Korablev L. Korablev Leonid Leonidovich

Leonid Leonidovich Korablev(born August 17, 1971, Moscow, RSFSR) - modern Russian writer, runologist, Germanic philologist, linguist, specialist in Icelandic culture, artist.

Until the age of seventeen, he bore the surname Matsuev, after which he bore the name Korablev (the actual translation from German into Russian of the surname Schipper on the maternal side). Graduated from the Moscow Secondary Art School named after. Tomsky at the V.I. Art Institute Surikov. Certified sculptor. Member of the Union of Writers of Russia. The first exhibitions of his graphic and sculptural works dedicated to the work of J. Tolkien were held in Moscow, and later, in 1994 - 1998, in San Francisco, Framingham, Minnesota, Boston (USA). Published in American magazines Parma Eldalamberon, Tyaliе Tyelelliéva, Ravenhill, Beyond Bree (graphics, articles). In 1996, the Leonid Korablev Gallery website was created in the USA. On the same site in 1997, he published a “Treatise on how one should look for ways to communicate with... true elves” and other works. Since 2000, he has been publishing in Russian (author of nine books on Old Icelandic/Scandinavian topics). Twice awarded by the Ambassador of Iceland to the Russian Federation. Books by Leonid Korablev are in the National Library of Iceland.

Books

Voices of the trees. Anglo-Saxon magic. Card reading

Articles (research, translations, stories)

There are three kinds of Elves under the sky (“Tyaliё Tyelelliéva”, N 9, 1995: 8-11) [article]
Northern witchcraft and pagan practices in medieval Scandinavian laws (“Myths and magic of the Indo-Europeans”, N 11, 2002, pp. 76-85) [article]
The True Elves of Europe (in English The True Elves of Europe) [article]
True Elves of Europe (Unfallen Elves of Tolkien) [article]
A treatise on how one should seek and find ways of communicating with the now hidden Light People, that is, with the true elves [treatise]
How in the old days they celebrated the holiday of winter in northwestern Europe [story for children]
A brief introduction to the first edition of the book “From Stories about Old Icelandic Witchcraft and the Hidden People” 1997 [article]
Ancient Europeans, trees, herbs, magic [article]
The Saga of Samson the Beautiful (Samsons saga fagra) [translation]
Sea King Ivar Volnogon [story]
Moscow Viking Igor Olegov [story]
Concise Old Germanic Mythological Dictionary [dictionary]
Experience the Old Norse World System as an ImageMap [interactive note]
Icelandic graphic magic [article]
The witch who knew the white demons, for that is what they [the Easterners] called the elves [report]
Gifts of the Elves to Men [note]
“Spirits of Iceland” (doc. film) (Spirits of Iceland) [translation and comments]
Those who see through the mountains and hills (Þeir sem sjá í gegnum holt oc hola) [report]
Runes of speech and Mighty runes (Málrúnir og rammrúnir) [article]
Tambourine of the lower world and Gand-alf? (Shamanic drum and Gand-álfr) [note]
Slowly the cups of Son and Boðn will fill (Seint munu fyllast Són og Boðn) [translation]
Icelandic authors who wrote about elves during the "golden ages of belief in elves" in Iceland in the 16th and 18th centuries. (Álfa-öldin) [catalogue]
Icelandic folk calendar and calendars of other Germanic peoples [article]
Explanatory articles on L. Korablev's graphics [notes]
Charo-Leifi and the Elves (Galdra-Leifi og álfar) [note]
About the signs of the waxing moon (Um merki á komandi túngli) [translation]
Riddle [riddle]
Icelandic dream book (Drauma útþýðing/drauma-ráðningar) [translation]
Icelandic omens (Kreddur) [translation]
Icelandic mythological idioms [note]
The “runes” of sir Thomas More [note]
From the book about Jón Guðmundsson the Scientist (Jón the Scribe-Sorcerer) (Ævisaga Jóns Guðmundssonar lærða) [excerpts from the book]
Elven traditions in Kristinn E. Andresson's pro-communist book “Modern Icelandic Literature” 1918-1948 [article]
"Wolf" of Iceland - Arctic Fox [article]
Orngaladion [article]
Icelanders in Russia of the XXI century [autobiographical sketch]
Icelanders in Iceland of the XXI Century [autobiographical sketch]
Fourteen magical rune rows in Iceland [article]
Addition to the list of names of Icelandic runes and letters, images of which were discovered by L. Korablev in Icelandic manuscripts of the 17th-20th centuries [article]
Sleep Elves (Draum-Álfar)[article]
Confusing letters (villuletur)[article]

A SMALL TREATISE ON HOW YOU SHOULD SEEK AND FIND WAYS OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE NOW HIDDEN LIGHT PEOPLE, THAT IS WITH THE TRUE ELVES.
Corrected and expanded version, 2002-2003

As the ancients often said and wrote, the people of the elves, with the advent of the kingdom of people, began to gradually, as it were, disincarnate, turn pale and lose their physical forms visible to mortal eyes. However, they have not yet turned into disembodied spirits and, thus, have not completely passed into the immaterial world. This means that we, the people, the people second after them, the elves, can try to look for ways to communicate with them. For they have ideal knowledge about the nature of being and about the complete history from the beginning of our world, including knowledge about what happened long before even those times that are now commonly called “proto-history.” Elves taught people culture and the art of writing. They are able to penetrate into the future with their minds and read the thoughts of mortals (álfar skilja), i.e. “elves feel, understand, foresee”; gefinn skilnings andi/ ei sízt álfum og svo nornum..… “given insight (deep understanding) to the spirit, no less to the elves, and also to the norns...”. And in their appearance they are similar to ideal tall people, but, of course, not to “literary” winged dwarfs.

Also, according to the mystics of the Middle Ages, elves possess special books of Knowledge: “People with the gift of spirit vision confirm that their interior design [i.e. e. elf-books] like the old manuscripts of the Irs [Irish], only they are written in golden letters; and everything there is of amazing colors, with elegant script and ornaments inside and outside.” Jón Gwüdmundsson Scholar “Tíðfordríf“, 1644. In addition, it is believed that the elves taught people, in addition to all of the above, also herbal healing: “They say that through such communication [with the Scottish elves] knowledge of the medicinal powers of many herbs was acquired...” .(Patrick Graham “Descriptive Sketches... of Perthshire”, 1806.) We find exactly the same idea among the Celtic inhabitants of Wales. (See W. Sikes, J. Rhŷs.) Also, as the ancients mention, elves, although now invisible, are able to help, or even can save, in a moment of extreme danger, people friendly to them. (See Jón Guðmundsson, Purk-eyjar-Ólafur Sveinsson, Jón Árnason, R. Graves.)

Countries where encounters between mortals and elves are now possible are as follows: the most remote areas of Iceland, Wales, Ireland, Middle England, Scotland, the Faroe Islands, Orkney Islands, perhaps, but quite rarely, somewhere in Scandinavia, southern Germany (?), northern -west of Russia: the area below Arkhangelsk, Karelia, Valaam, Lake Onega, the coast of the White Sea, [its name among the Vikings in ancient times was GAND-vík “Magical Bay”, compare GAND-álfr “Magical (“elven”) creature with a magic rod ".] “...At that time, throughout the entire territory of Europe, including, however, only the western part of Russia and the lingering Il-korindi [elves] spoke their own dialects of the common Elvish language..."

From the early drafts of Professor J. Tolkien

Elves do not live in the “New World” (America), the East, Africa and Siberia. There is a lot of evidence about this. Especially Irish (Celtic) ones about North America. Obviously, when trying to communicate with elves, it is necessary to comply with certain conditions, such as: special forms of abstinence, the absence of metal objects (except silver). Some (semi-)precious stones help - here it is appropriate to recall the experience of the Icelandic mystics and their marvelous stones (náttúru-steinar): Diacodos, etc. There are also ideas about using various other products in this procedure (for example, four-leaf clover, a special eye ointment, etc.). Some magical “staves” help: band-rún(ir) “a complex sign made up of different runes” [literally “bundle of runes”]; galdra-stafur "a sign of several magical symbols brought together"). [Jón Aurthnason, for example, writes that the Icelanders cut out two band-runs “Gapaldur” and “Gin-faxi” in order to enter the hills to the elves.

Now let's move on to the main thing.

Ways to communicate with the Hidden People.

In Iceland: four ways are mentioned: to compose a laudatory “ice” (ljóð); use the magic rod sproti; try the ancient formula “bjóða álfum heimum”; perhaps úti-setur. In Ireland and Scotland: traditional ways of getting inside the elven hills are mentioned. (Dun-shi, Rath) In ancient Scandinavia: there once was an álfa-blót.

In Wales: mention of the possibility of being half in an elven cŷlch glas or other enchanted places.

Or compare Professor Tolkien’s ideas that the elves themselves will come to a person in his consciousness or dream (see below.). But it seems that this happens extremely rarely, although even recently several such cases have been recorded in Iceland, the most famous of which occurred in 1962 in Akur-eyri (north of the island).
Read more.

And S l a n d i . According to the traditions associated with Jon Gjudmundsson the Scholar (17th century), it is enough to compose a song of praise in honor of the elven family and pronounce it accordingly in the right place - then you will receive the answer - “because almost all trolls and elves are inclined to revenge, said Vilhjalm, if they are treated badly or insulted. BUT NO LESS TRY TO PAY GOODLY IF YOU ARE RESPECTIVE T h e l a t e n t a c t l e n o w s i .” (Icelandic “Saga of Sigurd the Silent”, chapter 6, XIV century)

The form of such a song must be either magical, i.e. ljóð (compare the mentions of this form in the description of the magical arts of Odin, or in the style of late-Islamic rhyming-alliterative complications. Such a song, as a rule, should contain an eight-syllable poetic stanza instead of the usual six-syllable, three times initial-vowel alliterative repetition. As the son of Jon the Scientist said, he composed several similar songs: Huldu-fólks mál (“Speeches of the Hidden People”), Þeim góðu jarðarinnar innbúum tilheyri þessar óskir (“Let these be fulfilled [good] wishes for the good people [of the Elves]") and Ljúflings-kvæði ("Song of the Lleuvling"). Of these songs of praise by Jón, the first two are preserved in manuscript only in fragments, the latter, unfortunately, lost. One of the most recent examples of use ljóð's rhyming form and a favorable response to it is evidence recorded in the Icelandic collection of stories about elves, magicians, etc. by Jón Aurthnason (see there “Gríms-borg”, or in my translation “Grím’s Rocky Castle” ).

Since ancient times, the most famous place in Iceland where you can, if you are lucky, meet elves is Skaga-fjörður (“Protruding Fjord”) in the north of this island. For evidence of this, see the “Saga of Kormak” (Kormáks saga, c. 11th century): hóll einn... er álfar búa í “hill there... where elves live inside”; in “The Saga of Bishop Guðmund Arason the Good” (Guðmundar saga góða, XIII century): “It was a Wonderful Winter... two suns stood in the sky at the same time, and people saw how the elves and other wondrous people passed together in great numbers in Skaga- fjord"; and in the “Modar Saga” (Móðars saga, XV-XVI centuries). It is likely that the north of Iceland is still most densely populated by the Hidden People, for which see the reference to the incident in Akur-eyri and the evidence from Fljot a little below. As is clear from the “Book of Testimonies about the Truth of the Existence of Elves” (Álfa-sögu-bók), compiled by the Icelander Oulaf Sveinsson from the island of Purk-ey in 1830, many elves then lived on Cape Snay-fjells-nes and in the area of \u200b\u200bBraid- fjord (west of Iceland).

Apparently, it is necessary to pronounce a magical appeal to the elves in some accordance with the more ancient description given in the “Saga of Eirik the Red” (Eiríks saga rauða), because The scenes and motifs in this saga are almost identical to the above-mentioned account of the elves from Gríms-borg:

“Meanwhile, Thorhall the Hunter (Þórhallr veiði-maðr) disappeared... people found Thorhall on the top of some rock. He lay and looked at the sky, his mouth open and his nostrils flared, and muttered something... A little later a whale washed up on the shore... Then Thorhall the Hunter said:

This I received for the poems I composed in honor of my friend Thor.”

“Eiríks saga rauða”, chapter 8

(tálkn-)SPROTI: In this case, “a special rod-rod made of thin whale bone covered with copper at the end.” With its help, you can try to get to the elves in their hidden houses, which seem like rocks and hills to the uninitiated mortal. (Compare Gaelic ideas about the same thing below.) Moreover, it is necessary to know and pronounce at the right time a special magical formula. You also need to have attached sticks with rune-staves cut on them (cf. above). For examples and more detailed information about sproti, look in the treatises of Jón Egertson (XVII century), in the “Guide to Iceland” by Eggert Olavsson and Bjarni Paulsson (XVIII century), in the collection of testimonies about the elves of Jón Aurtnason (XIX century).
Excerpts from some of the writings of the authors listed above.

J o u n E g g e r t s - so n: “It was believed that some people were so deeply knowledgeable (konst-ríkir) that they knew how to open the covers of the earth and go inside. They entered both the hills and the rocks, talked there with the people living inside, and accepted gifts (gáfur) from them (many saw these gifts), and there, [having learned] a lot about the secret and hidden, they became wiser (þar með margra leyndra hluta vísir orðnir)." (Addition to the treatise of John the Scientist “Tíðfordríf“, Papp. fol. Nr64, 17th century.]

(Same author): “Many were said to have mastered the art (konst) of opening the covers of the earth [rocks] and going inside; and communicate there with the leuvlings (ljúflingar: elves who are so called); eat and drink with these people there, inside; Moreover, they become wise (fróðir), and in addition receive gifts (gjafir) from them.” (“Um rúna-konstina“: “On runic mastery”, 17th century)

From the collection of J oun Aurtna-son: “They walk like this until they approach one hill. Bjorn then pulls out the rod from his mouth and hits it on the hill. After this, the hill opens, and they see as if a door has opened in it...” [“Hól-göngur Silunga-Bjarnar” eftir Ólafur Sveinsson í Purkey, vol. I, p. 81-82];

“Then the bishop takes the rod from his mouth, leaves the tent, draws three circles around the tent with the rod and then goes to the elves.” (“Brynjólfur biskup…”, volume I, pp. 57-58)

“They go to the outer edge of the cultivated area, around a farm, a field, to one hill there. The priest strikes the rod from the front and onto the hill. Then the hill opens up..." ["Hól-gángan" volume I, p. 559].

One of the variants of the magical formula necessary for use together with sproti may be a phrase in the elven language “Sindarin” reconstructed by Professor J. Tolkien, said by the magician Gandalf at the gates of the underground country of Moria:]
tengwar inscription A treatise on how one should seek and find ways of communication with the now hidden Light people, that is, with the true elves

One should be somewhat more careful with the following two, not entirely clear now, methods: “bjóða álfum heimum” (i.e., inviting elves into one’s own home on Christmas night or New Year’s Eve) and úti-setur on the same holidays, plus the night before the summer solstice.

In the case of “inviting elves into one’s own home” (i.e. bjóða álfum heimum), at the appointed time, they light all the lights in the house, tidy everything up, set the table, and, walking with light around the house and all buildings adjacent to him, they pronounce the following magical (alliterative) formula for inviting the elves three times: “Komi þeir sem Koma vilja, Fari þeim sem Fara vilja, Mér og Mínum að Mein(a)-lausu!” or “Veri þeir sem Vera Vilja, Fari þeir sem Fara vilja, Mér og Minum að skaða-lausu!” (“Enter boldly those who wish it and come from everywhere those who intend to come, but do not harm me or what I have!”). Then they wait (sometimes they leave before dawn - see the testimony about Catherine below). This procedure may be associated with a certain danger, because there is a high probability of the arrival of Dark Elves (Dökk-álfar) (for protection against which a special runo-magic tradition has existed since ancient times), evil spirits (ill-vættir) or even undead (draugar). In this case, death or insanity is possible for those who invited. However, see several testimonies from the collection of Joun Aurtnason (19th century) or advice in the book of Jounas Jonasson (about him below) about what they do when they find themselves in such a situation. One of the well-known real evidence of the invitation of the Light True Elves to his home is given in his book by the priest Jonas Jonas-son (XIX-XX centuries):

“(Testimony from Fljout, northern Iceland). Katrin, the last wife of Gisli from the Seagull Hill (Máfa-hlíð), who lived on Stada-fjetla after his death, [before going to the church for the whole night] always put the best dishes on the table in the common room on the last evening of the passing year , curtained the windows and left the light burning inside. All this food disappeared by morning. Stepdaughter Catherine once asked her why she was doing this.

Do you think, my child, that I would have acted this way if they had not accepted this from me? - answered Katrin.

She had several rare precious things and no one knew where they came from.” [Those. it is implied that Katrin invited the elves - from them she received these gifts.] (According to the manuscript of Olav Davidsson entitled “Grey Skin” by Gisli Konradsson.)

Also, Jonas Jonas-son writes that “sometimes the Hidden People (huldu-fólk) took people to the elf-world (álf-heimar) during Christmas (jóla-) night.”

Úti-seta [pl. h. úti-setur] - literally “to sit outside without shelter.” There is even less certainty in this case. Usually people settled down on the night of Christmas (or Yule), New Year or before the summer solstice right in the center of the intersection of four roads somewhere in the mountains, thus preventing the movement of elf cavalry at this time. If you're lucky, the elves will appear from one of the four roads, and the main thing here is to remain silent, no matter what they do. The price for violating the ban on uttering at least one word in response to the elves is madness. (Although in some cases madness with the ability to foresee the future; see the relevant evidence from the collection of John Aurnson.)

In all Old Scandinavian and Icelandic (early Christian) laws that have come down to us, the practice of úti-seturs is prohibited, but, obviously, we are talking about the second, “black” variety of úti-setur. It should be noted here that there are significant differences between the “elven” úti-seta and its “double” for summoning night demons and spirits of the dead. In reality, what they have in common is only night time, crossroads and special magic squares reitar/reitir, which apparently served as “windows” to the underground/otherworld. Again, if the forbidden úti-seta can be performed almost at any time of the year at night (see the collection of stories of Ioun Aurthnason), then in the episodes of the “Orkneyinga saga”, ch. 65,66, where it is mentioned úti-seta, perhaps there is a hint of the “elven” variety, since we are talking about Christmas night (jól):

“Earl Paul had a warrior whose name was Sveinn brjóst-reip... He was tall and strongly built, with dark hair, and with the appearance of a clear loser (ó-hamingju-samligr). He was well versed in the mysteries of the ancients (forn mjök) and sat many nights in the open air [communicating] there with the spirits (hafði jafnan útisetit). On Jarl Paul's ship, Svein was the lookout (i.e., the bowman).

...Christmas... the earl retired with most of his guests, but Svein the Rope-chest again sat in the open air at night, as was his custom.” (The original implication here is hardly evil? Very unclear.)

The purposes of these two varieties of úti-setur for which they are performed are also different. In the case of calling night demons and the dead, they are looking for practical knowledge: what needs to be done/what conditions must be met in order to win; where is it better to go to achieve a certain goal, etc. In relation to the elves, usually, in addition to simple communication, they are looking for theoretical knowledge (in extreme cases, valuable gifts; see Jon Aurthnason, appendix to this treatise, etc.)

In ancient Scandinavia, the term álfa-blót once existed. The meaning of both this term itself and the ritual associated with it is now partly vague. Perhaps it is akin to “inviting the elves into your home” (bjóða álfum heimi) and composing and performing the magical song “ice” (as mentioned above, in “The Saga of Eirik the Red”, “The Rocky Castle of Grím”, the poems of Jon the Scholar; or is evident from the modern tradition, namely the treatise of Jón Eggertsson: kveða rímur). Compare also the Celtic rituals of calling elves to help during battle.

In conclusion of this part, we can briefly mention the medieval Icelandic knightly “Saga of Jarlmann and Hermann” (Jarlmanns saga og Hermanns, XIV century), although what was meant there, what the goals were, and whether they were light elves or dark ones is not clear. There are two handwritten options.

[First]: “They both [the king and his companion] walked away from the others, and no one knew where they went. The king and his companion enter one large valley. There were small fields there and a silk tent was erected on a hill. They are heading towards him. The king is drawing squares around there. Then he blows into a small silver pipe. Then the nearby hills and those further away open up. Elves, dwarf dwarves and other evil creatures come out from there.” [Ch. 17]

[Excellent lines from the second version]: “... rocky hills and rocks, mountain slopes and large boulders open up. Elves and norns, dwarf dwarves and the Hidden People come out from there.”

Ireland and Scotland: The inhabitants of these countries, the Gaels, have common ideas about how to get in touch with the elves neighboring them:

“If on a full moon you walk nine times around the elven hill (rath), then you will find in it the entrance to their dwelling (sifra) there within. However, if you decide to enter, beware of eating Elven food or drinking Elven wine.”
Lady Wild "Ancient Legends of Ireland"

“Locals believe that they [i.e. the Scottish elves of Daoine Shith] inhabit some round hills covered with green grass. In them [these elves], in the light of the full moon, celebrate their nightly festivities... Also, people believe that if on Halloween any mortal, alone, walks around one of these elven hills nine times counterclockwise (counterclockwise) sun), a door will open in the hill, through which he will be admitted into their underground dwellings.”
Patrick Graham "Descriptive Sketches...of Perthshire", 1806

“... Carolan, the last Irish bard, once slept the whole night on an elven hill (rath). After this, elven melodies (ceól-sidhe) constantly sounded in his head, and brought him fame and recognition.”
V.B. Yeats "Irish Traditions"

While doing similar research in the bright moonlight, the Scottish priest Robert Kirk disappeared in 1692. People believe that he was taken into their world by the elves for being too knowledgeable in their affairs.

In Wales, people believe that the green circles, consisting of darker grass than around them, are the so-called cŷlch glas - places where the Welsh elves Tylwyth Têg (literally "Beautiful People") lead their round dances in the moonlight light, at night. And that by stepping into such a circle on the grass, you can come into contact with them. But. A second participant is needed to hold the first one outside the circle, outside, by the hand. Otherwise, the elven round dance will spin the daredevil and it will be possible to pull him back out only in a year and one day, and then only with the help of some knowledgeable sorceress. For the enthusiastic and enchanted, it will take (as it seems to him) no more than five minutes. There are known cases of returning after several decades. The unfortunate man immediately turned to dust as soon as he left the elven circle. Particularly clever daredevils contrived to kidnap beautiful elves from the round dance without entering the circle. Through subsequent marriages with them, they introduced “elven blood” (half-elves, Il. hálf-slektis börn) into humanity. Although most of the data on this is still doubtful. But true cases are known. (See J. Rhŷs, W. Sikes; Professor J. Tolkien writes about Lúthien, through whom people became related to the elves, and that even her most distant descendants may appear to the Now Hidden People, he also mentions the mortal prince of Dol Amroth - Imrahil, descendant of the elves Mithrellas further reflects on the physical signs of the presence of elven blood in people: see “Unfinished Tales”.)

There are also descriptions of special places on the west coast of Wales, from where, at sunset, standing on one leg and covering one eye with your hand, you can, with luck, see the Green Islands of the Elves, located in the ocean.

At the end of this treatise, it should be noted that all the methods described above require deep (book) knowledge; the opportunity to get to where you can discover the dwellings of the Hidden People; enormous effort of will and attention; The main thing is to believe in what you are doing. And, of course, caution, skill and luck are required.

P.S. Until now [in the 20th century] in Iceland, the majority of the population continues to believe in the existence of the “Hidden People” (i.e., elves). The Icelandic professor Steingrímur J. Thorsteinsson testifies that “he played with the elven children when he was a small child, and many others mention similar episodes in their biographies” (for example, in addition to Steingrímur J.Þorsteinsson, 1973 , Kristmann Guðmundsson, 1959, Sigurður Ingjaldsson, 1913, Tryggvi Einarsson, 1995 write about this). The Icelandic National Museum of Antiquities contains several things given by the elves to people, and the same professor Steingrímur J. Thorsteinsson writes:

“In fact, the existence of elves is believed... Several recent stories about the Hidden People clearly indicate this. Here is one example: about twenty years ago in Akur-eyri, the largest city in the north of Iceland, which is also my birthplace, it became necessary to blow up some rocks in order to clear space for the construction of new houses. An elf appeared to one of the townspeople in a dream and asked that the explosions be postponed for a while so that the elves living in those rocks would have the opportunity to move. That man appealed to the city council and at a meeting called, they agreed with the proposal to postpone the explosions. This almost amounted to official recognition of the existence of elves. The capital's press (Reykjavik) made a mockery of it, but personally, like many other Icelanders, I bow to the city council (Akur-eyri) for showing respect to the elves.”

There are often cases when the construction of a new road is postponed due to an elven hill standing in the way of the builders, because... local residents forbid its destruction, and the builders themselves are sometimes afraid of the revenge of the elves. (Similar incidents have been recorded in Ireland.)

In 1997, several interviews were broadcast on Norwegian television, taken from various people (from very remote parts of this country) because these people were lucky enough to see the “Norwegian” elves of the Huldre-folk “Hidden People” ...
Applications.

Regarding the technique of communicating with elves and the signs of places,
where you can meet the Hidden People.

John the Scholar's manuscript "Tíðfordríf" (1644) has a long chapter about the Elven people (álfa-fólk), but it says nothing about how people visited the Elves to learn wisdom (viska) from them. Therefore, the copyist John Eggertsson (late 17th century) considered that something in this regard was missing and increased his copy [“Tíðfordríf”a] by exactly a chapter, and added there more information about the rock dwellers (berg-búar) and the Hidden people (huldu-fólk).

Jón Eggertsson describes ways of communicating with the Elven people (álfa-fólk) and claims to have learned them from the work of a certain author. However, there are analogies that indicate that he invented these methods himself. In his text below there is a noticeable Christian influence, and it is possible that Jon Eggertsson borrowed something from foreign sources. Earlier, in 1940, this passage (but with inaccuracies) was published in Icelandic by Professor Einar Oul. Swains-son.
Einar G.Pétursson “Menntuð var hún í hólum”, 1998, p.28

This Russian translation is based on an unpublished transcript of the manuscript made by Professor Einar G. Pietursson. A fragment of the manuscript itself with an image of a magic sign is also published for the first time.
Papp.fol.nr 64 (in Stockholm) p.39-40

About leuvlings (Um ljúflinga).
(about elves)

Some believe that those people who manage to achieve communication with the Hidden People (huldu-fólk) usually receive revelations in dreams about the secret (vitranir leyndra hluta). And it is also written clearly [that] in ancient times various means were used for this...

One author writes that first [one must] recognize that place of the earth or the hill where, obviously, the Hidden People (huldu-fólk) lives or dwells, and there are many signs of such places, and they are clearly distinguishable. There, on the surface of the earth, grows one special short grass (gras) […]. And so the same author believes that it is certain that where this grass (gras) grows, there lives the Hidden People (huldu-fólk) under it. Black copper, he writes, must be taken... and given the shape of this figure (fígúra).

It is necessary to carve a certain word on it and sprinkle it with mouse blood, hide it in a certain secret place for several nights, item [moreover necessary] a dressed thin whale bone (tálkn-sproti) with a certain inscription. And while all the preparations are taking place, the one who makes this must stay away from people, and also read a certain chapter from the “Proverbs of Saloumon”. And for this purpose, made at a certain phase of the moon, place a rod of red copper (eir-sproti) under your head before sticking it into the ground near the above-mentioned grass (gras). Then, he believes, surely the Hidden People (huldu-fólk) living under it will reveal to him in a dream the secrets (leyndir hlutir) that he longs to know. Although success (heppnast) awaits in this only people who fear God and have good behavior, who, with a prayerful call, constantly strive for an increase (aukning) in wisdom (vís-dómur) and knowledge (speki).

This author also believes that in the place where a rod of black copper (eir-sproti) is stuck into the ground near the mentioned grass (gras), a person will be able to become invisible, as if he had a “Concealing helmet of invisibility” (hulins-hjálmur) .

This author also tells about the means by which a person could achieve communication on earth, within the mentioned limits, with the Hidden People (huldu-fólk), who there, inside, live with [the help of] a circle drawn around themselves with a knife with a door in a certain direction, with distorted, inside a circle, images of a man and a woman, also drawn on the ground with a knife […] still need to be cut out, just as they are usually depicted on women’s jewelry. Item [more than that] these words in a circle (Masculinum femininum “masculine feminine”). […] he writes, there should also be, along with virtues, the reading of prayers for increasing knowledge and wisdom (speki og vís-dóms aukning), without any distortion of the Divine words. He believes that fear of God, prayers, fasting, righteous life, good behavior and actions will serve much more [to achieve the desired goal]. So he makes it clear that this concealing cover of the earth (hulda) will come down, the elves will allow themselves to be seen there immediately, and you will not find anything more about it here.

Again, it would be appropriate to quote the words of the Oxford professor and writer J.R.R. Tolkien:

“But it seems that these days more and more elves, whether they are “Elda-lie” [Light Elves] or from other clans, who do not leave - linger in the “Middle-earth” [our visible world], are now rejecting challenges Mandos [Lord of the Dead] and wander around the World without a shell, not wanting to leave it, but also not being able to fully inhabit it; they constantly appear near trees and springs or in secluded places that they once loved. Not all of them [these elves] are good or untouched by the Shadow...

And therefore this is a reckless and dangerous activity when the Living One seeks contacts with the Unincarnate [i.e. with the dead elves], although the latter may wish so, especially the most unworthy among them...

Some [Unincarnate] were enslaved by the dark lord and do his will, although he himself was exiled. They will not reveal the truth, they will not teach wisdom. Calling them out is stupid. Trying to subjugate them and force them to serve your own will is an evil act. This is the lot of the Enemy; and sorcerers of dead magic [i.e. necromancers who summon the dead] come from the retinue of Sauron, his servant...

The danger of communicating with them [the Unembodied], therefore, is not only the risk of being deceived by delusions or lies: there is also the danger of destruction. For in the lust of the flesh, the Unincarnate...may try to eject the soul of the host-owner from his own body...

Thus, it is possible that those who in our time consider elves dangerous to people and consider it stupidity or a crime to seek communication with them are not entirely wrong. For how, the question arises, can a mortal distinguish between them [disembodied and living, having flesh, albeit invisible]? On the one hand, the Unincarnate, who rebel at least against the Appointed Rulers [of the Thing World] and may be even more deeply immersed in Darkness; on the other hand, those elves who still linger [- remain in the human world], and whose bodily forms can no longer be seen by us mortals, except perhaps in the form of certain dim and intermittent outlines. But in reality the answer is not complicated. Evil is evil, regardless of whether among elves or among people. Those who teach evil or blaspheme the Appointed Rulers [of the Real World] (or, if they dare, then even the One) are without exception evil, and must be avoided, whether they are embodied or not. Moreover, those elves who hesitate are not incorporeal, although they may seem so. They do not crave to take possession of other people’s bodies, do not beg to be “taken under shelter,” and do not seek to subjugate someone’s body or mind. Indeed, they do not seek communication with people, except perhaps in very rare cases, when they intend to do some good, or because they perceive in the soul of a certain mortal a love for things ancient and beautiful. Then they can reveal their appearance to him (arising from the depths of his mind, perhaps), and he will see them in their true beauty. He has nothing to fear from such people, although he may be filled with reverence for them. For the Unembodied do not have any forms, and even if it were in their power (as some people say), to counterfeit the elven appearance, seducing the spiritual gaze of people with dreams [i.e. e. trouble], such visions will still be disfigured by the stamp of their evil intent. Because the hearts of people - the true friends of the elves - are filled with joy at the sight of the true appearance of the Firstborn [elves], from their own kind; and nothing evil can counterfeit such joy of recognition.”
Volume 10 of the “History of Middle-earth” series

In Tolkien’s books, we find a description of the signs of those places where the aura of the recent presence of elves lingers, and communication with them is possible there:

“Beech and oak forests began all around, and a pleasant feeling washed over us in the twilight. The fading light stole the last green from the grass when the travelers finally emerged into a wide clearing, above and not far from the banks of a mountain stream.

Hm! Gives away to the elves! - thought the hobbit Bilbo and looked up at the stars.

“...The gnomes noticed that they had approached the very edge of the circle in the middle, where, recently, the fires of the forest elves were burning... It seemed that some kind of good magic resided in such places.” "The Hobbit", chapter 3

In the lands of Ostranna [Eregion] a good spirit rests. Much evil must defile such a region before the former presence of the elves is forgotten there.
The Lord of the Rings, Volume 1, Book 2, Ch. 3

Notes

From the “post-Eddic” poem “The Raven’s Divination of Wodan” (“Hrafna-galdr Óðins”; 1650?), from its beginning, which lists the peoples inhabiting our World.

From the autobiographical poem of Jon Gvüdmundsson the Scientist (XVII century) Wed. also vísir loð-álfar “wise elves”, from the same place.

See Jón Aurthnason: old and new editions (Russian translation in the book by L. Korablev “Graphic Magic of the Icelanders”, pp. 104-105, 151-152), as well as images of other varieties of Gapaldur and Gin-faxi in "Galdra-bók", Jón Samsonarson. See also the appendix at the end of this treatise. However, for a more accurate quote from “Runology” (AM 413 fol., p.125), see L. Korablev’s book “Runology of Jon Olafsson from Grünnavik. Icelandic treatises of the 17th century.”, p.38.

See “Speech of the High One” (Háva-mál) from the “Elder Edda”, “Saga of the Ynglings” from the chronicle “Circle of the Earth” (Heims-kringla).

"Mummured" from Isl. þylja “to hum something quietly, monotonously and without breaks or pauses.” Wed. the poetic-magical form þulur, as well as galdra-þulur.

Per. M.I. Steblin-Kamensky.

See also the appendix at the end of this treatise.

Quotations are based on the old edition.

Annon edhellen edro hi ammen… “the gates of the elves open now for us!” (“The Lord of the Rings”, vol. I, book 2, chapter 4).

Some Icelanders believe that this is not actually an invitation, as such, to the elves into the house, but rather a kind of amulet against the dark elves.

It is interesting that in the Old English language similar information about “holy” (prophetic) madness was preserved: the term ylfig (ielfig: literally “elphonous, elf-enhanced”), according to the English-Latin glosses, means “touched, frantic; as if possessed by an elf/under the influence of an elf; sleepwalker; fanatic, enthusiast; servant of the temple; a man who foretells the future.”

See “Myths and magic of the Indo-Europeans” No. 11, 2002.

Then, to be able to return back to their world, and not remain (in captivity) with the elves forever. Wed. here is ex. the tradition of leaving something of yours outside or at the doors of the dwellings of the inhabitants of the other world/underworld before going inside. The “Tale of Orm Stórólfssonar” (Orms þáttr Stórólfssonar) speaks of an iron weapon decorated with a magical pattern (runes?) - mála-járn, left at the door by the hero, and from the testimony “Konan á Skúms-stöðum” from the collection of Jon Aurthn -son knows that “then the hill opened, and the hidden inhabitant went inside, while the mortal put her mittens (vetlingar) on the hill above the doors. The hidden inhabitant says that she has nothing to fear...” (cf. there is also a note from Jon Aurthnason himself).

Or antisalt. The same magical concept is found in Isl. traditions as and-sælis/rang-sælis and usually means something bad. In the same Scottish testimony there is a non-evil meaning.

Here it is appropriate to recall a similar tradition of the Icelanders, which is found, for example, in the testimony recorded by Oulaf Sveinsson (19th century) from the collection of Jón Aurtnason “Piltur á glugga á álfa-bæ” and is usually called leiðsla “vision-dream” ”, which the elves unleash on mortals, after which people, although they consider everything that happened to them a dream, still receive (sometimes material) evidence to the contrary.

See the article by Einar G.Pétursson “Þjóðtrú á Íslandi”, 1997.

[…] - means an unclear place requiring further interpretation.

The passage allows for double reading.

Here, perhaps, we are talking about the rune “hagall” (hail).

Leonid Leonidovich Korablev was born in Moscow in 1971, still under the Soviet Union, and achieved impressive success by the age of forty. The variety of interests led Leonid to become a professional in the field of philology, Germanic culture, runology, and a specialist in the cultural heritage of Iceland. His artistic graphic works dedicated to the work of the writer J.R.R. Tolkien, are known all over the world.

The first exhibitions of Leonid's graphic and sculptural works began in Moscow, later, in 1994 - 1998. - in San Francisco, Minnesota, Framingham (USA), his graphic works were published in American magazines.

In the United States of America, where Leonid lived for several years, in 1996 Leonid’s first website appeared, where his articles were published, including the popular articles that received wide circulation, “A treatise on how one should seek and find ways to communicate with the now hidden The bright people, that is, with the true elves" and "The True Elves of Europe", and his artistic works. Starting from the 21st century, the name Korablev has become popular in his homeland, Russia. Leonid begins to publish books in Russian.

The work that gained the greatest popularity in 2002 is the book “Graphic Magic of the Icelanders,” published in Moscow.

The year 2003 was marked by such literary novelties as the folklore collection “From Stories about Old Icelandic Witchcraft and the Hidden People” and a work in the esoteric genre “Runic spells and apocryphal prayers of the Icelanders.”

In 2005, new wonderful books were published - this is the famous book “Runology of Jón Olafsson from Grunnvik. Icelandic treatises of the 17th century”, which is a translation made by Leonid directly from an unpublished Icelandic manuscript of the 18th century. AM 413 fol. "Runology" and annotated by him, and the pamphlet "Witchcraft's Flight: Runic Astrology" - an overview of the Kabbalistic tradition in Icelandic magical books.

In 2008, The Book of Elf Stories was published, exploring beliefs in elves in Iceland. In the same year, Leonid recorded a video lecture on runes: “The unique magic of the futhark”, “Runes: the circle is closed.”

In 2009, two magnificent works were published: a biographical story about the Icelandic sorcerer, runologist and friend of the elves, Jón Güdmundsson the Scientist - “Jón the Book-Sorcerer” and the second edition of the famous book “Graphic Magic of the Icelanders” (corrected and supplemented by Leonid). Another video lecture has been recorded, “Icelandic runes and galdra-stavas.”

In 2010, a book appeared, which also aroused great interest among readers, “Anglo-Saxon Magic. Icelandic herbalist."

In 2011, two independent publications were published, a brochure on ancient Germanic magic “Uti-setur” or open-air magic” and a brochure on Icelandic runic alphabets “Fourteen magical rune-rows of Iceland”.

2012 was marked by the appearance of new brochures on runology, such as “Icelandic Magical Futhark”, “Elder Futhark: Runic Mythology” and “Runic Secret Writing: Elven Runes”.

In 2013, Leonid Korablev published a report of his visit to the elven places of Iceland, mentioned in various folklore sources, “L. Korablev’s Journey to the elven places of Iceland (2008, 2011 and 2012).”

Currently, Leonid Korablev is engaged not only in the creation of literary works, but also shares his knowledge with many people who follow the path of self-improvement and knowledge of the world of secrets. He conducts face-to-face seminars and lectures on runes, ancient Germanic and Icelandic culture. Having become acquainted with his work, every person with an attraction to mysticism and magic has the opportunity to acquire unique knowledge.

Some of Leonid Korablev's works have been translated into English, Icelandic and Swedish. Leonid has been repeatedly awarded by the Icelandic Embassy in the Russian Federation and awarded a grant from the Aurtney Magnusson Institute of Manuscripts in Iceland for promoting Icelandic culture in Russia. Books by Leonid Korablev are stored in the National Library of Iceland. He was awarded the “Gold Yesenin Medal” and a diploma “For faithful service to domestic literature.”

Leonid Korablev

From stories about ancient Icelandic witchcraft and the Hidden People

Translation from Icelandic

and notes

Leonid Korablev

Under general editorship

and with a preface

Anton Platov

BBK 86.4 I32

I32 From stories about ancient Icelandic witchcraft and the Hidden People / Trans. from ancient Iceland, - M.: Sofia Publishing House, 2003. - 176 p.

ISBN 5-9550-0008-9

WONDERFUL PEOPLE (Editor's Foreword)

They were called differently. Marvelous, Ancient, Elder, Tall; elves, alvas, aulvas, elbs; fi, firey; seed or shi; Residents of the Hills or, finally, just Those. The real old names are now almost forgotten, almost everywhere replaced by English elf and French Faerie. And those names that were used before were hardly true - if only because they were invented by the people themselves: in Scotland they were called Daoine Sithe,"Wonderful People", in Wales - Tylfyt Tag,"Wonderful Births", in Ireland - Huldu, Huldu Folk,"Ancient People" ...

Ideas about elves - let’s take this name here for brevity - ideas about elves were very “tenacious” in Europe, despite both Christianization and the progress that was taking leaps and bounds. In the British outback, for example, they talked about elves back in the late 19th - early 20th centuries:

I'm sorry, what? Tell you about elves? Well, elves, they are different. I don’t know where, but here in Sussex the old elves - those who lived in the forests and underground - left a long time ago. It is said that they liked to settle in old ruins. Here in Sussex, these elves once lived on the ruins of Barlow Castle - this is near Arlington. Now almost nothing remains of the castle itself - only fragments of walls here and there - but at a time when each country had its own king, it was a very famous and famous place. But no matter what it was before, a hundred years ago none of the local residents dared to come close to the ruins after it got dark - they were afraid of the elves.

They also say that in the past, at midnight on the eve of the summer solstice, dancing elves could be seen on the tops of Tubbery Hill and Gissbury; There were also fortresses there a long time ago. And at one of the old burial grounds, they once even saw an elven funeral procession...

What can I say, that was a long time ago! Now I’m already quite an old man, and when I was still just a boy, the old people of that time said that these elves did not like the way life was changing in England, and they were simply outraged by the new manners of people. Already in those days there were fewer and fewer of them, and their last refuge was the last in Sussex, and perhaps in all of England! - was Harrow Hill. Harrow Hill is a large hill near Patching where there are old flint mines and where there was once a fortress. Maybe the elves would still have lived there, but somehow learned people - archaeologists - arrived and began to excavate Harrow Hill. These were not interested in any elves; they laughed when we told them about the Magic People... Well, then these last elves were offended to death and left forever...

One old woman once told me that it is from the elven dances that magic rings remain in the grass - you know, such circles of trampled grass. And what if you walk around such a ring nine times on the first night of the new moon, then you can hear their music from underground, which cannot be more beautiful. What's the point - those elves are no longer here... 1

There is a great variety of materials related to elves - if we understand by this term the Marvelous People in general, and not narrowly “supernatural creatures of Anglo-Saxon and German folklore”: these are texts of European legends and traditions, and descriptions in chronicles, and folklore evidence of recent centuries , and much more. And yet, it’s better to start getting acquainted with the Marvelous People with fairy tales that keep the very spirit. ancient tradition associated with the elves.

With all the huge variety of fairy tales related to elves, some of them occur so often, and among a variety of peoples they have so much in common that they can easily claim to be considered classics of fairy tales about the Marvelous People. Perhaps some of the most common such stories are those that once made it possible to add one more to a number of names - Marvelous, Ancient, Tall: Fair.

In Ireland, this tale is told about the elves of the ancient Knockgraton Hill 2. It is as if there once lived in the Eherlow Valley a poor hunchback nicknamed Fox Tail, kind and hard-working, but so terrible because of his hump that people avoided him. One day he happened to be returning from the town of Cahir, where he was selling baskets woven with his own hands, and night found him at the foot of Knockgrafton Hill...

He was tired and exhausted, and he still had a very long way to trudge, he would have had to walk all night - one could simply fall into despair just from the thought of it. So he sat down by the hill to rest and looked sadly at the moon.

Soon the discordant sounds of some wild melody reached his ears. Short Fox Tail listened and thought that he had never heard such delightful music before. It sounded like a choir of several voices, and one voice merged so strangely with the other that it seemed as if only one voice was singing, and yet all the voices made different sounds... 3

The beautiful foam coming from the Hill so captivated the hunchback that he himself did not notice how he began to quietly sing along and even added a few of his own words to the elven song - and these were elves, of course.

Suddenly everything began to spin in front of Fox Tail, and now he was standing in a beautiful banquet hall inside the Hill, and the elves surrounding him told him that rarely had any mortal managed to pick up the elven singing so beautifully. But then the elves parted, and a large procession came forward. The Majestic Lady, walking at the head of the procession, approached the short hunchback and uttered the words of the spell:

Fox's tail! Fox's tail!
Your word is by the way,
Your song is in place
And you yourself - to the yard.
Look at yourself, rejoicing, not mourning:
There was a hump, and the hump is gone 4.

And as soon as the words were spoken, Fox Tail felt that his terrible hump was disappearing from his back. And then…

Come under the full moon
Ring in the holy stones
And turn your back to the south,
And facing the North
And ask the runes three times
About what's far away
But don’t interfere with the will of Heaven
And trust your hand.
Then fall asleep in the forest among the grasses,
Trees and flowers,
But know this - Dreams have an insidious temperament
And don't forget about that.
Do not trill the nightingales of the forest,
Not the stomp of a boar -
The ringing of ice bells
Wake you up from sleep
It will break your heart too,
Like a cup at a feast;
From now on, fate leads you
Dangerous game
More gambling than cards or dice...
O mirror, say:
Where at the crossing of passions
There is a long way to go
To the forgotten northern country,
What spirits guard
Where is the one you saw in your dream?
Danced in the snow
Seemed like a reflection of fire,
But the reflection was dark...
Ice cold souls flew together,
Signs of fate.
Walk, seeking the Way,
Through the Mirror - forward!
And know: the hidden can be found
Ice will help you.
And let them prophesy trouble
Signs for you
But the Raven and the Wolf will lead
You - to your Destiny.

Leonid Korablev.
A SMALL TREATISE ON HOW YOU SHOULD SEEK AND FIND WAYS OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE NOW HIDDEN LIGHT PEOPLE, THAT IS WITH THE TRUE ELVES.

Lions taught people culture and the art of writing. They are able to penetrate with their minds into the future and read the thoughts of Mortals (alfar skilja, i.e. “elves feel, understand, foresee”; gefinn skilnings andi / ei sizt alfum og svo nornum... “given insight (deep understanding) spirit, not less for the elves, and also for the Norns..."). And in their appearance they are similar to ideal tall people, but, of course, not to “literary” winged dwarfs.

Also, according to the mystics of the Middle Ages, elves possess special books of Knowledge:
“people with the gift of spirit vision confirm that the interior design of them [i.e., elf-books] is similar to the old manuscripts of the Irs [Irish], only they are inscribed in golden letters; and everything there is of amazing colors, with elegant script and ornaments inside and outside. "
(Jón Gjudmundsson Scholar "Tidfordrif", 1644)

In addition, it is believed that the elves taught people, in addition to all of the above, also herbal treatment:
"It is said that through such communication [with the Scottish elves] knowledge of the medicinal powers of many herbs was acquired..."
(Patrick Graham "Descriptive Sketches... of Perthshire", 1806)

We find exactly the same idea among the Celtic inhabitants of Wales. (See W. Sikes, J. Rhys)

Also, as the ancients mention, elves, although now invisible, are able to help, or even can save people friendly to them in a moment of extreme danger. (See J. Gudmundsson, R. Graves)

Countries where meetings between Mortals and Elves are now possible are the following: the most remote areas of Iceland, Wales, Ireland, Middle England, Scotland, the Faroe Islands, Orkney Islands, perhaps, but quite rarely, somewhere in Scandinavia, the South of Germany (?), North -west of Russia: the area below Arkhangelsk, Karelia, Valaam, Lake Onega, the coast of the White Sea, [its name among the Vikings in ancient times was GAND-vik “Magic Bay”, compare GAND-alfr “Magic (“elven”) creature with a magic wand ".]
...At that time, throughout the entire territory of Europe, including, however, only the western part of Russia, the sluggish Il-korindi [Elves] spoke their own dialects of the common Elvish language...
[From the early drafts of Professor J. Tolkien]

Elves do not live in the “New World” (America), the East, Africa and Siberia. There is a lot of evidence about this. Especially Irish (Celtic) ones about North America. (The most unbearable conditions for spiritual existence.)

Obviously, when trying to communicate with elves, it is necessary to comply with certain conditions, such as: special forms of abstinence, the absence of metal objects (except silver). Some (semi-)precious stones help. Here it is appropriate to recall the experience of the Icelandic mystics and their marvelous stones (natturu-steinar): Diacodos, etc. There are also ideas about using various other means in this procedure (for example, four-leaf clover, a special eye ointment, etc.). Perhaps some magical “staves” will help: band-run(ir) “a complex sign made up of different runes” [literally “a bunch of runes”]; galdra-stafur "a sign of several magical symbols combined"). [John from Grünn-vik, for example, writes that two band-run(s) “GAPALDUR” and “GINFAXI” were cut in order to enter the hills to the elves. See J. Arnason and "Galdrabok" edited by N. Lindqvist and S. Flowers.]

Now let's move on to the main thing. WAYS OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE HIDDEN PEOPLE.

In Iceland: four ways are mentioned: to compose a praise song (ljod); use the magic rod sproti; try “bjoda alfum heimum” - the formula of the ancients; perhaps uti-setur (?!).

In Ireland and Scotland: traditional ways of getting inside the Elven Hills are mentioned. (Dun-shi, Rath).

In ancient Scandinavia: alfa-blot (?).

In Wales: the possibility of ending up half in an elven cylch glas or other enchanted places is mentioned.

Or compare Professor Tolkien’s ideas that the elves themselves will come to a person in his consciousness or dream. (See below.) But, nevertheless, it seems that this happens extremely rarely.
Read more.

Iceland. According to the manuscripts of Jón Gvüdmundsson the Scholar (17th century), it is enough to compose a song of praise in honor of the elven family and pronounce it accordingly in the right place - then you will receive an answer.
“Because almost all trolls and elves are inclined to revenge,” said Vilhjalm, “if they are treated badly or insulted, but they no less try to repay kindness if they are treated with respect.”
(Icelandic "Saga of Sigurd the Silent", ZM. 6, 14 PERSONS)

The form of the song must be either magical, i.e. ljod (compare the mentions of this form in the description of the magical arts of Odin), or in the style of lilju-lag (old name hrynhenda), ferskeytt visa; thulur. Such a song should have an eight-syllable poetic stanza instead of the usual six-syllable, three-time alliterative repetition. As the son(?), grandson(?) of Jon the Scientist told (he composed three such songs): Huldu-folks mal (“Speech about the Hidden People”), Theim godu jardarinnar innbuum tilheyri thessar oskir (“May these [good] wishes be fulfilled for the good people [elves]") and Ljuflings-kvaedi ("Song of Ljufling").

The first two have been preserved in manuscripts only in fragments; the last, unfortunately, has been lost. The most recent example of the use of the rhyming form ljod and a favorable response to it is evidence recorded in the Icelandic collection of stories about elves and magicians by J. Arnason. (see there "Grims-borg", or in my translation "Rocky Castle of Grim")

Since ancient times, the most famous place in Iceland where you can, if you're lucky, meet elves is Skagafjordur ("Protruding Fjord" in the north of this island). For evidence of this, see the “Saga of Kormak” (Kormaks saga, approx. 11th century): “holl einn... er alfar bua i”; in the “Saga of Gudmund Arason the Good” (Gudmundar saga goda, 13th century): “It was a Wonderful Winter... two suns [stood] in the sky at the same time, and people saw how the elves and other wondrous people passed together in multitudes in Skagafjord"; and in the "Modar Saga" (Modarz saga, 15-16 centuries).

Apparently, it is necessary to pronounce a magical appeal to the elves in some accordance with the more ancient description given in the “Saga of Eirik the Red” (Eireks saga rauda), because the scenes and motifs in this saga are almost identical to the above-mentioned testimony about the elves "Grims-borg": "Meanwhile, Thorhall the Hunter disappeared ... (the people) found Thorhall on the top of some rock. He lay and looked at the sky, his mouth open and flaring his nostrils and muttering* something... A little later a whale washed up on the shore... Then Thorhall the Hunter said: "... I received this for the poems I wrote in honor..." (* "Mummured" from Icelandic thylja "to hum something quietly, monotonously and without breaks or pauses." Compare the poetic-magical form thulur, also galdra-thulur.)

(talkn-)SPROTI: A special rod-rod made of thin whale bone with copper trim at the end. With its help, you can try to get to the elves in their hidden houses, which seem like rocks and hills to the uninitiated Mortal. (Compare Gaelic ideas about the same thing below.) Moreover, it is necessary to know and pronounce at the right time a special magical formula. You also need to have tied up sticks with runes cut into them (see above). For examples and more detailed information about sproti, look in the treatises of Jón the Scientist (17th century), Jón Eggertsson (17th century), in Eggert Olavsson’s “Guide to Iceland” (18th century), in the collection of recent evidence about the elves by J. Arnason.

EXTRACTS FROM SOME WRITINGS OF THE ABOVE AUTHORS.

Jon the Scientist(?):
“It was believed that some people were so deeply knowledgeable that they knew how to open the covers of the earth and go inside. They entered both hills and rocks, talked there with the people living inside, and accepted gifts from them (many saw these gifts ), and there, [having learned] a lot about the secret and hidden, they became wiser."
["Tidfordrif" (?), 1644 W.]

Jon Eggertsson:
“It was said about many that they master the art of opening the covers of the earth [rocks] and entering inside; and there they communicate with the Leuvlings (elves, who are so called); they eat and drink with these people there inside; besides, they become wise, and in addition from they receive gifts."
["Um runakonstina": "On runic skill", 17th century]

From the collection of Jón Arnason:
“They walk like this until they approach one hill. Bjorn then pulls out the rod from his mouth and hits the hill with it. After that the hill opens, and they see as if a door has opened in it...”
["Holgongur Silunga-Bjarnar" eftir Olafur Sveinsson i Purkey, UFT-GShch 81-82];

“Then the bishop takes the rod from his hand, leaves the tent, draws the rod three circles around the tent and then goes to the elves.”
["Brynjolfur biskup...", UFT-GShch 57-58];

“They go to the outer edge of the cultivated area, near a farm, a field, to one hill there. The priest hits the hill with a rod from the front. The hill then opens up...”
["Hol-gangan" (M.G.), UFT. 559].

One of the variants of the magical formula necessary for use together with sproti may be a phrase in the elven language “Sindarin” reconstructed by Professor Tolkien, said by the magician Gandalf at the gates of the underground country of Moria.

You need to be somewhat more careful with the following two, not entirely clear now, methods: “bjoda alfum heimum” (i.e., inviting elves into your own home on Christmas night or New Year’s Eve) and uti-setur on the same holidays, plus the night before the summer solstice.

In the first case (i.e. bjoda alfum heimum), at the designated time, they light all the lights in the house, tidy everything up, set the table, and, walking with light around the house and all the buildings adjacent to it, pronounce the following magical formula three times elf invitations: "komi their sem koma vilja, fari theim sem fara vilja, mer og minum ad mein(a)-lausu!" or "veri their sem vera vilja, fari their sem fara vilja, mer og minum ad skada-lausu!" (“Enter boldly those who wish it and come from everywhere those who intend to come, but do not harm me or what I have!) Then they wait. This procedure may be associated with a certain danger, since there is a high probability the arrival of the Dark Elves (Dokk-alfar), evil spirits (ill-vaettir) or even the undead (draugar). In this case, a fatal outcome is possible for those who invited. However, see several testimonies from the collection of J. Arnason about what they do when they find themselves in such position

Uti-seta [pl. number uti-setur] - (literally "to sit outside"). Even less certain in this case. Usually people settled down on the night of Christmas, New Year or before the summer solstice right in the center of the crossroads of four roads somewhere in the mountains, thus preventing the movement of elf mounted troops at this time. If you're lucky, the elves will appear from one of the four roads, and the main thing here is to remain silent, no matter what they do. The price for violating the ban on uttering at least one word in response to the elves is madness. (Although in some cases with the ability to foresee the future; see some evidence from the collection of J. Arnason.) The unclear side of this activity is that in the old days people believed that, in addition to elves, there was a high probability of the appearance of night demons and spirits of the dead. Thus, it looks a lot like necromancy (death magic). IN THIS CASE, BE AWARE OF "UTI-SETA" LIKE FIRE. At the cost of the immortality of the soul. In all Old Scandinavian (early Christian) laws that have come down to us, the occupation of uti-setur(s) is prohibited. But it is quite possible that there were still different types of uti-seta - some for summoning elves, others for manipulating necromancers. In any case, the descriptions of the necessary rituals at the crossroads when waiting for the elves and calling the dead are somewhat different. (For example, the usual uti-seta can be performed at almost any time of the year at night?) See again the collection of stories by J. Arnason. Also compare the mention of uti-seta in the Saga of the Orkney Earls

Women's portal Fleurot

Books

Articles (research, translations, stories)

RELATED ARTICLES