Dwarves are not short bearded Scottish accented gingers with axes. Just who are the dwarves, really? Dwarves are rather extremely powerful, magical, spiritual beings that live in their own realm that is connected to our realm, Midgard.
The dwarves are beings that serve as doorways to magical creation and magical power. They are, after all, the beings responsible for the creation of many divine tools and items such as Odin’s ring Draupnir (“Dripper”), His spear Gungnir (“Rocking”), Thor’s hammer Mjǫllnir (“Shining lightning”/”Grinder”/”Crusher”), Freyr’s boar Gullinbursti (“Golden Bristles”), the magical ship Skíðblaðnir (“Assembled from thin pieces of wood”), and Freyja’s necklace Brísingamen (“Gleaming amber torc”).
The dwarves also created the magical binding rope of subtlety, Gleipnir (“Open”), in addition to Sif’s golden hair in the Gylfaginning and Skáldskaparmál, as well as the Mead of Poetry from the dreya (blood) of Kvasir (“He who possesses wisdom and inspiration”). Dwarves are featured several times throughout the literature such as the Fornaldarsögur, Riddarasögur, and Völsunga saga, as well as the Alvíssmál, Reginsmál, the Vǫluspá, Skáldskaparmál and the Ynglinga saga, in addition to various skaldic poems. The dwarves were created by the Gods from the body of Ymir (“Screamer”) as well as being produced from the earth itself. All of this, and more, is significant in our understanding of the true nature and meaning of the dwarves.
“Then sought the gods | their assembly-seats,
The holy ones, | and council held,
To find who should raise | the race of dwarfs
Out of Brimir's blood | and the legs of Blain.” -Vǫluspá, Stanza 9.
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