elves: Indic counterpart?

[Allen W Thrasher]

Tolkien's elves are slightly taller than the average human being, which I believe was the more common opinion in England before Shakespeare got to them.  Fairies also were tall, usually. 

There is a good discussion of this sort of lore in the chapter "The longaevi" in C.S. Lewis's The Discarded Image: an introduction to medieval and Renaissance literature."

Allen

===================

Joanna Kirk wrote: 
"It would be most interesting to know what words the Thai translation of
Tolkien uses to describe his various mini-beings (I assume they are
mini-beings, as I've not read Tolkien)."

Allen W. Thrasher, Ph.D.
Senior Reference Librarian
Southern Asia Section
Asian Division
Library of Congress
Jefferson Building 150
101 Independence Ave., S.E.
Washington, DC 20540-4810
tel. 202-707-3732
fax 202-707-1724
athr at loc.gov
The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Library of Congress.