Le Monde selon Tippi 1997

Le Monde selon Tippi 1997

Uploaded on May 10, 2007

Tippi - Bridging the Gap to Africa

Tippi Degre, also known as "Tippi of Africa" has been living in France and Madagascar for the past 7 years. This is a documentary made last year on her returning to Africa, and bridging two completely different cultures, meeting old and new friends.

Faeries ~ Truth and Legends of the Fairy Folk

Faeries ~ Truth and Legends of the Fairy Folk

 

 FairyTuatha De Dannan

Tuatha De Dannan

Legends of faeries have been around for thousands of years... but what exactly are they? The word itself is a combination of Middle English and French spelling, however there are other cultures who have legends of these creatures under different names. In Ancient Rome, they were called "fata", meaning one of the Fates of Roman mythology. In Greekmythology, they were part of the Moirai, which was essentially the same thing. These creatures decided the fate of people. In Ireland, legends speak of another race... the Tuatha De Dannan, which were thought to be the "people of the gods".

In English, it became the word "faie" and had the suffix "erie" or "ry" added to it... and came to mean otherworldly creatures who performed specific tasks. It has diversified meanings, anything from being extremely helpful (such as the "brownie" or the "sprite" which would come into homes and clean or otherwise assist while the residents were asleep) orhaving evil connotations, mainly from Christian propaganda. They are represented in many forms, from child-like winged creatures, to imposing, larger than life elementals of nature.

The four elements of earth, air, water and fire are thought by some to be where faeries originate. By this belief, they are not only creatures meant to help... they are essential to the balance of these elements. This type of faeries have made appearances in literature... such as the Lady of the Lake giving King Arthur the Sword of Excalibur, and the manyrenderings of winged sylphs that we have become familiar with. These creatures live in harmony with these elements. Fire faeries (or salamanders) are often thought to be mischievous and destructive in nature.

Red Cap Goblin

Another belief, taken from Persian mythology, is that faeries are creatures that were once angels. In this legend, when Lucifer and some of the angels revolted against God and were cast out... there were some that got "caught in the doorway" so to speak. It is thought that they were strongly persecuted by demons, as they lacked the strength to stand up andtake one side or the other in their war against God.

Korrigan the Celtic Forest Elf

Nothing did more to seal the negative connotation of faeries than the advent of the Puritan movement. The brownies, sprites, and hobgoblins of yesteryear went from being helpful spirits that were welcomed to evil demons out to destroy souls. The faeries of legend fell to the way of anything that was considered "witchcraft" or "wizardry". Anyone thought tobe encouraging their presence was dealt with in the same manner by religious authorities as "witches" or "sorcerers" were. While this severe form of control did not last into modern times... its effects are felt to this day.

Beliefs in faeries as otherworldly creatures has been around for centuries. They have appeared in paintings and in literature, mainly as the winged creatures of children's stories we have all enjoyed. In Gaelic folklore however, they are very powerful beings, descended from gods and goddesses. They are known as the Aos Si, or the "people of the mounds".The mounds where they are thought to exist are called "sidhe". These beings were thought to be tall and incredibly imposing. The people of the villages would refer to them as the "Fair Folk" or the "good Folk" (smiling all the time in hopes that their positive affirmations would keep them in good standing!).

A collection of writings known as the Lebor Gabala Erenn speaks of the legends of Ireland and these people (known also as Tuatha De Danaan). According to Irish mythology, they were one of the earliest groups of people to settle there. The legends say that the battles and invasions of other races wore them down and they retreated to the many hidden mounds(known as the sidhe)... and some believe they never left. Many of these mounds have been discovered to be ancient graves... which to some gives even further credence to their souls remaining there.

Many Scottish legends classify faeries as two types... both are powerful, but the Seelies are known for mischief and tomfoolery, while the Unseelies are more dangerous and malevolent. One of the most disturbing legends of faeries that shows up in many different folk tales is that of the changeling. The changeling was when it was believed a human baby wastraded for a fairy child. Depending on the tale, the human child either lived happily in their new environment or was miserable, longing for the life of a human being.

Cottingly Fairy

With all of the legends circulating about these mysterious creatures, it begs the question... is there any grain of truth to it all? Supposed documentation of faeries came about in the early 1900's with the Cottingly case. Two cousins claimed to have caught several photographs of themselves with almost storybook-like images of what appeared to be faeriesin Cottingly, England. They even captured the interest of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the famous Sherlock Holmes stories. Technology and the later confession of Frances Griffiths, one of the cousins in 1983 indicated the photos are clever fakes.

Many legends and myths have some basis in history... it is thought that what are believed to have been gods and goddesses of ancient times may have actually been great leaders deified as such. Are the ancient mounds in the sprawling countryside of Ireland actually where the Aoi Si were forced underground after so many invasions? It is thought that whenthey went to live within the confines of the

mounds that they entered a dimension outside of our own... a dimension running parallel with ours. If not immortal, maybe these mound dwellers lived there underground until they perished.

Or maybe... their descendants exist there today!

Written by Angela Sangster, Copyright 2010 TrueGhostTales.com

Fairies of the Meadow

http://www.trueghosttales.com/elves-fairies/faeries-truths-legends.php

Myths, Legends and Stories

Myths, Legends and Stories



Elves, like other races, venerate the names and deeds of their heroes. Frequently, some of the heroes from other races have been fabricated—mostly to illustrate some religious point or another. Not so with the elves. Although their heroes also serve to make a point of some sort, all of them existed in some form or another. Heroes such as Fistilanthus Woodhelvin and his half-elf brother Gilanthus (both of whom faced the dread pit fiend Marlikora at the cost of their own lives and saved the elf lands) live on in the glorious tales of storytellers. 

Elven legend tells that they will someday return when the elves most need them and that they will aid certain blessed elves or half-elves in times of gravest need. Their bravery and courage thus inspires those in mortal peril. Other heroes, like Feradar Jaralmus, serve as examples of elven life. Although in his life he neither slew terrible beasts nor singlehandedly fought off menaces from the planes beyond, his love and compassion saved the elves from fractioning still further, teaching them the value of life and tolerance. Many other heroes once lived (and, indeed, still live) in the halls of the sages, inspiring and teaching those who hear the tales. Elven lore is not solely concerned with tales of goodness; there are also tales of dark, twisted evil. 

Fionna Casilltenirra, the first elf vampire, still haunts the dreams of romantic young elves seeking delight in the arms of humans. And the story of Besathan Ridire, the elf who made a pact with the Spider Queen Lolth and suffered eternal torment at her hands, is told every now and then to show children the questionable value of dealing with evil. All elven legends make a point of some sort, whether they deal with an inspirational story of heroics and valor or with more humble values such as compassion and simple charity. In both life and deeds, elves strive to teach and to learn. They see their lives as quests for understanding, and they do their best to complete their personal quests; elven legends often help point the way to fulfilling those dreams. Sometimes there is more to an elven myth than meets the human eye. The moral gem hidden within a tale may be far too subtle for humans to understand completely. This chapter presents but a few of the tales the elves have collected over their millenia of existence.

The Legend of Fionna Casilltenirranna

When the Elves all lived in the forests and had not yet spread to the

seas or the mountains, there was a beautiful Elf named Fionna Casilltenirra. Barely past 100 years old, she met a Human who intrigued her completely. Shy and retiring at first, she grew more open and let herself be seen when he traveled in the woods.

Their elders swore to them that such a match would never work, but Fionna and Killian had eyes only for each other. They wed in secret. Five years of bliss passed before Fionna saw that Killian was aging far more rapidly than she. The lovers searched for some way to avoid the cruel hand fate would one day deal them, but they could find no answer. In abject despair, Fionna went to a Human Vampire of whom she had heard. She begged Vasily for his help, asking that Killian be made a Vampire so the two could share life for the length of her days instead of Killian's.

The Vampire was overwhelmed by Fionna's beauty and agreed to her plans, with one stipulation: that she, too, consent to become a Vampire. In her love for Killian, Fionna never thought of the danger to her very spirit—she agreed to Vasily's dastardly request. The Vampire took Fionna in his arms and told her he would bestow upon Killian the "gift" of eternal life. He drained her, then laid her on the floor of his catacomb. He looked at Fionna and marveled at her beauty; desire coursed in him, as did treachery, and he vowed that none but he should possess her. When Vasily found Killian, he snapped the Human's neck instead of making him anew in Vampire form.

When Fionna discovered Vasily's treachery, she flew at him in rage. Confident that she was his thrall, Vasily was amused rather than alarmed. That proved a fatal error on his part, for his head was ripped from his shoulders by the grieving Elven Vampiress.

Bereft of her love and her life, Fionna wandered the world searching for someone new to take the place of her beloved, but only hatred and fear met her advances. Anger and malice found their way into her heart, and she gave herself wholly to evil.

Jarsali and the Treant

Following a similar, though ultimately contradictory, view to the tale of Fionna Casilltenirra, the story of Jarsali and the Treant glorifies love of any sort—provided that love is true and good. While some elves refuse to acknowledge the truth of this story, claiming it is truly myth and has no basis in fact, others believe it holds the germ of truth. They cling to it as a justification for the paths they have taken themselves.

Jarsali Oaklimbs was a sylvan elf of the truest grain—even to the point of shunning others of her race, preferring instead the company of the woodlands well over that of her fellows. How her heart came to be full of suspicion and bitterness at her mortal comrades, no one knew; they only knew that Jarsali was a strange girl, even for an elf.

Nothing assuaged the sorrow in her soul save the nearness of the primordial trees. Her wanderings from camp took her deeper and deeper into the virgin forest, to places where even few elves had ever set foot. In the heart of the wood, she found a living tree holding court with his minions. Her shock was great.

Remember, this was a time before the elves had spread across the world, and they knew little of all its races. Few had ever heard of a treant, much less seen one. Although her tribe had, Jarsali had never heeded the lessons of her compatriots, for she had no desire to learn from their experiences.

Entranced by the sight of the treant, she crept closer to investigate. Suddenly, great bark-covered limbs from a nearby "tree" lifted her from the ground and held her captive. The animated oak brought her before its liege.

Jarsali stood prisoner before the treant lord, and something in her heart cracked and was set free. The elf maiden fell instantly in love with the enduring beauty of the craggy wood before her. The treant eyed Jarsali's flushed cheeks and bright eyes. Suthurithidan, the son of Garanahil the First Treant, saw hidden behind the elf's truculent air a spirit of fire that could not be quenched. It was the treant's first true look at an elf, and he was entranced. With a silent flicker of his twiggy finger, he commanded the tree to release the elf maid. The two stared at each other, sunlight filtering through the dappled leaves; then Suthurithidan turned and melted into the forest.

Jarsali returned to her camp. Her companions were amazed at her newly softened manner, so changed was it from her usual self. They wondered what could have happened on her latest excursion into the woods, but none said anything, feeling only gratitude and not caring the cause. When Jarsali crept away a week later, unable to forget the treant Suthurithidan, some few smiled, thinking perhaps she had found a lover with a nearby tribe. One elf, however, did not smile—he frowned. Azalarer had thought to wed Jarsali himself, for he lusted after the elf maid. The words of his people were an irritant to his pride.

Jarsali found again the treant lord, and this time neither could deny the truth of how well their souls matched the other. The initial exhilaration inspired by their first meeting provided the impetus for the rest of their relationship, and the feelings between two such dissimilar beings deepened. In time, they found that they were truly in love, each unwilling to continue life without the other beside them.

But Azalarer grew suspicious of Jarsali's continued change. He and his cohorts followed her into the depths of the forest. Intent only upon meeting her love, Jarsali's ordinarily sharp hearing did not warn her of this pursuit. Azalarer and the others found her then, and they beheld a sight none had ever thought to witness in all their years: An elf maid embraced by a living tree!

Azalarer's heart grew black. He taunted Jarsali cruelly and incited the prejudices of his comrades. In righteous wrath, they tore Jarsali from the arms of the surprised tree lord and spirited her back to camp. There Azalarer fanned the flames of xenophobia. The elves had never heard of such a strange coupling; they were outraged that Jarsali's chosen was not even humanoid, much less elven. They locked her behind a stout wood stockade and angrily began debating what to do with her.

Jarsali called upon all the elven gods of the forest and of love, and she called upon the gods of Suthurithidan, too. She prayed for both release from the stockade and from her elven form, that she might not have to endure the cruelties the elves inflicted upon her in the name of racial purity. The gods heard her pleas: They gave her the answer to one by granting the other.

Inside the stockade, Jarsali's body stiffened. Her hair grew long and turned green, and her limbs became limbs of wood and not flesh. Her feet sought the cracks in the ground, and she extended her new roots into the soil beneath. Shouldering aside the flimsy blockade, she forced her way into the sylvan camp. The elves scattered before her. Some prostrated themselves in abject terror, fearing for their lives.

Azalarer, along with those who had been deliberating Jarsali's fate, came forth from the council chambers. The elf's heart turned ever more black and cracked with rage; he grabbed a firebrand but the council restrained him. With utmost respect, they bowed to Jarsali and bade her good speed and clean water, for her transformation showed them that her love was real—that nothing they could say or do would change this simple fact.

With only the faintest bow, Jarsali turned to the forest and was reunited with her true love. The elves watched her go with a newfound respect; to this day, the sylvan elves and the treants share the custody of the woods.

Moral: True love transcends race—and sometimes even species.

Halimath's Pride

The story of Halimath Arnuanna is a cautionary tale relating the dangers of pride and arrogance, even in those who have again and again proven their superiority of skill.

Halimath was a smith who had transcended all boundaries of metalworking in his craft. A true master with the hammer and tongs, each piece of precious metal commanded his complete attention, each blow of the hammer comprised his entire world. His creations were truly marvelous and inspired such awe in others. With each passing year, his skill grew ever greater. Elves traveled the world over to see his works of art.

Centuries passed, and the grey elf decided that his life's work should culminate in the creation of one truly magnificent artifact—preferably a sword—to be wielded in the cause of good. He had no doubts about his skill, and he had the costly metals and gems with which to make and ornament this sword. But the grey elves had banned the making of any more weapons of power. They wanted no reminder of the Elfwar or the Fractioning, and they forbade Halimath to make such a sword. The elf would neither listen nor obey; breaking the laws of his land was but a small price to pay for the glory of the magic he would wrought.

Thus commenced Halimath's destruction.

The rituals the elf sought to enchant the blade were dark and arcane, their powers hardly more than he could contain. Halimath continued without regard, believing that the creation of the Sword of Justice would atone for any evils he committed while creating it. The first spell he cast almost cost him his life, so strong were the magicks within it. This spell ensured life to the wielder of the blade for as long as the Sword was held. A second spell enchanted the weapon so that it could only be used on the side of goodness, and the third ensured the Sword would strike down the foes of the wielder with but a single blow.

Rumors of Halimath's transgressions reached the ears of the grey elf elders. The wisest and most just of them, Andriana, confronted Halimath and demanded the truth. To her folly, she held up the Sword to emphasize her point. The master smith flew into an insane rage at his creation being so touched. His massive fist struck the frail elf woman, and she crumpled to the floor. Blood splattered across the blade in Andriana's hands and stained the carpet beneath her still-breathing form. Halimath stared down at the woman in horror, his senses returning to him in the cold light of what he had done. He knew the other elders would never allow him to finish the Sword of Justice, and that thought alone consumed him. He grabbed the Sword and fled.

Shortly after, the grey elf elders discovered Halimath's misdeeds. Though Andriana lived, the elders swore the blood oath against Halimath. They hounded the elf day and night, until they finally cornered him; though bruised in body and spirit, he was still unrepentant.

Halimath let out a great cry and raised the Sword of Justice in defiance against the elves who harried him. He leaped to attack, but the blade crumbled to dust in his hands. When the arrows pierced his body, Halimath fell dead.

Moral: Obsession destroys everything.

Haranavei Koehlanna

Although many human cultures have adapted this familiar story for their own use, the elves claim original credit for it.

An elf village was destroyed by an orc raiding party—the only survivor an elf woman, great with child. She fled into the burning forest and forded a swollen stream. On the other side, she found refuge in a tiny human village. There, she gave birth to her child, for labor was brought on by her traumas. With her dying breath she named her infant daughter Haranavei Koehlanna, and she bade a woodcutter care for her child. The elf woman perished that night.

Under the care of the villager, who was now the mayor, Haranavei grew into a child of amazing beauty. The human women of the household took exception to this beauty, and they did their best to ensure that such loveliness would never show. The mother and her daughters made Haranavei clean the middens, the sties, and the fireplaces every day. The poor elf child worked from before dawn to after dusk. The people whom she called "family" sought always to humiliate her for her pointed ears and thin features, and to belittle her beauty. Their taunts hurt an innocent heart.

And so matters went for many years, until one day a prince rode through the now prosperous village. He was an elf prince, this much is true, and he stopped at the human village to water and feed his stallion. The mayor's daughters were smitten with his charm and elegance; in him they praised the very features they taunted in Haranavei.

The elf amused himself at the human girls' expense—until he saw the thin figure of Haranavei trudge by, bearing her heavy burden of firewood. The prince grabbed the elf maid by the arms and stared long and hard into her eyes. Then, slowly, he smiled, for his search was over. Drawmij Koehlanna had found his sister. The two wept with joy when the truth was revealed, though Drawmij was saddened at the news of his mother. He disclosed that he had been away at the time of the orc attack; he had returned to discover his home in flames. But there was no sign of his mother, whom he knew to be pregnant, and so Drawmij went in search of her and her child.

More truth was revealed at the house of the mayor's, for the elf prince saw that the humans had made a slave of his sister. He retaliated by slaying the mayor's wife and daughters, only just sparing the man's life at the request of Haranavei.

Moral: Suffer not the vanity of others.

Caelestis

The elven love of creation has extended itself into their stories, as has their unique perspective on the nature of time. Perhaps this story helps to explain why elves are so willing to devote years to a single project—and why they can take years away from a venture before returning to it with a fresh, new perspective.

Malissin Ariessus was a high elf architect and artist of exceeding vision, though he had no exceptional skill. His dream was to one day create the perfect tree town, where all elves could live in harmony and peace in a setting of unimaginable splendor—and improbable engineering.

Malissin did, indeed, create his city within the trees. Caelestis exceeded even Malissin's dreams, and the city excited all who saw it. Even the gods were filled with wonder at the magnificent tree town. Alas, Malissin forgot to weave the final enchantment on his city.

For many years it stood tall and proud, a monument to one elf's dream. Malissin passed on to Arvanaith, happy and secure that his tree city was all that he had hoped it would be. A great storm brewed the night of Malissin's death—a storm so great it tore asunder even the mightiest oak trees. Malissin's city was destroyed for lack of the binding spells that would have made his structures permanent—an oversight in an otherwise flawless creation.

Though the architectural principles Malissin employed are long since lost, his dream lives on in all of us. The desire to design perfection that is beloved by the gods burns in the breast of all who create, and the urge for such immortality is often irresistible.

Moral: Love of creation is the element of perfection. Patience and love of creation are the permanence of perfection.

The Death of Elves

After the Godswar, Corellon Larethian walked the world of mortal Elves, hoping to gain knowledge and experience of our lives so that he could give us the aid that a true god should. During his journeys, he came across an Elf woman of such beauty and generosity of soul that he was stricken with love. Elana returned that love. Two years later, a child was born: Eliara Larethian. Corellon's daughter was the most perfect Elf ever born. Men and Elves alike hoped to win her favor.

Eliara could not oblige them all with her love—nor could she choose who was worthy of her. For a time she spurned them all and devoted her life to the bow; as the daughter of Corellon, her skill was uncanny. The Men and Elves fought between them to see who could carry her golden quiver, and war threatened to break out between the races. Corellon and Elana turned to their daughter, and she agreed that such squabbling must stop. And so Eliara held a contest to judge her suitors' skills. A hunt there would be to see who could match her ability with the bow; the winner should have her as his bride.

During the hunt, a great red dragon was drawn to the noise and bustle of the hunting party. Seeing the Men and Elves, it opened its maw and poured forth a great gout of fire—slaying half the party outright. Eliara drew her bow and let loose an arrow. The shaft entered the beast's eye, killing it instantly. The dragon's body crashed to earth, uprooting trees as it did. The massive limb of a falling oak caught Eliara in the chest and she was crushed beneath its deadly weight.

A great funeral was held in Eliara's honor, with all her suitors in attendance. One of these, an Elf master singer named Clain Windsong, threw back his head and let forth a melodic cry of sheer, wordless anguish. As if on a cue, the other Elves took up the cry, their voices mingling and harmonizing in an outpouring of overwhelming grief. The Humans in the party, overcome by the terrible beauty of the music, died of heartbreak.


The tradition of the elven mourning song continues to this day, and it is song of such anguish as to break a listener's heart.
http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/vortexshadow/Myths.html

The Christmas Fairy

The Christmas Fairy

The Christmas tree so bright, 

so many pretty colors,

sparkling in tinsel 

and glimmering from its decorations;

there it stands tall and straight.

But something is amiss, 

something clouded in memory,

something not tallying the balance.

I walk slowly around the tree,

examining all around, for what could be wrong.

I retire for the night on Christmas Eve

after taking another look at my magnificent tree

and again getting that feeling,

that something is amiss.

I shrug my shoulders as I snuggle under the covers.

As soon as my eyes are open

I am on my feet, 

it is time to open the presents.

Eagerly I make my way to the living room,

And lo and behold, what do I see?

There, on top of the Christmas tree,

dancing there is the prettiest sight,

flashing in a multitude of shades and hues,

the most beautiful fairy,

pirouetting and spinning around.

Like a little ballerina, she was.

A few seconds passed,

and in a blink of an eye she was gone

leaving in a shower of sparkly fairy dust 

which gently settled upon my head. 

But everything is as it should be.

I remembered the fairy 

on the Christmas tree.

Cynthia©

Merry Chridtmass & Happy New Year

May all my blog friends have a Merry Christmas and a Happy prosperous New Year

In love and light

Cyn

The Inner Consciousness

The Inner Consciousness 

I believe that the truth in knowing oneself is like sharing your love with another. It means to evolve from one level of the mind and heart to another in a higher state of consciousness.

As this state of consciousness grows, we try to enlighten others to become aware of this state of mind and love, since we are all as one in mind and heart. All of sentient beings in the universe are as one. The more we share our heart and mind with others, the more we see all as the "I AM."

I believe and have no doubt that our awareness of our true selves within is being aware of our love and appreciation of the true universal "enlightenment."

When shared/compared with other "truths," the more we expand our truth the closer to our divinity we become. Religion often tries to limit our understanding of truth, asserting to us, defining to us, what's true and what's not.

Also beware of those who come in the guise of being your leaders, protectors and benefactors. They might well be out to deceive and lie to you for what ever personal gain or misguided motives.

That is not my way. I know what's true for myself but my truth may not be so by another’s understanding, according to their truth or belief.

Truth, love and understanding are the biggest of potentialities for a

change in this reality. IMHO, this is the truth of the spiritual oneness of consciousness. I believe that this oneness of consciousness is not one that can be conceived or contained within the confines of any one finite mind. It is a concept that is beyond any restricting confines of any one religious, political or even scientific teaching, at least not our present day science. At best, all

of the man made systems we have in place are fatally flawed and move like ships at sea without rudders. These systems are designed to keep all of their followers in the dark, segregating and separating us instead of bringing us together as one.

The Oneness, to which every one of us are connected, is the fabric that connects all in creation. Each single strand or thread that

binds with all the other threads makes up the fabric or the web of this reality we reside in.

The Quabalah speaks of this entity as the mother who brought all life to universe. She is also known as The Sacred Feminine. In the Book of Proverbs she identifies herself: Wisdom, God's handmaiden. The first five chapters of Proverbs are her own discourse on how she pleased the Creator and how, above all things, one needs to have "wisdom."

The Age of Aquarius, I believe, mentions the coming of the Sacred Feminine as well.

I believe in the truth of the Oneness within the web of creation. Each of us has our very own conception of this reality. Then who are we to judge if our neighbor's concept is false or true? I would be more inclined to say that each individual’s perception is comparable to any one other's. No two person's "truth" is completely the same. In my opinion I would have to say that hopefully our truth expands as our consciousness and enlightenment grows. It's an insecure ego that needs to be right all of the time, that needs its truth to be the one and only.

I believe that the oneness of consciousness, *God,* so to speak, wants us to BEcome all of who we already are. In this process I believe our truth expands, whether we are intending it or not.

Love,

Cynthia

Iceland's hidden elves delay road projects

Iceland's hidden elves delay road projects

Bob Strong / Reuters file
An elf door leans against a rock in the Icelandic countryside outside the village of Selfoss in 2006. Belief in the unseen runs so high in Iceland that the Public Roads Administration sometimes delays or reroutes road construction to avoid what locals believe are elf habitations or cursed spots.

By Jenna Gottlieb, The Associated Press
REYKJAVIK, Iceland — In this land of fire and ice, where the fog-shrouded lava fields offer a spooky landscape in which anything might lurk, stories abound of the "hidden folk" — thousands of elves, making their homes in Iceland's wilderness. 

So perhaps it was only a matter of time before 21st-century elves got political representation.
Elf advocates have joined forces with environmentalists to urge the Icelandic Road and Coastal Commission and local authorities to abandon a highway project building a direct route from the Alftanes peninsula, where the president has a home, to the Reykjavik suburb of Gardabaer. They fear disturbing elf habitat and claim the area is particularly important because it contains an elf church. 
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The project has been halted until the Supreme Court of Iceland rules on a case brought by a group known as Friends of Lava, who cite both the environmental and the cultural impact — including the impact on elves — of the road project. The group has regularly brought hundreds of people out to block the bulldozers.

And it's not the first time issues about "Huldufolk," Icelandic for "hidden folk," have affected planning decisions.

They occur so often that the road and coastal administration has come up with a stock media response for elf inquiries, which states that "issues have been settled by delaying the construction project at a certain point while the elves living there have supposedly moved on."

Scandinavian folklore is full of elves, trolls and other mythological characters. Most people in Norway, Denmark and Sweden haven't taken them seriously since the 19th century, but elves are no joke to many in Iceland, population 320,000.

A survey conducted by the University of Iceland in 2007 found that 62 percent of the 1,000 respondents thought it was at least possible that elves exist.

Ragnhildur Jonsdottir, a self-proclaimed "seer," believes she can communicate with the creatures through telepathy.
"It will be a terrible loss and damaging both for the elf world and for us humans," said Jonsdottir of the road project.
Although many of the Friends of Lava are motivated primarily by environmental concerns, they see the elf issue as part of a wider concern for the history and culture of a very unique landscape.

Andri Snaer Magnason, a well-known environmentalist, said his major concern was that the road would cut the lava field in two, among other things, destroying nesting sites.

"Some feel that the elf thing is a bit annoying," said Magnason, adding that personally he was not sure they existed. However, he added, "I got married in a church with a god just as invisible as the elves, so what might seem irrational is actually quite common" with Icelanders.

Terry Gunnell, a folklore professor at the University of Iceland, said he was not surprised by the wide acceptance of the possibility of elves.

"This is a land where your house can be destroyed by something you can't see (earthquakes), where the wind can knock you off your feet, where the smell of sulfur from your taps tells you there is invisible fire not far below your feet, where the northern lights make the sky the biggest television screen in the world, and where hot springs and glaciers 'talk,'" Gunnell said.

"Everyone is aware that the land is alive, and one can say that the stories of hidden people and the need to work carefully with them reflects an understanding that the land demands respect," he added.
Gunnell said similar beliefs are found in western Ireland, but they thrive in Iceland because people remain in close contact with the land. Parents still let their children play out in the wilderness, often late into the night. Vast pristine areas remain, even near the capital, Reykjavik.
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And at Christmas, Icelanders await not just one Santa Claus, but 13 trolls known as the "Yule Lads" who come to town during the 13 days before Christmas. Each has his own task, putting rewards or punishments into the shoes of little children. They include Stufur, or Stubby, who is extremely short and eats crusts left in pans; Pottaskefill, or Pot-Scraper, who snatches leftovers; and Hurdaskellir or Door-Slammer, who likes to slam doors at night.

"If you ask an Icelander about elves, they might say they don't believe," said Jonsdottir. "But we always have stories of them, if not from ourselves then from someone close like a family member."
Hilmar Gunnarsson, a writer in Reykjavik, fondly remembers a story his grandmother told him about a mischievous elf.

"She told me about (a pair) of her scissors that went missing and she was certain that an elf borrowed them," Gunnarsson said. "She would not believe that they were just lost and she would not buy (new) scissors. She said the elf would give them back when he was finished. She said they were returned."
One of Iceland's most famous daughters, the singer Bjork, displayed no hesitation when asked by U.S. comedian and TV host Stephen Colbert if people in her country believed in elves.

"We do," she said. "It's sort of a relationship with nature, like with the rocks. (The elves) all live in the rocks, so you have to. It's all about respect, you know
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/12/22/22009310-icelands-hidden-elves-delay-road-projects?lite