At one point in time, all magical creatures would’ve just been called Fae, and our modern concept of Elves is well, modern. Even Tolkien in their first appearance in the Hobbit envisioned them to be much more full of mirth than most interpretations give them. Add in Santa Elves, the fact that brownies I believe were once considered Elves, and it isn’t unrealistic to consider a fairy-like creature to be an Elf.
Actually, elves, dwarves, trolls and a great deal of more “major” fantasy races come from Norse mythology, each possessing a realm of their own. Pop culture have ‘adjusted’ them in one way or the other, but the core elements of each can be found in Viking legends.
Fae originate from Celtic myths, while (as Drak pointed out) Elves originate from Norse mythology. So mixing them up doesn’t seem right to me. That being said, I’d neither picture Elves nor Fairies to look anything like this, so I guess neither is much more inappropriate than the other.
Fae come in all shapes and sizes, so it would be understandable for one Fae to consider itself a Dwarf, and another an Elf, they are as malleable as iseas are, so it would become true. That said, the Germanic myths also have Elves and Dwarves, though I think they might be variations of the mishapen goblins in the Black Forests…very different feeling to the Tolkien versions….
Fae come in all shapes and sizes, so it would be understandable for one Fae to consider itself a Dwarf, and another an Elf, they are as malleable as ideas are, so it would become true. That said, the Germanic myths also have Elves and Dwarves, though I think they might be variations of the misshapen goblins in the Black Forests…very different feeling to the Tolkien versions….
It’s not really that Germanic myths also have Elves and Dwarves, it’s Germanic myths they come from. They may be completely unrelated to Fae and similar groups (it’s hard to say though, since there are common aspects between Germanic myths and other Indo-European myths, so the two could have developed from the same original source myths).
But in antiquity and early middle ages when people actually believed in them, nobody would have mixed them up and most people wouldn’t even heard of both groups.
For convenience I count Elves and Dwarves as the same group since we don’t even know if there’s a difference in the first place. From what I’ve seen many people believe Dwarves just to be another word for Dark Elves.
Anyway since they aren’t even from the same religion I doubt any self respecting Fae would consider itself an Elf.
In theory at least since we all know that Fae are just made up while Elves are real (It’s not my Germanic bias for my own mythology speaking, but just a fact that our religion is right and the Celts got it wrong).
Actually Fae is a pretty broad term. It covers all kinds of creatures, like redcaps, piskies, brownies, leprechauns, etc.
Faerie isn’t so much a type of creature as it is a name for a collection of supernatural creatures. Much like angel, if you’ve ever noticed the difference between a Cherubim and a Throne.
I know, but didn’t want to count them all, just using the collective word. Traditionally the term Fae still refers to a group of related beings though of which Elves aren’t a part of.
Angels are a good example though, Throne Archangel and Cherubim all apply, but despite their similarities Valkyries do not.
The relationship between Fairies and Elves is comparable to that of Angels and Valkyries. Notably similar but if you want to be anal about the details, not the same group.
Of course that doesn’t have to stop anybody from mixing them anyway, I love Valkyries but don’t mind them often being portrait more angelic than they actually are, just like I don’t mind traits of Fair folk and Elves being mixed. It’s just not technically correct.
“Elf” / “Alb” is the most general term, so dwarfs (Tolkien himself mentions that this is the only correct English plural) are elfs, but maybe not vice versa.
The dwarf Alberich (his name means Ruler of the Albs/Elves) has the surname/nickname Nibelung (Descendant of a Cloud/Fog), so dwarfs were/are beings of aetheric origin, too.
Tolkein himself, eh? Then why did he popularize, if not outright coin, the usages of “elves/elven” and “dwarves/dwarven” in his seminal fantasy epics?!
From what I’ve come across in literature, the German versions are the scarier type of made up, they are born from the nightmares of small children, and the more Elf-shaped ones (which includes the dwarves) are the more dangerous ones. The celtish ones (whether they exist or not) are of the “beyond human understanding” kind of critter, so still a nightmare, but it’s only a problem if you run into them.
-You’re a terran! You’re from Terra!
-I’m a human. I’m from Earth!
-We call it Terra, so, you’re a terran.
-Well, we’ve got a word for what you are too!
Still saying this is a coma-induced dream on Laser Pony’s part. He’s *still* the only one making sense.
At one point in time, all magical creatures would’ve just been called Fae, and our modern concept of Elves is well, modern. Even Tolkien in their first appearance in the Hobbit envisioned them to be much more full of mirth than most interpretations give them. Add in Santa Elves, the fact that brownies I believe were once considered Elves, and it isn’t unrealistic to consider a fairy-like creature to be an Elf.
Actually, elves, dwarves, trolls and a great deal of more “major” fantasy races come from Norse mythology, each possessing a realm of their own. Pop culture have ‘adjusted’ them in one way or the other, but the core elements of each can be found in Viking legends.
Fae originate from Celtic myths, while (as Drak pointed out) Elves originate from Norse mythology. So mixing them up doesn’t seem right to me. That being said, I’d neither picture Elves nor Fairies to look anything like this, so I guess neither is much more inappropriate than the other.
Fae come in all shapes and sizes, so it would be understandable for one Fae to consider itself a Dwarf, and another an Elf, they are as malleable as iseas are, so it would become true. That said, the Germanic myths also have Elves and Dwarves, though I think they might be variations of the mishapen goblins in the Black Forests…very different feeling to the Tolkien versions….
Fae come in all shapes and sizes, so it would be understandable for one Fae to consider itself a Dwarf, and another an Elf, they are as malleable as ideas are, so it would become true. That said, the Germanic myths also have Elves and Dwarves, though I think they might be variations of the misshapen goblins in the Black Forests…very different feeling to the Tolkien versions….
It’s not really that Germanic myths also have Elves and Dwarves, it’s Germanic myths they come from. They may be completely unrelated to Fae and similar groups (it’s hard to say though, since there are common aspects between Germanic myths and other Indo-European myths, so the two could have developed from the same original source myths).
But in antiquity and early middle ages when people actually believed in them, nobody would have mixed them up and most people wouldn’t even heard of both groups.
For convenience I count Elves and Dwarves as the same group since we don’t even know if there’s a difference in the first place. From what I’ve seen many people believe Dwarves just to be another word for Dark Elves.
Anyway since they aren’t even from the same religion I doubt any self respecting Fae would consider itself an Elf.
In theory at least since we all know that Fae are just made up while Elves are real (It’s not my Germanic bias for my own mythology speaking, but just a fact that our religion is right and the Celts got it wrong).
Actually Fae is a pretty broad term. It covers all kinds of creatures, like redcaps, piskies, brownies, leprechauns, etc.
Faerie isn’t so much a type of creature as it is a name for a collection of supernatural creatures. Much like angel, if you’ve ever noticed the difference between a Cherubim and a Throne.
I know, but didn’t want to count them all, just using the collective word. Traditionally the term Fae still refers to a group of related beings though of which Elves aren’t a part of.
Angels are a good example though, Throne Archangel and Cherubim all apply, but despite their similarities Valkyries do not.
The relationship between Fairies and Elves is comparable to that of Angels and Valkyries. Notably similar but if you want to be anal about the details, not the same group.
Of course that doesn’t have to stop anybody from mixing them anyway, I love Valkyries but don’t mind them often being portrait more angelic than they actually are, just like I don’t mind traits of Fair folk and Elves being mixed. It’s just not technically correct.
That’s so rude! So now I want you to call Elf chick a “broad” in front of her face.
C’mon! I double dog dare you!
“Elf” / “Alb” is the most general term, so dwarfs (Tolkien himself mentions that this is the only correct English plural) are elfs, but maybe not vice versa.
The dwarf Alberich (his name means Ruler of the Albs/Elves) has the surname/nickname Nibelung (Descendant of a Cloud/Fog), so dwarfs were/are beings of aetheric origin, too.
Tolkein himself, eh? Then why did he popularize, if not outright coin, the usages of “elves/elven” and “dwarves/dwarven” in his seminal fantasy epics?!
From what I’ve come across in literature, the German versions are the scarier type of made up, they are born from the nightmares of small children, and the more Elf-shaped ones (which includes the dwarves) are the more dangerous ones. The celtish ones (whether they exist or not) are of the “beyond human understanding” kind of critter, so still a nightmare, but it’s only a problem if you run into them.
Eva, don’t argue with the elf. Elves may or may not be helpful, but insulting them absolutely guarantees they won’t be.
Hey, Listen! It’s not nice to tell people you just met they were wrong all this time about their own race!
-Oh look, a terran
-What’s a “terran”?
-You are
-No, we’re humans…
-You’re a terran! You’re from Terra!
-I’m a human. I’m from Earth!
-We call it Terra, so, you’re a terran.
-Well, we’ve got a word for what you are too!
But we can’t say those words, because there’s a profanity filter.
Applesauce! Everyone knows humans come from Hume. Why else would they be called that?
I am 100% on board for LP entering the phase of his life where he’s just over this crap.
Fun fact: Eldritch – the word often used to describe the horrors H. P. Lovecraft wrote about – translates as ‘Elf Kingdom’.
I feel like Buckaress’ boobs get bigger each strip.
Are you complaining?