Conference turris::scandia

    PLS give me a clue, don't know what you are thinking about. As far as i
    remeber ther aren't any, but maybe i missed that day in school. The
    only dwarves i can think of are Disney's 7 but they are not Swedish and
    hardly mythology :-).
    
    Peter

   I now have some more info regarding the dwarves.  Apparently, they
   feature in Scandinavian Mythology, not specifically Swedish.

   The dwarves names we have so far are:

   	Alberich
   	Thekkr?
   	Davalin
   	Thror?
   	Galar
   	Alaar (or Ilaar)
   	Dain

   and there are five more, making a total of twelve.

   These dwarves lived under the land and were metal workers.  Alberich
   was the keeper of the Ring of the Nibelung.

   Jane.

    Hi,
    
    There's a Swedish children's song:-
    
    	N�r trollmor har lagt sina elva sm� troll...
    
    	(When mother troll has put her 11 small trolls to bed)
    
    As far as I know there's no reference to any names in the song; anyone
    else know?
    
    Regards,
    
    Pete

    It is possible that you are referring to the dwarves whose names are
    enumerated in the work known as "The Elder Edda", specifically the
    "V�lusp�", which is the poem that deals with creation & prophesy. I
    have a copy of the book at home and will see if I have time to copy
    these names and key them in.
    
    I am not sure that the names you have are the Scandinavian (i.e., old
    Norse) versions; your reference to the Niebelungen would indicate the
    German version (popularized through Wagner's operas). These are part of
    the "hero-legends", which are really common to the Germanic culture as
    a whole (the Nordic Sigurd is the same character as the German
    Siegfried(sp?)). On the other hand, the more pure "mythology",
    specifically as presented in both the elder(poetic) and the younger (prose)
    Edda(s), only exists today in the Scandianavian (i.e., Old Norse/
    Icelandic) versions. 
    
    As I said, I'll come back with such a list. If I recall correctly, the
    same poem also lists the names of the Vakyries, as well as a number of
    Jotuns (often called "frost-giants" in English).
    
    Mauritz
    

Jane,

One of the dwarves you mentioned (Alberich) is a dwarf in Wagner's opera
cycle "Der Ring Des Nibelung". This Dwarf gains power from the ring by
denouncing love. There are four operas dealing with the making and
finally the destruction of the ring. The epics are set in legendary
times and deal with the end of an era.
Wagner's opera cycle is is own rather heavy edit of a cycle of
Scandinavian and Germanic myths.
J.R.R. Tolkien's four volumes "Lord of the Ring" has also many
similarities to Wagner's opera.

-Svein

re< Note 460.5 by OSL09::MAURITZ "DTN(at last!)872-0238; @NWO" >
>
>   I have a copy of the book at home and will see if I have time to copy
>    these names and key them in.
    

   If you could enter the names, I would be very grateful.

   Thanks,
   Jane.

   My father and I did a bit of research last night.  We've established
   the following:

   Thror is mentioned in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.  He was definitely
   a dwarf.  And D�in was mentioned in Lord of the Rings too.  We don't
   think we'll get any more information from LOTR but it seems as if
   Tolkien could have been somewhat inspired by Wagner's Ring of the
   Nibelung.

   A correction to my base note is that one of the dwarves is called
   Alfar, not Alaar.  

   And we have a new name to add to this list which is Fjalar.  I can't
   remember where we found that name.

   Finally, Davalin, as mentioned in the basenote *could* be Dwalin,
   who is a dwarf mentioned in Lord of the Rings, but as the reason
   we are trying to find out the names of the twelve dwarves is to
   finish a particularly difficult crossword (!), Dwalin does not
   fit, so we're guessing the correct name is Davalin.

   Therefore, the names we have now are as follows:

   	Alberich
   	Thekkr (?)
   	Davalin (or possibly Dwalin but unlikely)
   	Thror
   	Galar
   	Alfar (not Alaar)
   	D�in
   	Fjalar

   	+ 4 more

   If no-one is able to furnish any further information today, I'll see
   what I can find in my local library.

   Jane.

Hi, Jane, I have good news and bad news

     Good news: I have keyed in the names

     Bad news:


     	      There are quite a few more than 12


I could just as well key in the text itself, that way you can really 
quote from "the horse's mouth". My quote is from the English version 
of the Elder Edda by Paul B. Taylor and W.H. Auden.

The title of the poem V�lusp� is translated as "Song of the Sybil". 
The passage I am quoting from includes verses 13-17 (as enumerated in 
that book---the original did not have numbered verses).

The passage describes the creation; we have gotten to how Man (and, of 
course, Woman) was to be created. The Jotun (giant) Ymir has been 
killed (he has some additional names like Brimir and Bl�in, as 
mentioned below). The dwarves are given the tasks of fashioning humans 
from the body parts of the dead giant (and I bet you though we came 
from a nice, clean piece of Adam's rib). I quote:

     The High Gods gathered in council
     In their Hall of Judgement: Who of the dwarves
     Should mould man by mastercraft
     From Brimir's blood and Bl�in's limbs
     
     M�tsognir was their mighty ruler,
     Greatest of the dwarves, and Durin after him:
     The dwarves did as Durin directed,
     Many man-forms made from the earth.
     
     Nyi and N�di, Nordri, Sudri,
     Austri, and Vestri, Althj�f, Dvalin,
     B�vor, B�vor, B�mbor, N�ri,
     An and �nar, �inn, Mj�dvitnir,
     Veig and Gand�lf, Vind�lf, Thorin,
     Thr�r and Thr�in, thekkur, Littur,
     Vitur, Nyr, and Nyr�dur,
     F�li, K�li, Fundin, N�li,
     Hefti, V�li, Hanar, Sv�ur,
     Billing, Br�ni, B�ldur, and Buri,
     Fr�r, Hornbori, Fraegur, L�ni,
     Aurvangur, Jari, Eikinskjaldi:
     (All Durin's folk I have truly named.)
     
     I must tell of the dwarves in Dvalin's host;
     Like lions they were in Lokar's time:
     In Juravale's marsh they made their dwelling,
     From their stone hall set out on journeys.
     
     There was Draupnir and D�lgthrasir,
     H�r, Haugspori, Hl�vangur, Gl�i,
     Dori, Ori, Dufur, Andvari,
     Skirfir, Virfir, Sk�fidur, �i,
     �lf and Yngvi, Eikinskjaldi,
     Fjalar and Frosti, Finn and Ginnar:
     Men will remember while men live
     The long line of Lofar's forebears.
     
Is that enough for you?

(wow am I sick of hitting the "compose" character)


Mauritz

   Mauritz,

   Many many thanks.  Your help was invaluable.  I've thinked we've 
   cracked the crossword at last!

   Cheers,
   Jane.

>>    There's a Swedish children's song:-
>>    
>>    	N�r trollmor har lagt sina elva sm� troll...
>>    
>>    	(When mother troll has put her 11 small trolls to bed)
>>    
>>    As far as I know there's no reference to any names in the song; anyone
>>    else know?

Pete,

The song is called "Trollmors vagsang"  (excuse lack of conpose characters!)
and it's about how the mother troll ties the eleven baby trolls to the bed by 
their tails and then tries to get them to go to sleep by singing to them the 
most beautiful song she knows which consists of the words "Ho ay ay ay ay buff".

My singing group does this piece occationally for childrens groups.

There's no mention of any troll names in there!  8-)

>>>Ken

    From: [email protected] (Anne C. Elster)
    Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
    Subject: Re: Names from Norwegian Myths and saga
    Date: 30 May 91 13:34:48 GMT
    Sender: [email protected] (USENET news user)
    Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept, Ithaca NY 14853
 
    Snorri Sturluson "The Prose Edda -- Tales from Norse Mythology",
    translated from Islandic by Jean I. Young and out on University of
    California Press ISBN 0-520-01232-1, is a handy 132-page paperback that
    will give you plenty of names. (E.g. on pp 48-49 it gives 29 names for
    Odin alone. :-) Our system people used a more general norse mythology
    book when naming our Sun Stations, but I forget which. I think the
    above book gives you most of them, though. (The Sparc in my office is
    named "Sjofn", named after one of Odin's daughters. She is the godess
    of envy and passion. :-) )
 
 
						Anne C. Elster
[email protected]

    From: [email protected] (Carsten S�rensen)
    Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
    Subject: Re: Norse gods
    Date: 11 Mar 92 10:52:08 GMT
    Sender: [email protected]
    Organization: Department of Computer Science, U of Copenhagen
 
 
    Here is my list of Names of Norse mythology. I thought there might be
    someone here that are interested, but didn't see the article when I
    posted it the first time (another group).
 
    I also hope that someone know some additional names or some corrections
    to mine. In that case I would be glad to recieve them by e-mail.
 
 
Vanir:
Byggvir and Beyla: Frey's servants
Fjolnir: son of Frey and Gerd
Frey: son of Njord, god of peace and prosperity
Freya: goddess of love, and fertility, daughter of Njord
Gullweig: the gold-rich goddess, who was tortured by the aesir
Njord: God of winds and waters (home: Noatun)
Skirnir: Frey's servant
Other names of Freya: Mardoll, Horn, Gefn, Syr, Vanadis
 
Aesir:
Andrimnir: the cook of Valhalla
Balder: god of light and beauty
Bo: another name of Vali
Bragi: god of poetry
Forseti: god of peace, son of Balder and Nanna
Heimdal: the white As who guards Rimfrost, son of Odin and nine giant sisters
Hodir: the blind As, who shot Balder
Kvasir: the wise As, Fjalar and Galar made the mead of poetry out of his blood
Lodur: gave blood and hue of life to Ask and Embla
Loki: god of evil and chaos, son of the giant Farbauti and an Asynje
Magni: the powerful son of Thor and Jarnsaxa
Modi: the brave son of Thor and Sif
Od: Freya's lost husband
Odin: god of war and magic, the greatest god, son of Bor and Bestla
Thor: warrior god of thunder and rain, giantslayer, son of Odin and Fjorgyn
Tyr: the brave god of war and justice
Ull: god of skiing, bowshooting and hunting, son of Sif and a giant
Vali: took revenge for the death of Balder, son of Odin and Rind
Ve: Son of Bor and Bestla
Vidar: the quiet As, the forestdwelling avenger, son of Odin and Grid
Vili: Son of Bor and Bestla
 
Asynjer (godesses):
Eir: healer
Fjorgyn: the earth, Thor's mother
Freya: Van goddess of love and fertility
Frigg: queen-goddess, Odin's wife, daughter of Fjorgvin
Fulla: servant of Frigg
Gefion: goddess of maidens
Gna: Frigg's messenger and servant in other worlds
Hlin: send by Frigg to Midgard to protect someone
Hlodyn: another name of Fjorgyn
Hnoss: goddess of all beautiful and valuable, daughter of Od and Freya
Idun: keeper of the apples of youth, Bragi's wife
Laufey: Loki's mother
Lofn: love
Nal: another name of Laufey
Nanna: Balder's wife, who went to Hel with her husband
Saga: storyteller
Sif: Thor's wife
Sjofn: lust
Snotra: the proud goddess of wisdom and nobility
Syn: defends the accused at the thingstead and guards the gates of Valhalla
Trud: the strong daughter of Thor and Sif
Var: the wise listenener and questioner
Vor: protector of oats, punisher of oatbreakers
 
Giants from the times of creation:
Aurgelmir: The giants' name for Ymir
Authumla: The second creature (a cow)
Bergelmir: Ancestor of all later giantraces
Bestla: Daughter of Blthorn
Bor: Son of Buri, father to Odin
Buri: The third creature
Blthorn: Father to Bestla
Ymir: the very first, created by cold and heat in Ginungagab
 
Giants (Bergelmirs descendants):
Aegir: ruler of the seas
Angurboda: a gyge, mother of Fenrir, Hel and Jormungandr
Arvak and Alsvid: Sol's horses
Baugi: Suttung's brother
Beli: slain by Frey
Byleist and Helblindi: Loki's brothers
Dag: The day, son of Delling and Nat
Delling: an As, Dag's father
Eggther: the giants' watchman
Farbauti: Loki's father
Fimafey and Beyla: servants of Aegir
Geirrod: slain by Thor without his hammer
Gerd: beautiful wife of Frey,
Gilling: Suttung's father, killed by Fjalar and Galar
Gjalp: daughter of Geirrod
Grid: gave the Jarnglofar to Thor, Vidar's mother
Gunlod: Suttungs's daughter
Gymir: another name of Aegir
Hati: the wolf that hunts the moon, offspring of Fenrir and a Gyge
Hler: another name of Aegir
Hresvelgr: corpse swallower, creator of winds, a giant eagle in the north
Hrungner: slain by Thor
Hrym: comes sailing from the west to the battle of Ragnarok
Hymir: went fishing with Thor, father of Tyr the As
Jarnsaxa: one with the ironsword, Magni's mother
Jord: the earth, daughter of Annar and Nat
Mimir: keeper of the well of wisdom (now only a talking head in Odin's hall)
Mokkurkalfi: the clay giant, slain by Thor
Mundilfari: Father of Sol and Maane
Mne: drives the moon, son of Mundilfari
Mnegarm: a breed of wolves, offspring of Fenrir and a Gyge in Jarnved
Naglfari: Ud's father
Narfi: from Jotunheim, Nat's father, son of Loki and Sigyn
Nat: the night, daughter of Narfi
Ran: who fishes drowned sailors in her net, Aegir's wife
Rimfaksi: Nat's horse
Sigyn: Loki's wife
Skadi: goddes of skiing, Njord's wife, daughter of Tjazi
Skinfaksi: Dag's horse
Skoll: the wolf that hunts the sun, offspring of Fenrir and a Gyge
Sol: drives the sunwagon, daughter of Mundilfari
Surt: leading the firegiants in the battle of Ragnarok
Suttung: from whom Odin stole the mead of poetry, son of Gilling
Tjazi: from Trymheim
Ud: Son of Naglfari and Nat
Utgard-Loki: giant-king in Jotunheim
Heimdal's nine mothers:
  Gjalp, Greip, Eistla, Eyrgjafa, Ulfrun, Angeyja, Imdur, Atla, Jarnsaxa
Other names of giants:
  Allvaldi, Alsvid, Arinnefia (fem.), Aurnir,
  Egil, Fenja (fem.), Fornjotr, Gunnlod (fem.), Gymir, Hildir,
  Hlebard, Hrimgerd (fem.), Hrimgrimnir, Hyrokkin (fem),
  Idi, Im, Lodin, Menja (fem.), Mogthrasir, Nervi, Norvi, Nott, Skrogg,
  Skrymir, Svarang, Thiassi, Thudgelmir, Thrym, Ulf, Vafthrudnir, Ylfing
 
Disar: Norns and Valkyries
Norns (godedsses of fate):
  Urd, Verdandi and Skuld
Valkyries (Brings the fallen warriors to Odin and Freya and serves mead
           for the Einherjer in Valhalla, and fights with the gods):
  Hrist, Mist, Skeggjold, Skogul, Hild, Trud, Hlok, Herfjotur,
  Goll, Gerahod, Randgrid, Radgrid, Reginlejf
  Brynhild: wife of Sigurd Fafnersbane
 
Humans associated with gods:
Ask and Embla: The first man and woman, created by Odin, Hoder and Lodur
Einherjer: fallen warriors in Valhalla awaiting Ragnarok
Lif and Leiftrasir: the only two humans who survives Ragnarok
Rind: daughter of the king of Russia, Vali's mother
Tjalfi and Roskva: Thor's servants
 
Dwarfs (dverge):
Brok: who forged Gullinbursti, Draupnir and Mjolnir
Durin: the second greatest dwarf
Fjalar and Galar: Killed Kvasir and Gilling and created the mead of poetry
Iwaldi: father of Brok and Sindri
Lit: was burned alive in Balder's funeral fire
Modsognir: the greatest dwarf
Nordri, Sudri, Austri and Vestri: holds the sky in each corner of the world
Sindri: who forged Sif's golden hair, Skidbladner, and Gungner
Earthdwarves:
  Nyi, Nidi, Altjof, Dvalin, Nar, Nain, Nipling, Dain,
  Bifur, Bafur, Bombur, Nori, Ori, Onar, Oin, Mjodvitnir,
  Vigg, Gandalf, Vindalf, Torin, Fili, Kili, Fundin, Vali,
  Tror, Troin, Tekk, Lit, Vit, Nyr, Nyrad, Rekk, Radsvid
Stonedwarves:
  Draupnir, Dolgtvari, Har, Haugstari, Hledjolf, Gloin,
  Dori, Ori, Duf, Andvari, Heptifili, Har, Sviar
Those (Lovar) who came from Svarin's hill to Aurvangi on the plain Jara:
  Skirfir, Virfir, Skafid, Aj, Alf, Yngvi,
  Ejkin-Skjaldi, Fal, Frosti, Fid, Ginnar
 
Other unearthly creatures:
Dain, Dvalin, Duneyr and Duratror: deers of the Ask Yggdrasil
Ejkthyrnir: A deer in the Ask, from its horns drips the water of many rivers
Elle: Age, appears as an old woman
Fenrir: the wolf who swallows Odin in Ragnarok, breed of Loki and Angurboda
Freke and Gere: Odin's wolves
Garm: the dog who guards the gates of Hel
Gullinbursti: Freys golden boar (pulls his chariot)
Gyldenkam: rooster of Asgard
Habrok: the best of hawks
Heidrun: the goat of Valhalla, gives mead to the Einherjers
Hel: goddess of the underworld, daughter of Loki and Angurboda
Hugin and Munin: thought and memory, Odin's ravens
Jormungandddr: The Serpent of Midgaard, breed of Loki and Angurboda
Logi: Firedemon
Modgud: the maiden who guards the bridge Gjoll to Hel
Nidhug: the dragon biting the roots of Ask Yggdrasil
Ratatosk: the squirrel of Ask Yggdrasil, creator of mistrust
Serimnir: the boar of Valhalla, gives meed to the Einherjers
Sleipnir: Odin's eightlegged stallion, offspring of Svadilfari and Loki
Svadilfari: Drafthorse of a mountaingiant who builded the walls of Asgard
Tandgnjost and Tandgrisnir: Thor's goats (pulls his chariot)
Vedrfolnir: the hawk of Ask Yggdrasil
Other horses:
  Glad, Gyllir, Gler, Skejdbrimir, Silvertop, Sinir, Gisl,
  Falhofnir, Gulltop (Heimdal's), Lightfoot,
  Gullfaxe (Hrungner's), Hofvarpnir (Gna's), Hamskerpir,
Nidhug's breed of dragons:
  Goin, Moin, Gravvitnir, Graabag, Gravvollud, Ofnir, Svafnir
 
Places:
Alfheim: Green place by the Urdarbrunni, where alfs dwell anf Frey rules
Amsvartnir: the lake with the islet Lyngvi
Andlaug: the second sky (in the south, near the sun)
Asgard: home of the Aesir
Barre: the groove with the warm breeze, where Frey met Gerd
Bifrost: the rainbowbridge to Asgard
Bilskirnir: Thor's great house
Breidablik: the shining, holy place where Balder rule
Eljudnir: hall of Hel
Fensale: Frigg's house
Folkvang: fields of Freja
Gimle: the happy eternal hall in the sky
Ginnungigab: the Abyss between Muspelheim and Niflheim.
Gjoll: a river, bordering to Hel.
Gladsheim: home of the glad, Valhalla
Glitnir: Forseti's shining golden hall
Grotunagard: Hrungner's farm
Hel: the underworld
Himminbjerg: where Heimdall guards Bifrost
Hlidskjalf: Odin's high seat from where he sees everything
Hvergelmir: a well in the middle of Niflheim
Idavelli: the plain in the middle of Asgard
Jarnved: dark forest in the east, where a Gyge gave birth to the Mnegarm
Jotunheim: home of the Joten-giants (northeastern wastelands)
Kormt, Ormt and Kerlaugir: rivers, that Thor must cross to get to the thing
Lyngvi: the islet, where Fenrir is chained
Midgard: Home of humans
Mimisbrunni: Mimir's well of wisdom
Muspellheim: the hot world south of Midgard, home of the firegiants
Niflheim: The kold world north of Midgard, home of the Rimturs-giants
Niflhel: hell of those, who die in Hel
Sessrumnir: the hall of Freja
Sokvabek: Saga's home
Trudvang: land of Thor
Trymheim: mountainhome of Skadi and Tjazi
Urdarbrunni: Urd's fountain, evergreen place by root of Ask Yggdrasil
Valaskjalf: the silverroofed hall with Odin's high seat Hlidskjalf
Valhalla: the great hall of Odin, where the Einherjer eat and drink
Vanaheim: Home of the Vanir
Vidblain: the third sky (where only light alfs dwell)
Vidi: the forestland, home of Vidar
Vigrid: the battlefield of Ragnarok
Vingolf: house of the goddesses
Ydalir: Yew-valley, home of Ull
Yggdrasil: the great holy three rooted ashtree, thingstead of the gods
Rivers that flow from Hvergelmir:
  Svol, Gunntra, Fjorm, Fimbultul, Slid, Hrid, Sylg, Ylg, Vid, Lejpt, Gjoll
 
Items:
Brisingi: Freya's neclace, made by three dwarfs
Draupnir: Odin's golddripping ring
Gjallarhorn: Heimdal's battle-horn
Gungnir: Odin's good spear
Jarnglofar: Thor's gloves of strength
Levding, Dromi and Glejpnir: the three chains of Fenrir
Meginjardir: Thor's girdle of strength
Mjolnir: Thor's hammer
Naglfar: the great ship of the firegiants
Skidbladnir: Frey's foldable ship
Magic swords:
  Gram, Hrotti, Mimming, Refil, Snidil, Tyrfing
 
Odin's many names:
  Allfod (allfather), Baleyg (flame-eyed one), Biflindi (spear shaker),
  Bileyg (oneeyed), Bolverk (worker of evil),
  Farmagud and Farmatyr (god of cargoes), Fjolnir (much knowing),
  Fjolsvid (very wise), Grani (horsehair), Grim and Grimnir (mask),
  Hangagud (god of the hanged), Haptagud (god of gods), Har (high),
  Harbard (graybeard), Helblindi (who blinds with death),
  Herjan (raider), Herteit (glad of war), Hjalmberi (helmeted)
  Hnikar and Hnikud (spear thruster), Jalk (gelding), Jafnar (just as high),
  Omi (one whose speech resounds), Oski (fulfiller of desire),
  Sanngetal (who guesses correctly), Sidhott (broad hat),
  Sidskegg (longbearded), Sigfod (father of battle), Svipall (changable),
  Thekk (pleasant), Thridi (third), Thund (thin one), Vak (alert one),
  Veratyr (god of men), Vidrir (ruler of weather), Ygg (terrible)
  Svidur, Svidrir, Gangleri, Tud, Ud, Sad
 
Giants are called:                                                  
Jten (Jtte) = giant from Jotunheim
Thurs = giant from Jotunheim
Hrimthurs = giant from Niflheim
Trold/Trll = troll
Bjergris = mountaingiant
Gyge = female giant
Muspellsons = firegiants from Muspellheim

    Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
    From: [email protected] (Anne C. Elster)
    Subject: Re: Norwegian mythical creatures 
    Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept, Ithaca NY 14853
    Date: Thu, 21 Jul 1994 18:30:59 GMT
 
    I'll give it a shot from memory (WARNING: my memory is dynamic and may
    need refreshing ...). :-)
 
 
Troll -- large mythical figure associated with evil and mischief;
	 generally known to live inside mountains, some turn in
	 to mountains if struck by sunlight. Often characterized
	 with ugly warted faces, messy hair and a large nose with a 
	 pine tree growing on it. Some may have more than one head.
 
 	 Most famous reference:
		Dovregubbens Hall (Hall of the Moutain King)
		from E. Grieg's classical piece Peer Gynt (music to
		a play by the same name by Ibsen.)
 
Trollunge -- kid troll -- expression often use to humourously refer to 
             naughty (human) kids.
 
Hulder 	(Huldra = the Hulder) -- Female charcter of "troll" ilk.
	Known for their stunning beauty (and hence ability to entrance
	unsuspecting male humans) and their characteristic long
	tail with a bushy end which give their non-human identity away ...
 
Nisser -- small characters with red hats resmebling minature St. Claus;
	 known to live in farm barns and help out around the farm. Should be
	 treated well (hence a plate of porridge traditionally set out on
	 X-mas eve for them) to ensure good fortune.
 
J�tul	-- Mountain troll.
 
Vetter -- More commonly known as "underjordiske" (direct translation:
	  "sub-earthlings"); predominantly evil spirits that rise from
	  the ground. "Vetter" is the Old Norse term that was
	  not commonly used again until some Olympic promoters
	  dug the term up again. Guess it has a better "sound"
	  than "Underjordiske". :-)
 
    Norse Mythology is peppered with serveral other mythical figures. :-) I
    got a "troll" book for my graduation  this summer -- I'll try to
    remember to take a glance at it and update the list...
 
					Anne C. Elster
					[email protected]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    From: [email protected] (Kent  Saxin Hammarstr|m)
    Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
    Date: 25 Jul 1994 07:16:53 GMT
    Organization: Uppsala University
 
 
    Swedish equivalents:
 
    Troll (pl. troll): Like the Norwegian ones, and they also (like the
    Danish  ones) hate the sound of church bells (that's why their aren't
    any trolls  around anymore).
 
    Jaette (pl. jaettar): Definitely not huge trolls. Nowadays (i.e. in
    children's tales) more or less like the giant in "Jack and the bean
    stalk."  They used to be the rivals of the Asar and Vanir (i.e. the
    gods). There were several kinds, like the fire giants and the frost
    giants (Loki, the god of mischief was  actually a jaette). 
 
    Vaette (pl. vaettar): I'm hazy on these, except that they are small and 
    mischevious/evil (sort of like the unseelie).  At least partly they`re
    the equivalent of "will-o-wisps," i.e. they lead wanderers astray. 
    Interestingly, the belemnites that Bodil mentions are called
    "vaetteljus" (i.e. candles of the vaettar) in Swedish. 
 
    Alv (pl. alver): More or less like the elfs of Anglo-Saxon(?) mythology
    (the seelie court, the shining ones, the Sidhe, etc.)
 
    Aelva (pl. aelvor): Sort of like fairies.  Exclusively female, ethereal
    beings with wings.  They don't seem to do much but dance in the
    moonlight and mist.
 
    Huldra (pl. huldror): Seems to be a cross between the Danish and
    Norwegian ones. They're exclusively female, have a hollow back ("like
    a trough" is how they're usually described), and sometimes a tail (like
    that of a cow or a troll).  They seduce foresters and hunters by their
    beauty and tend to marry them and even have children (until the
    husband discovers that they're actually huldror, when they disappear
    together with the children). 
 
    Naecken (there's only one of him): More or less like the Danish one,
    but he only plays the violin and sits in "wild" streams (the kind that
    has white water parts). In some stories he is connected to the aelvor.
    He can also change form to that of a black horse (the "aelvahaest")
    that carries children off to drown; similar to a pooka (?).
 
    Mara (pl. maror):  This is what you get when a woman is subjected to
    what would make a man into a werewolf, such as being borne by a woman
    who tried to make the labour easier.  A mara can leave her body to ride
    sleepers, making  nightmares.  
 
    There are probably more, but these are the ones I can remember right
    now. 
 
	>-Kent->
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Kent  Saxin Hammarstr�m, Computing Science Department, Uppsala University,
    Box 311, S-751 05  UPPSALA, SWEDEN.