Do we say elfs or elves

elfs 1 occurrences

Thy very name conjures up visions of demons, and imps, and elfs, and all the creations of faery land, with their varied legends of diablerie, almost incredible in number and singular in detailand romance, in his gloomy mood, seems here to have reared his strong hold.

elves 137 occurrences

Here, "with quaint arts," she swayed the giddy crowd of little imprisoned elves, whilst they fretted away their irksome schooltime, and unconsciously played their innocent prelude to the serious drama of life.

The clamorous elves rushed through the doorway into the street, like a stream too big for its vent, rejoicing in their new-found freedom and the open face of day.

Haste to thie church-glebe-house, ashrewed manne; Haste to thie kiste, thie onlie dorture bedde: Cale as the claie whiche will gre on thie hedde Is Charitie and Love aminge highe elves; Knightis and Barons live for pleasure and themselves.

And they lie still, they have so little wit: I marvel the warrener will suffer it; Nay, nay, they are so bad, that they themselves Do give consent to catch these pretty elves.

The reader who comes to a perusal with the expectation of getting some substantial diet, will be grievously mistaken; but those who are content if they can catch and hold fast a fleeting flavour will not regret the half-hour spent in listening to the songs of the elves and the prattle of the pages in this quaint old pastoral.

It was, indeed, a night wherein pixies, and elves, and goblins, and fairies might weave their magic spells, a night wherein tired humanity dreamed those dreams that seem so hopelessly impossible by day.

I s'pecks there's lots of elves abouthidden in the shadows, you know, an' peeping at us.

" "There aren't any elves,or gnomes," said Anthea petulantly, for she was still furiously angry with herself.

They brought with them, out of the heart of Asia, dark and sad nature-superstitions, some of which linger among our peasantry till this day, of elves, trolls, nixes, and what not.

Consider, patrons, that such elves, Expose your folly with themselves. 'Tis yours, as 'tis the parent's care, To fix each genius in its sphere.

The elves and sprites of this desolate region had been playing a hoax upon Goyder's party.

stop you merry elves!

Her eyes the glow-worm lend thee, The shooting stars attend thee; And the elves also, Whose little eyes glow, Like the sparks of fire, befriend thee.

or doth all that haunts the waste and wild Mourn, knowing it will go along with me?" This heard the bold Sir Bedivere and spake: "O me, my King, let pass whatever will, Elves, and the harmless glamour of the field; But in their stead thy name and glory cling To all high places like a golden cloud For ever: but as yet thou shalt not pass.

To the Duke he gave a copy of a book entitled "The Merry Elves."

No gaudy slave to a fair one's brow Was the rose, or the ruby, or emerald now, But lighted with souls by the playful elves, The brilliants and blossoms seemed dancing themselves.

The varied accentuation of the verses is striking; and would any one convince himself of the variety of which this measure is capable, let him try to read this passage, and the speech of Prospero, beginning "Ye elves of hills," to the same tune.

Shakspere's age believed in witches, elves, and apparitions; and yet there is always something shadowy or allegorical in his use of such machinery.

We may measure the distance between imagination and fancy, if we will compare these little filagree creatures with Shakspere's elves, whose occupation it was To tread the ooze of the salt deep, Or run upon the sharp wind of the north,... Or on the beached margent of the sea To dance their ringlets to the whispering wind.

Therefore I say that, toiling With wild white roses' bloom No printers' vats a-boiling Nor labour of the loom With fern and foxglove chalice On tiny feet or wings Titania's elves made sallies,

For he lived and worked in a world, and amongst a company, little known of ordinary men: With a blue sky spread over with wings, And a mild Sun that mounts & sings; With trees & fields full of Fairy elves, And little devils who fight for themselves *

These were like woods in a fairy tale, and may well have had each their own particular elves and spirits.

The first of these is the string of Latin songs in which the would-be elves comment on their nefarious proceedings in Jocastus' orchard.

There, in the stocks of trees, white Faies doe dwell, And span-long Elves, that dance about a poole, With each a little Changeling, in their armes!

Here is a landscape in Midsummer for the games of the river-sprites, and the dancers of the elves and fairies!

Do we say   elfs   or  elves