Friday, December 27, 2013

Elvish Spoken Here


Fabulous news story of the week: Iceland is delaying the building of a new road because it will disturb the elves. Yes, really. Elves.

According to the media, around 62 percent of the population believe in the "Huldufolk", or "Hidden People". Elves, gnomes, and trolls are believed to live in the very rocks, particularly standing stones and lone boulders - and woe befalls anyone who moves them.

Believers say the planned road construction would devastate an ancient elvish community, as well as cause considerable environmental damage. And it seems building plans in Iceland actually can be altered to avoid moving stones where the Huldufolk dwell.

It is amazing and heart-healing to think that there are places left on this earth where humans feel so close to the land that they can hear its heart beating, can imagine - or sense? - a dimension just beyond our own. Where respect endures for wonders unseen.

Read more here:

Iceland: Huldufolk, National Geographic Traveler
Elf Lobby Blocks Iceland Road Project, The Guardian 

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