Chapter 6

Are elves real? The Traditional Icelandic Answer

Iceland, an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, remained unsettled long after the rest of Western Europe. Archaeological findings suggest the presence of Irish monks in Iceland before Vikings settled the island in the late 9th century, establishing one of the oldest parliaments in history. The Vikings and their descendants in Iceland were pagans who practiced old Norse Paganism right up until the end of the first millennium. These early Icelanders viewed the world as a magical place, inhabited by supernatural beings such as elves – a staple of Icelandic mythology.

Elves, or “hidden people”, were believed to live in rocks in an invisible world. According to Icelandic tradition, elves can choose to become visible, which they frequently do in the presence of children. They look nothing like how Santa’s elves are usually portrayed; their ears aren’t pointy, and they aren’t necessarily short. In fact, while some elves are only a few inches tall, others can be human-sized or up to 10 feet tall. Many elves are so similar to humans, they can only be recognized by slight differences in their facial structure, such as an abnormal distance between the nose and mouth. They usually wear clean, green 19th century clothing, and love to throw days-long parties with endless dancing and feasting. When elves aren’t partying, they lead unremarkable, human-like lives in their hidden world. They grow crops, raise livestock, pick berries, and weave. While some elves may be evil, even the good ones commonly have a mischievous streak. But despite their often-mischievous behavior, elves do not interfere in human affairs if they are left alone. More importantly, they are honest creatures who always keep their end of a deal.

Though Christianity was officially adopted as Iceland’s state religion in 999 CE, various elements of Norse paganism survived for centuries in folktales and customs. Elves, for example, were Christianized with the incorporation of their origin story into the Biblical narrative. It was said that the elves were Adam and Eve’s children, whom Eve once neglected to clean before a visit from God. Thinking fast, she hid the elves, but God knew the truth and declared that those who are hidden from God must also be hidden from the sight of man.

Today, elves regularly appear in the dreams of Icelanders, and it is common for Icelander children to have imaginary elf friends. But elves are hardly considered imaginary; in fact, a 1998 survey found that an astounding 54.4% of Icelanders believe in the existence of elves! While this survey has been criticized for its failure to distinguish true elf believers from elf agnostics, a 2007 study clarified that roughly 62% of Icelanders believe that elves are more than just mythological creatures.

Incredibly, this belief has practical implications. In Iceland, projects such as road construction are routinely delayed or even redesigned to avoid disturbing rocks thought to be inhabited by elves. This happens so often, that the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration was forced to create an official document that serves as its standard reply to press inquiries regarding elves. But why do Icelanders feel so strongly about preserving the elves’ homes? As it turns out, this isn’t purely altruistic; when construction infringes on elf territory, machines break down inexplicably and workers suffer all manner of injury and even death. To avoid such misfortune, it is best to negotiate with the local elves and delay projects until they have left the area.

In Iceland, elves and humans sometimes help each other. In 2010 a former member of the Icelandic Parliament claimed that elves had saved his life during a car accident. Later, when a road was supposed to be built over the 30-ton rock inhabited by his elven saviors, he campaigned to save it, and ultimately arranged for its relocation to a field near his house where the elves would have a view of the ocean. Icelanders from all walks of life also help elves by leaving food for them on Christmas and lighting candles on New Year’s Eve to illuminate the elves’ way as they embark on their annual migration.