Elves are very popular mythical creatures. Unlike trolls and ogres, they are generally depicted as friendly and helpful creatures. All children, for example, know about Christmas elves, who help Santa Claus make toys. There are actually many types of them, and here are some interesting facts.
1) Elves originally come from Norse mythology, just like trolls. They were thought to be divine or semi-divine beings with magical powers. They were divided into good or light elves and dark or bad elves. They also exist in more modern mythologies, such as Germanic, Icelandic, and Scandinavian.
2) In more recent folklore, they have been associated with Fairies and have a pre-adolescent appearance with no facial hair on males, and live under rocks, in hills and in pits. They are small in stature and seemingly forever young. They like to play, they can be mischievous at times, but essentially they are not malicious.
3) In the US, Christmas elves are associated with Santa Claus and act as his helpers or sometimes as day laborers. They live at the North Pole, wear red and green clothes, and make toys. They have long, pointy noses, hats, and ears. Almost all animated movies and shows about Santa Claus and Christmas also feature them.
4) The Fantastic Elves emerged in works like The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. They have also been popularized by the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. They are very intelligent and attractive, but not physically strong.
5) Christmas elves are not known as leprechauns, unlike elves or goblins, and remain extremely popular today, as evidenced by numerous appearances in advertisements like Keebler Cookies and movies.
