Elves and Dwarves had a long history in European folklore before Tolkien, dating back to ancient Norse mythology. Norse culture was one of Tolkien's areas of expertise, and he frequently drew upon ...

But they also borrow from the Norse mythology surrounding the dwarves. In one story, Thor becomes angry that a dwarf has the audacity to ask for the hand of his daughter, Thrudr, in marriage.

And I was actually asked in an interview by a journalist who had read Norse Mythology if we’d hit ... fairly early on by some rather wicked dwarves or dark elves. And they turn his blood into ...