Top 10 Mythical Creatures List: #2 - The Elf

The next creature on our top 10 Mythical Creatures List is the Elf.

Dating back to Celtic Mythology, Elves have been a prominent creature throughout the entire course of the mythological timeline. Commonly depicted as one of the more benevolent races, Elves have been one of the more beautifully crafted creatures on the mythical creatures list. Though they look stunningly similar to humans, they typically have long slender faces and bodies, long and beautiful hair, and their signature pointy ears. Elves are often portrayed as creatures with good intent, however there are various types of elves, such as dark elves, who though are not savage or bestial; they implore nothing but sinister intents.

A common stereotype is that Elves are often depicted as something of “tree huggers”, while not always true in some cases, this is usually the role Elves due play but in a variety of forms. Elves in common instances are depicted as agile creatures, often using weapons such as bow and arrows to ward off vile creatures. However in more recent media, Elves have taken more of a role as magic wielders and students of arcane powers, and are often found protecting this power even from other good willed races.

Said to be one of the eldest races in the mythological world, there have been accounts that Elves were mentioned even during the B.C. era. Even so, such age definition translates accurately into the typical Elf age portrayed in mythological contexts, typically aging from several hundreds of years to a thousand years old. Elves are often depicted as protectors of ancient sacred places, which correlates well with their background seeing as they are capable for living for very long periods of time.

Elven popularity rose in modern times mainly from the ever so famous role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons. Elves also enjoyed a significant popularity boost (along with many other fantasy creatures) after the release of Lord of the Rings. In both instances, Elves play one of the most noble and good willed creatures ever documented in Mythology, and one of the very few of which are pleasant to the eyes.

No fantasy story, video game, or film is complete without some depiction of an elf. The elf overtime has held its place in the top rankings of the popularity contest as the top mythical creature that is of a benevolent figure, opposed to the typical chaotic or bestial creature. Elves have become iconic creatures on any list of mythical creatures, almost rivaling the number one creature on even the most popular mythical creature list, though the number one spot may never lose its title.