Hidden people

[kedabra]

I was lucky enough to spend some time in Iceland. There seems to be a common belief that there is a parallel universe close by, populated by "hidden people" or Huldufolk, who look like normal people, but are invisible, and live inside rocks. Some people build tiny houses for them in their gardens, and the local council employs people to mediate between the huldufolk and building contractors, to avoid harming them.

They resemble us in many ways, though they are more spirit-like and invisible, and to see the elves, must to either be given permission by them, or have a special ability. They can have supra-human capacities; and they can be both better and worse than humans. To provoke their anger means trouble but to help them in times of crisis means blessings as a result they are powerful, respected and feared. The hidden people have various human attributes, and even though they live longer than we do, they are born and they die just as we do. They eat and drink, play instruments, have lights in their houses, go fishing, move residences, and keep animals, though they are more productive than those of humans.

Huldufólk (Icelandic hidden people from huldu- “pertaining to secrecy” and fólk “people”, “folk”) are elves in Icelandic folklore. Building projects in Iceland are sometimes altered to prevent damaging the rocks where they are believed to live.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huldufólk

There is a movie about the Huldufolk, but its not widely available...http://www.huldufolk102.com/trailer.html

a particular stretch of road in Iceland was built to avoid a rock believed to house the hidden people. On one side sits a house, No. 100, on the other sits 104. The hidden people, naturally, live in 102.The people interviewed — teachers, MPs, historians, farmers, film directors, folklorists and more — are quite comfortable with the idea of a parallel universe

http://www.huldufolk102.com/publicity.html


an elf house

[teeko]

Very interesting.

Here, in San Diego, I was hiking along an Oak Stand gathering Datura pods a couple years ago and came across a strange bridge in the middle of nowhere. Under the bridge that led to nowhere was 100 or so tiny buildings made of sticks, straw, dirt, etc. Very elaborate. I was already a bit tripped out just being there but I have been back a few times. It was washed out during the last floods we had and I have not been back over there again. This post makes me want to check it out, get some pics if its been rebuilt. I can only assume some kids play there from a nearby farm or something, as theres nothing but dirt & bushes and local citrus farms out there. If they are back I will get some pics. Weird stuff!

[Jupe]

thnx Kedabra for sharing that.....made me think that perhaps the Huldufolk have teeny houses in THEIR gardens...and so on down the line. (or conversely Easter Island sized statues)8-)

[SalvinorinAlpha]

Very interesting. I think I have read about their beliefs before, but I didn't realize that they will actually change building plans and such to avoid harming them. I'm going to try to find a copy of that movie you mentioned. Thanks for the post!

[kedabra]

thnx Kedabra for sharing that.....made me think that perhaps the Huldufolk have teeny houses in THEIR gardens...and so on down the line. (or conversely Easter Island sized statues)8-)

Although the elf houses are really small, people seem to say that the huldufolk are the same size as normal people, like mirror people - only distinguishable (if you can see them) by their beauty. There is a common belief that huldufolk are normal people that were hidden from man by God....

According to one folk tale, the origins of the hidden people can be traced to Adam and Eve. Eve hid her dirty, unwashed children from God, and lied about their existence. God then declared: "What man hides from God, God will hide from man." [34] Other folktales claim that huldufólk originate from Lilith, or are fallen angels condemned to live between heaven and hell.[35]

[salvialover24]

The huldufolk reminds me a lot of "Sylvie and Bruno" by Lewis Carroll, which might be even more 'salviaesque' than the two 'Alice'. In "Sylvie and Bruno" the fairy world is seen as a sort of parallel world, and with the right state of mind, and the right amount of sunny light, you can visit it. Only the visit in the parallel world are Carollian. Lewis Carroll managed to write a lengthy book which is rather boring for one chapter per two, but this highlights the entheogen feeling of the magical chapters. Thanks for the info.

[Karmageddon]

I'd like to watch this movie. Anyone know where to find it??

When I was little, my father told me about these people. Of course, he's not Icelandic, so there are some variations to the story, and we always called them the Twilight Zone people because they lived in an alternate but parallel universe to ours and that was the easiest way for a sci-fi buff like my dad to explain it to a 7 year old. They're also the ones who can find lost objects - the ones that disappear when you turn around but swear that it was just right next to you - and if you treat them well and ask nicely, they will help you find things or solve problems. Even in my adult life, I've written them odes and asked for their assistance with problems and lost objects with excellent results. They seem to really like odes and some good old-fashioned flattery never hurt. Just a silly little anecdote that I felt like sharing. I haven't thought of them in a few years to be honest. Maybe another ode is in order.

[Sphinx]

When I was very young I would see little men at the end of my bed, no shit. They looked like small people with big stove pipe hats, some where tall and skinny, some fat, and they dressed well. They did not scare me, but would help me fall to sleep. I would tell my Mom about them, she would laugh because she is a Polish gypsy. She believed me!