the álfar-ness of Peter Pan.



While looking at Majorie Torrey's 1957 CE illustrations for Peter Pan, one notices in the above a cruel looking, rather inhuman presentation of the creature from Neverland, which is in stark contrast to Disney's 1953 CE ever-boy, or the later 1979 CE amicable, empathic, and caring Sandy Duncan from Broadway that was later televised.

[looking through your window ... .]

This contrast raises the question of what the disposition those beings from elsewhere, the álfar of ÁlfheimrSvartálfaheimr, are like. The primary sources don't mention them more than a handful of times, which might imply they're well removed from us in nature & location for good reasons, and that perhaps Freyr is gifted rulership & management of the álfar to keep them mostly away from the other Nine Worlds.

[one can't help but think of the Norse Lore's "elf-shot" when seeing this out of its Peter Pan context.]

Later folklore and sagas relate how encounters with the elves tend to play out against humans who get captured to never be seen again, tricked, aged, made sick as though struck with invisible arrows of illness, or outright killed, and that perhaps their essential ways are so dangerous to us that these serve as cautionary tales to not engage them by respecting their spaces and distinctive large rock homes. 

[sewing Peter's shadow back on ... .]

There are also heroic exceptions where gold is won, enchanted fiddles are gifted, beautiful elf-maids can be courted, humans help elf-mothers midwife their infants for rewards, and other advantages.

All of that seems to occur where Álfheimr geographically elides with our Midgard. If you have found a place where this happens and have encountered some of the Huldufólk, do let us know of your experience/s in the comments below!

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Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires' Norse Gods and Giants at age seven. Since then he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the Map of Midgard project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay. If you have employment/opportunities in investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer, do contact him.

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