The Evolution of Elves

Elves have come a long way from the not-well-liked pranksters of medieval times. Shakespeare gave elves a boost, and Tolkien made them heroes. Cracked examines the split between toy-making elves and fierce video game elves.

Toward the end of the European renaissance, it appears the elves diverged into two distinct sub-species. The first consisted of the smaller, craftier elves, the kind that enjoy building toys or baking cookies. They maintained their predecessors’ small, plump, ugly appearance, but they appear to have moved away from the habits of kidnapping peasant babies and killing livestock.

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