Such slightly constructed residences—much like those of the Lapps—would disappear completely after desertion.
This Little People are represented in folk-lore as peevish and unreliable; often as good humoured, at other times as vindictive.
The Norse, Anglo-Saxon, and German names for them are Alf, Elf, Aib, Ell. In mediæval poems in German the Will-o’-the-Wisp is called Elbisch Feuer, the Elfish fire. We find among the Anglo-Saxons both men’s names and also place names that show that this race was then known and respected. Elfric is the Power of the Elf, and is the same as Aifric. Alfred is the Peace of the Alf. We have places such as Ellmoor, Eildon, Elphinstone, Alphington is the tun of a family that did not disdain to claim descent from the Alfs. Elton is the tun of the Elf, and Allerton the residence of a colony of them.[1] Elberish is the Gnome king in the Nibelungenlied, the Auberon of French legend, the Oberon of the romancers. In Germany, the Elle king has been turned into Erle king by Goethe.
The earliest and purest account of the Elves is obtained from the Icelandic Edda
- ↑ Among the Harleian MS. is an Anglo-Saxon charm by means of which protection is obtained against elf-shots (ylfa gescot).
