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DTFERIOE DEITIES AS OBJECTS OF WOESHIP. 195
he sees a beautiful grass-covered mound. As he
approaches it, the mound opens and an elderly
woman in a blue cloak steps out. She compassion-
ates Hrolf for the vain labor he has had, but
promise'^ to procure him the stag, which belongs to
her, if he will go with her into the mound and
assist her daughter, who has been nineteen days in
the pains of child-birth and cannot be delivered
until she is touched by a living human being
(mennskr ma8r). Hrolf followed the Elf-woman
and came into a beautiful apartment. The sick
woman was delivered when he touched her, and he
received the stag in return, together with a gold
ring.*
The Disir were often reckoned among the Elves,
and sometimes also the Landvsettir.
The Elfen-faith has been kept up until the present
time among the people of Norway and Iceland, in
the belief in the Huldra-folk, ot rather Huldu-folk
(the concealed, invisible Folk), and likewise in Denmark
in the belief in EUe-folk (the Elves or Fairies).
* Gaungn-Hrolfe S. 15.