What Can We Learn From The Black Alfs And The Duerger Of Swartalfheim?

It’s a curious thing that items of great power and magic, owned or possessed by the gods and goddesses are forged by the duerger in Swartafheim, one of the nine realms in the World Tree Yggdrasil.  In Old Norse mythology they are known as master smiths who can make the most magical, wonderous things, items so powerful they are given names.

As the high gods often turn to the Jotunfolk for wisdom, they also travel to the forge of the dwarves when they need something finely crafted.
Brisingamen, the necklace of Freya, the golden hair of Sif, Odin’s spear Gungnir, the ring of Draupnir, Thor’s hammer, golden bristled boars and the chain that binds the great wolf.

If the high gods have the power to speak things into existence then why do they seek the forge of the craftsmen deep in the caves of the earth?
Are there those who imagine and those who craft?  Is there a hierarchy in that?  Does something created truly exist when it’s still in the mind or must it be brought forth into form?

Perhaps the discussion of such questions leads to insight into our own views of material things, money for instance, which is counted as part of the moveable wealth often connected to the energies of the rune Fehu.
What lessons might we learn from exploring the stories of Andvari’s gold and the dragon Fafnir, and asking the question:  What is the difference between things that belong to someone by right and things that have been gained by chance and circumstance?
In the book The Pathwalker’s Guide to the Nine Worlds, Raven Kaldera speaks about ‘dragon-disease’ referring to Fafnir who was half Duerger and who turned himself into a dragon so he could obsessively guard his gold.  Dragon-disease shows up quite often in modern times in its extreme form as hoarding.  But an imbalance of Fehu can also appear in the collection and accumulation of possessions, of things, of stuff that we push into our closets, our homes, our garages, our storage units and then never seem to be able to let go of. 
The realm of Swartalfheim holds many secrets.  Another one to explore is the reference in the Havamal to the runes.  Most of us are familiar with the runes that were given to Odin but who knows of the runes given to Dvalin for the duerger and to Dain for the alfs and to Asvid for the jotnir?
What are these runes? 
“Runes you will find, and readable staves,
Very strong staves,
Very stout staves,
Staves that Bolthor stained,
Made by mighty powers,
Graven by the prophetic god,
For the gods by Odhinn, for the elves by Dain,
By Dvalin, too, for the dwarves,
By Asvid for the hateful giants,
And some I carved myself…”  The Havamal
I've written a short story about the giantesses Fenja and Menja and the Great Grinding Mill.  It's a tale of greed and treachery and hoarding.  It’s available to you as a free eBook.

Ingrid, the Rune Woman
Changing Lives With Ancient Wisdom
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