by Kyle Raney
A
long time has passed since elves have come into the world. When
those among
us became bored with our lot, living under houses and causing mischief,
we decided to travel and find out more about the world.
We
have grown in stature to become more like the size of humans.
This is in part to what some of the Norse Gods have done for us.
The gods we were in contact with among the Norse are known as the
Vanir. For their
culture they are the nature and fertility gods.
There was a group of us that traveled north to the lands where it was cold. We were cold and hungry most of the time, but there was within us a curiousity that ran strong, so we persevered. It was then that I ran into a being who called himself Frey, or Ingwe. His name meant lord, and he was ruler over all the Vanir. In that time, the Vanir were much larger and more powerful than us, and felt at home among their native land. Now Frey was married to Freya, whose name meant Lady, and they invited those of us that were willing to come into their home and live amongst them.
Frey, or Freyr, or Ingwe Freya
Website: The Vanir and Elven Societies Website: The Vanir and Elven Societies
There were a few of us that agreed and we became servants to the Vanir. Under their direction we learned many things. Since they were the gods of fertility and nature, we became masters of agriculture. No one around can make as good a draught of beer as an elf. We also learned the secrets of a nearly immortal life with the fertility practices that the Vanir practiced. Through the wisdom and magic of the Vanir, we grew in both mind and body. Since we were then living in a harsh climate, the Vanir increased our height and build, transforming us to look like strong but lean men.
As time passed, many of us began parting with our friends and traveling to new places. A few among us traveled under-ground seeking warmth and became known as the Black Elves. These elves were unmatched in their skill with metal work, and created many great weapons and tools, including Thor's hammer. After all the elves had left the Norse gods fornewer places, there were two that stayed. Their names are Byggvir and Beyla, and they still serve Frey and the otherVanir to this day.
Now you have learned how the elves became like humans in form, but with greater knowledge of life and nature. It was a long and pleasant time that we spent with the Vanir, and Ingwe was very generous and pleasant with us. We owe him much gratitude, and many of my kind have taken his language as their own, and even named their children from it. Butit has grown late now and that is another story for another time perhaps...
Freya, by J. Penrose
Websight: The Vanir and Elven Societies
There was a group of us that traveled north to the lands where it was cold. We were cold and hungry most of the time, but there was within us a curiousity that ran strong, so we persevered. It was then that I ran into a being who called himself Frey, or Ingwe. His name meant lord, and he was ruler over all the Vanir. In that time, the Vanir were much larger and more powerful than us, and felt at home among their native land. Now Frey was married to Freya, whose name meant Lady, and they invited those of us that were willing to come into their home and live amongst them.
Frey, or Freyr, or Ingwe Freya
Website: The Vanir and Elven Societies Website: The Vanir and Elven Societies
There were a few of us that agreed and we became servants to the Vanir. Under their direction we learned many things. Since they were the gods of fertility and nature, we became masters of agriculture. No one around can make as good a draught of beer as an elf. We also learned the secrets of a nearly immortal life with the fertility practices that the Vanir practiced. Through the wisdom and magic of the Vanir, we grew in both mind and body. Since we were then living in a harsh climate, the Vanir increased our height and build, transforming us to look like strong but lean men.
As time passed, many of us began parting with our friends and traveling to new places. A few among us traveled under-ground seeking warmth and became known as the Black Elves. These elves were unmatched in their skill with metal work, and created many great weapons and tools, including Thor's hammer. After all the elves had left the Norse gods fornewer places, there were two that stayed. Their names are Byggvir and Beyla, and they still serve Frey and the otherVanir to this day.
Now you have learned how the elves became like humans in form, but with greater knowledge of life and nature. It was a long and pleasant time that we spent with the Vanir, and Ingwe was very generous and pleasant with us. We owe him much gratitude, and many of my kind have taken his language as their own, and even named their children from it. Butit has grown late now and that is another story for another time perhaps...
Freya, by J. Penrose
Websight: The Vanir and Elven Societies
Author's Note: This story
had much more research involved in it than did my previous story.
I had to look at several different websites to get the information that
I needed. I had to do a lot of reading, alot of it having nothing to do with the elves, simply to get some background info in order to synthesize everything together. The Vanir are Norse (Iceland) lower gods, who do not rule with all the gods. They are simply the gods over the Norse elves, and also nature and agriculture. What I did was to take the basic history of these stories and make them into one story of my own. I took the history of the Vanir and the reading from my first story and linked them together. I am moving forward through time with my elf, Elthindur, and so I want the elves to evolve as I go along. That is why I have the Vanir bestowing their knowledge upon the "fairy" elves and also making them more human in appearance. I also took some of the folktales from Norse mythology and incorporated them into my retelling, like Thor's hammer and Frey's elvish servants.
Bibliography:
Encyclopedia: Elf
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Elf
The Vanir and Elven Society
http://groups.msn.com/TheVanirandElvenSocieties/_whatsnew.msnw
Children of Odin Index
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/ice/coo/index.htm
I needed. I had to do a lot of reading, alot of it having nothing to do with the elves, simply to get some background info in order to synthesize everything together. The Vanir are Norse (Iceland) lower gods, who do not rule with all the gods. They are simply the gods over the Norse elves, and also nature and agriculture. What I did was to take the basic history of these stories and make them into one story of my own. I took the history of the Vanir and the reading from my first story and linked them together. I am moving forward through time with my elf, Elthindur, and so I want the elves to evolve as I go along. That is why I have the Vanir bestowing their knowledge upon the "fairy" elves and also making them more human in appearance. I also took some of the folktales from Norse mythology and incorporated them into my retelling, like Thor's hammer and Frey's elvish servants.
Bibliography:
Encyclopedia: Elf
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Elf
The Vanir and Elven Society
http://groups.msn.com/TheVanirandElvenSocieties/_whatsnew.msnw
Children of Odin Index
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/ice/coo/index.htm