Álfheimr

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Dancing Elves, by August Malmström, 1866

In Norse cosmology, Álfheimr (Old Norse: {{#invoke:IPA|main}}, "Land of the Elves" or "Elfland"; anglicized as Alfheim), also called "Ljósálfheimr" ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}} {{#invoke:IPA|main}}, "home of the Light Elves"), is home of the Light Elves.

AttestationsEdit

Álfheim as an abode of the Elves is mentioned only twice in Old Norse texts.

GrímnismálEdit

The Eddic poem Grímnismál describes twelve divine dwellings beginning the stanza 5 with:

Old Norse textTemplate:Sfn	Bellows translationTemplate:Sfn
{{#invoke:Lang\|lang}} {{#invoke:Lang\|lang}} {{#invoke:Lang\|lang}} {{#invoke:Lang\|lang}} {{#invoke:Lang\|lang}} {{#invoke:Lang\|lang}}	Ydalir call they the place where Ull A hall for himself hath set; And Alfheim the gods to Freyr once gave As a tooth-gift in ancient times.

A tooth-gift is a gift given to an infant on the cutting of the first tooth.Template:Sfn

GylfaginningEdit

In the 12th century Eddic prose Gylfaginning, Snorri Sturluson relates it in the stanza 17 as the first of a series of abodes in heaven:

Old Norse textTemplate:Sfn	Brodeur translationTemplate:Sfn
{{#invoke:Lang\|lang}}	Many places are there, and glorious. That which is called Álfheimr is one, where dwell the peoples called Light-Elves; but the Dark-Elves dwell down in the earth, and they are unlike in appearance, but by far more unlike in nature. The Light-Elves are fairer to look upon than the sun, but the Dark-Elves are blacker than pitch.

Later in the section, in speaking of a hall in the Highest Heaven called Gimlé that shall survive when heaven and earth have died, explains:

Old Norse textTemplate:Sfn	Brodeur translationTemplate:Sfn
{{#invoke:Lang\|lang}}	It is said that another heaven is to the southward and upward of this one, and it is called Andlangr; but the third heaven is yet above that, and it is called Vídbláinn, and in that heaven we think this abode is. But we believe that none but Light-Elves inhabit these mansions now.