What are Elves?

An investigation into the original nature of elves. How do elves differ from dwarves, and what, if any, connection do they have to light, the sun, and the dead?

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[radagast]

It always cracked me up that star trek was so obviously just high fantasy set in space, but its really hard to get fans to admit it.
The vulcan are clearly just space elves. Long life, emotional control, wisdom, master craftsman, ancient...
The Tellerite are obvious dwarfs, Ferangi are Goblin, Romulan are dark elves, klingon are orcs.
The technology they use is also more similar to magic than sci-fi.
They even have Q, the trickster diety...
Its also funny that Star Gate actually dealt with the Norse gods directly, yet managed to make it feel like Scifi more than myth or fantasy.

[TheHeathenCoalition]

Random Folknames: the plant Elecampane was known as 'Elf-dock, ' or 'Elf-wort, ' & the Krummholz tree is known as 'Elfin-wood' or 'Elfin-tree.' Another term for when someone is bewitched is 'Elf-stricken.' ...a cool obsolete term that I think we should bring back into usage...Thanks for another fascinating video, skal!

[Ζήνων-ζι]

I'm glad you made the connection with not only the daoine sìth, but the daemons of Hesiod and the roman Lares. When i first learned that elves were probably the great honored ancestors "residing" in the burial mounds of ages past, i was immediately reminded of the daemons. Hesiod's explanation of spirits of men from a golden age fits really well with the Elves of mythology.

[deaddocreallydeaddoc]

In Ireland, they never speak of elves, but fairies. I was treated to some real rural believers when I was there for a couple months in 1988. Some rural people, at least at that time, still believed in them as much as anything. The old Irish monetary unit, the Punt, featured a watermark of a "Banshee, " which was not depicted as a horrible demon-like female, but a beautiful young, but sorrowful woman (fairie) in mourning. The "Wail of the Banshee" was not a screech, but a moan of sorrow. They said that if someone was about to die, they would hear the "Cry of the Banshee." That way the listener was filled with dread.

[coachjonjiujitsu]

This is one of the most underrated channels on YouTube.

[SeriousPinoyGamer]

In Filipino, we call them "Diwata".

The term is generalized with Elves, Fairies, and Forest Spirits. They are usually depicted wearing bright white garments with pale skin that appear as if they are glowing. They are said to be benevolent and reward folk who take care of the environment. However, they can bring curses to people who violate their domain. Which is why when we were children, we were taught to respect forests and overgrown places and ask permission and say "tabi-tabi po" whenever we would even take a piss.

[shanegooding]

In the Indian Vedas they have the Ribhus whose name comes from the same Proto-Indo-European root as Elf. They are also connected with the sun, skillfulness and are artisans.

[Ζήνων-ζι]

I always felt there was a difference between elves and dwarves in the germanic tradition. One is linked to the heavens while the other dwelt beneath the earth and waters. Elves are the blessed dead and protectors of the community, while the dwarves are the chthonic craftsmen, givers of technical inspiration.

[barkasz]

The similarities with Hungarian elf / fairy mythology is interesting. In Hungarian the word for them is “tündér” meaning “shining/radiant” with a hint of it being a mirage. They are associated with swamps, forests and mounds. They are said to be beautiful, can be helpful but often lure young men into the forest with their lights.

There are folk tales about their mounds leading to elven/fairy kingdoms. Many a hero gets an elven bride as his reward for his bravery and compassion, often aided by hares, cats, foxes and deers.

They are also connected to dreaming and sleep in general. They really are a mixture of fairies and elves and loads of places and businesses are named “fairy/epf garden” or “fairy/elf way”.

There is a popular legend about an entire geographical region in Transyilvania being part of an Elven Kingdom that was renamed to Swindler’s Isle after humans swindled the elves to get their land in some underhanded bargain.

[jedgrahek]

I'm always super happy to see a new video by you pop up. You make some of the best videos of this type, and on a quite broad array of subjects. I always know I'm in for something fascinating and enjoyable, that also teaches me things I never would have learned elsewhere.

[Lotusisrael]

Elves or Elf-life beings are present in the folklore of many European people, they have different names, but similar characteristics. The Slavic people call them Vili, Romanians call them Zâne (the Dark Elves are called in Romanian Iele). The Ancient Greeks called the Elves Nymphs, Nymphe in Ancient Greek meaning both Elf and bride, both Elves/Nymphs and brides are dressed in white. In modern Greek mythology, the Elves are called Nereids (in Antiquity Nereids were only the water Nymphs, not all Nymphs). In Romania and Greece there very recent testimonies of Elves, of the feared ”women in white” or the ”brides”.

[dilen]

Nothing is better, then another video on mythical creatures by Fortress!

[garthstruddlefudd]

This ties into missing 411 so well it's really frightening.

[johndelucchi]

Human being, lived along side other types of humanoid species for a considerably far longer period of time than we have been without them. So it makes sense that these myths come from that period of long prehistory when we coexisted with other hominoids.

[krow]

In African mythology elves are called Yumboes as they elves in the mythology of the Wolof people in Senegal. They are also called 'Bakhna Rakhna', which means "Good People." They are described as being about 2 feet tall with silver hair, yellow eyes and pearly-white skin as they’re skin and hair are white due to the spirits of the dead human attaching themselves to them. Pretty much it seems that there is an elf in almost every part of the world as I only thought it to be a European thing based on movies and Tolkien.

[johnnyjohnson]

One of my favorite places on YouTube! Definitely one of the places to learn about our ancestors!
Thank you for all your hard work!

[yoeyyoey]

This was great, I learned so much from this video even though I’ve seen other content on elves before. You really covered everything and connected the dots. Thanks, as always…Stand Tall!

[thefurrybstard]

*_How the hell have I overlooked this channel?_*
You have earned a subscriber, mate.
Excellent video, interesting, entertaining and informative.

[MT-xudh]

Elves are also a really important part of chinese mythology and culture. 仙 (xian) which are almost identical to the archetype of western elves are described;
“as immune to heat and cold, untouched by the elements, and can fly, mounting upward with a fluttering motion. They dwell apart from the chaotic world of man, subsist on air and dew, are not anxious like ordinary people, and have the smooth skin and innocent faces of children. The transcendents live an effortless existence that is best described as spontaneous.”

[kalrandom]

It's amazing how many ancient stories are so similar.