The Old High German word for the mandrake plant literally meant “secret” of these beings. A Norse expression for urinating literally meant “to drive away [these beings],” since they could not tolerate uncleanness. The Poetic Edda calls Wayland the Smith the “prince of” these beings. A boar is sacrificed to these beings on Yule, who appear in an alternate name of that festival. These beings are called (*) huldufolk, or “hidden people” in Iceland. Freyr’s home in Asgard has a name meaning “world of” these beings, supporting the idea that the distinction between the Vanir and these beings was once blurry. The Prose Edda distinguishes between “dark” and “light” varieties of these beings. For 10 points, name these powerful magical humanoids in Norse myth, often depicted with pointy ears in popular fiction. ■END■
ANSWER: elves [or elf; accept elf-shot; accept Álfar; accept light elves or dark elves or Dökkálfar and Ljósálfar] (The expression is ganga álfreka.)
<Taylor Harvey, Mythology>
= Average correct buzz position