[1] The fairies dancing in the meadow in the twilight flow over the romantic landscape; one of them bends over the water to catch a glimpse of her own image.

This visionary painting depicts the morning mist turning into fairies, like the spirits of untamed nature.

Fairies were seen as delicate, tender, sensitive but also capricious and inclined to have their feelings hurt easily and take offence if not treated well.

The fairies in Norse mythology's hidden people have survived in local folklore often as beautiful young women, living in the wild on hills, woods and mounds of stones.

[2][3][4] In order to protect themselves and their livestock against malevolent elves, Scandinavians could use an Älvkors (Elf cross), which was carved into buildings or other objects.