir Charles Isham, when he brought 21 terracotta figures back from a trip to Germany and placed them as ornaments in the gardens of his home, Lamport Hall in Northamptonshire. Only one of the original batch of gnomes survives: Lampy as he is known, is on display at Lamport Hall, and is insured for one million pounds. Garden gnomes have become a popular accessory in many gardens, although they are not loved by all. They are often the target of pranks ...

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Gnome, Gnome - Garden gnomes, Gnome - Gnomic Culture

Read more here: » Gnome: Encyclopedia II - Gnome - Garden gnomes

"The Benevolent Goblin" by Gesta Romanorum and The Goblin of Adachigahara (Japanese) are just a few fairy tales depicting goblins. Also see Brothers Grimm. Christina Rossetti in her poem Goblin Market, used goblins as symbols of earthly desires who tantalize and nearly destroy a girl who falls under their spell. Author George MacDonald, in The Princess and the Goblin, portrayed goblins as malevolent, subterranean creatures. The book is said to have been a childhood favorite of J. R. R. Tolkien, who populate ...

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Goblin, Goblin - Description, Goblin - Etymology, Goblin - Goblins in art and literature, Goblin - Goblins in modern games

Read more here: » Goblin: Encyclopedia II - Goblin - Goblins in art and literature

A dwarf (plural dwarfs or, more recently, dwarves --see under Tolkien below) is a short humanoid creature in Norse mythology, fairy tales, fantasy fiction and role-playing games. Dwarves are much like humans, but generally living underground or in mountainous areas. Here they have heaped up countless treasures of gold, silver, and precious stones, and pass their time in fabricating costly armor. They are famed miners and smiths although, like humans, they specialize in any number of trades. Generally shorter than humans, ...

Including:

• Dwarf - Mythology and folklore
• Dwarf - The creation of dwarfs
• Dwarf - Dwarf places
• Dwarf - Fairy tales with dwarfs in them
• Dwarf - Possible origin
• Dwarf - Dwarves in modern fantasy fiction
• Dwarf - Tolkien's dwarves
• Dwarf - Dwarves in Artemis Fowl
• Dwarf - Dwarves in subsequent fantasy fiction
• Dwarf - Female dwarves

Read more here: » Dwarf: Encyclopedia - Dwarf

In certain Indo-European religions there was a belief in a world tree, such as Yggdrasil, in Norse mythology, an Oak in Slavic mythology and in Hinduism, a banyan tree. Although the concept is absent from the Greek mythology, medieval Greek folk traditions and more recent ones claim that the Tree that holds the Earth is shewn by goblins (Kallikantzaroi). A World Tree (Wacah Chan) also appears in the Maya religion as the axis mundi. It connects the Middleworld of man, with Xibalba (Otherwor ...

Including:

• World tree - In popular culture

Read more here: » World tree: Encyclopedia - World tree

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). ...

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Dwarf, Dwarf - Mythology and folklore, Dwarf - The creation of dwarfs, Dwarf - Dwarf places, Dwarf - Fairy tales with dwarves in them, Dwarf - Possible origin, Dwarf - Dwarves in modern fantasy fiction, Dwarf - Tolkien's dwarves, Dwarf - Dwarves in Artemis Fowl, Dwarf - Dwarves in The Inheritance Trilogy, Dwarf - Dwarves in subsequent fantasy fiction, Dwarf - Female dwarves

Read more here: » Dwarf: Encyclopedia II - Dwarf - Mythology and folklore

List of legendary creatures - A. Abarimon Abatwa Aitvaras Ajatar Al Amphisbaena Angel Apis Argus Aswang Aziza Anubite Automatas Argus (Mythology) Avengers List of legendary creatures - B. Bahamut Baku Balaur Bannik Banshee Barghest Barbegazi Basilisk Baxajuan ...

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List of legendary creatures, List of legendary creatures - Alphabetical list, List of legendary creatures - A, List of legendary creatures - B, List of legendary creatures - C, List of legendary creatures - D, List of legendary creatures - E, List of legendary creatures - F, List of legendary creatures - G, List of legendary creatures - H, List of legendary creatures - I, List of legendary creatures - J, List of legendary creatures - K, List of legendary creatures - L, List of legendary creatures - M, List of legendary creatures - N, List of legendary creatures - O, List of legendary creatures - P, List of legendary creatures - Q, List of legendary creatures - R, List of legendary creatures - S, List of legendary creatures - T, List of legendary creatures - U, List of legendary creatures - V, List of legendary creatures - W, List of legendary creatures - X, List of legendary creatures - Y, List of legendary creatures - Z, List of legendary creatures - Joke species, List of legendary creatures - National fictional species folktales talltales, List of legendary creatures - Legendary creatures by type, List of legendary creatures - Links

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Philological reconstructions of some PIE theonyms: *Dyeus Ph2ter is believed to have been the original name of god of the daylit sky and the chief god of the Indo-European pantheon. He survives in Greek Zeus (also Dias), Latin Jupiter (Deus Pater), Sanskrit Dyaus Pita, Baltic Dievas, Slavic Div, Germanic Tyr (also Tiwaz), and Armenian Astwatz (c.f. also deus pater in the Vulgate, e. g. Jude 1:1) *Plth2vih2 Mh2ter (Dg'hōm ...

See also:

Proto-Indo-European religion, Proto-Indo-European religion - Priests, Proto-Indo-European religion - Pantheon, Proto-Indo-European religion - Mythology, Proto-Indo-European religion - Development, Proto-Indo-European religion - Notes

Read more here: » Proto-Indo-European religion: Encyclopedia II - Proto-Indo-European religion - Pantheon

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). ...

See also:

Dwarf, Dwarf - Mythology and folklore, Dwarf - The creation of dwarfs, Dwarf - Dwarf places, Dwarf - Fairy tales with dwarfs in them, Dwarf - Possible origin, Dwarf - Dwarves in modern fantasy fiction, Dwarf - Tolkien's dwarves, Dwarf - Dwarves in Artemis Fowl, Dwarf - Dwarves in subsequent fantasy fiction, Dwarf - Female dwarves

Read more here: » Dwarf: Encyclopedia II - Dwarf - Mythology and folklore

Dwarf - Tolkien's dwarves. See Dwarves (Middle-earth) Traditionally, the plural of dwarf was "dwarfs", especially when referring to actual humans with dwarfism, but ever since J. R. R. Tolkien used dwarves in his fantasy epic novel called "The Hobbit" or "There and back Again" and the subsequent three-volume novel, The Lord of the Rings, the plural forms "dwarfs" and "dwarves" have been used interchangeably. (When discussin ...

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Dwarf, Dwarf - Mythology and folklore, Dwarf - The creation of dwarfs, Dwarf - Dwarf places, Dwarf - Fairy tales with dwarves in them, Dwarf - Possible origin, Dwarf - Dwarves in modern fantasy fiction, Dwarf - Tolkien's dwarves, Dwarf - Dwarves in Artemis Fowl, Dwarf - Dwarves in The Inheritance Trilogy, Dwarf - Dwarves in subsequent fantasy fiction, Dwarf - Female dwarves

Read more here: » Dwarf: Encyclopedia II - Dwarf - Dwarves in modern fantasy fiction

Stories of dwarves may have a historical background: during the Bronze Age, tin miners from southern and southeastern Europe slowly migrated northwest, since the relatively rare tin, which is needed to make bronze, was more common in the north. Being southerners, they generally were of shorter stature than northern Europeans and had darker skin, hair and beards. Their knowledge of metallurgy might have seemed magical to the northerners, whose lifestyle was still neolithic; the southerners' superior weapons and armour might well have been per ...

See also:

Dwarf, Dwarf - Mythology and folklore, Dwarf - The creation of dwarfs, Dwarf - Dwarf places, Dwarf - Fairy tales with dwarves in them, Dwarf - Possible origin, Dwarf - Dwarves in modern fantasy fiction, Dwarf - Tolkien's dwarves, Dwarf - Dwarves in Artemis Fowl, Dwarf - Dwarves in The Inheritance Trilogy, Dwarf - Dwarves in subsequent fantasy fiction, Dwarf - Female dwarves

Read more here: » Dwarf: Encyclopedia II - Dwarf - Possible origin

Dwarf - Tolkien's dwarves. See Dwarves (Middle-earth) Traditionally, the plural of dwarf was "dwarfs", especially when referring to actual humans with dwarfism, but ever since J. R. R. Tolkien used dwarves in his fantasy epic novel called "The Hobbit" or "There and back Again" and the subsequent three-volume novel, The Lord of the Rings, the plural forms "dwarfs" and "dwarves" have been used interchangeably. (When discussin ...

See also:

Dwarf, Dwarf - Mythology and folklore, Dwarf - The creation of dwarfs, Dwarf - Dwarf places, Dwarf - Fairy tales with dwarfs in them, Dwarf - Possible origin, Dwarf - Dwarves in modern fantasy fiction, Dwarf - Tolkien's dwarves, Dwarf - Dwarves in Artemis Fowl, Dwarf - Dwarves in subsequent fantasy fiction, Dwarf - Female dwarves

Read more here: » Dwarf: Encyclopedia II - Dwarf - Dwarves in modern fantasy fiction

Stories of dwarves may have a historical background: during the Bronze Age, tin miners from southern and southeastern Europe slowly migrated northwest, since the relatively rare tin, which is needed to make bronze, was more common in the north. Being southerners, they generally were of shorter stature than northern Europeans and had darker skin, hair and beards. Their knowledge of metallurgy might have seemed magical to the northerners, whose lifestyle was still neolithic; the southerners' superior weapons and armour might well have been per ...

See also:

Dwarf, Dwarf - Mythology and folklore, Dwarf - The creation of dwarfs, Dwarf - Dwarf places, Dwarf - Fairy tales with dwarfs in them, Dwarf - Possible origin, Dwarf - Dwarves in modern fantasy fiction, Dwarf - Tolkien's dwarves, Dwarf - Dwarves in Artemis Fowl, Dwarf - Dwarves in subsequent fantasy fiction, Dwarf - Female dwarves

Read more here: » Dwarf: Encyclopedia II - Dwarf - Possible origin

The main functionaries of the hypothetical Proto-Indo-European religion would have been maintained by a class of priests or shamans. There is evidence for sacral kingship, suggesting the tribal king at the same time assumed the role of high priest. This function would have survived as late as 11th century Scandinavia, when kings could still be dethroned for refusing to serve as priests (see Germanic king). Many Indo-European societies know a threefold division of a clerical class, a warrior class and a class of peasants or husbandmen. Such a division was suggested ...

See also:

Proto-Indo-European religion, Proto-Indo-European religion - Priests, Proto-Indo-European religion - Pantheon, Proto-Indo-European religion - Mythology, Proto-Indo-European religion - Development, Proto-Indo-European religion - Notes

Read more here: » Proto-Indo-European religion: Encyclopedia II - Proto-Indo-European religion - Priests

There seems to have been a belief in a World tree, which in Germanic mythology was an ash tree (Norse Yggdrasil; Irminsul), in Hinduism a banyan tree, in Lithuanian mythology Jievaras and an oak tree in Slavic mythology. Although this concept is absent from Greek mythology, there is also a later folk tradition about the World Tree, which is being sawed by the Kallikantzaroi (Greek goblins), perhaps a reborrowing from other peoples. One common myth which can be found among almost all Indo-European mythologies is a battle ending with th ...

See also:

Proto-Indo-European religion, Proto-Indo-European religion - Priests, Proto-Indo-European religion - Pantheon, Proto-Indo-European religion - Mythology, Proto-Indo-European religion - Development, Proto-Indo-European religion - Notes

Read more here: » Proto-Indo-European religion: Encyclopedia II - Proto-Indo-European religion - Mythology