How Did The Elves Come To Be Known As Jinn?
The word ‘elves’ is a combination of the words ‘elus’ and ‘swan’ which means that the elves of the story have wings like a swan. The word ‘jinn’ is believed to have been derived from the Arabic word ‘janna’ which means ‘to conceal’ or ‘to cover up’. Thus, the word ‘elves’ in the Hadith is used to mean and refer to supernatural beings similar to fairies or spirits in human form who inhabit forests and hills and who, by nature, are more secluded. These beings are believed to be invisible, having powers of transformation and invisibility. Some of them can speak human languages but cannot be seen by us. Most of these jinn have neither good nor bad intentions towards humans; they are simply too shy and retiring to interact with people.
The Hadith About elves and the song
The elves have a special song that sounds like a mixture of traditional flutes, drums, santur (an Indian drum), bells, pipes, reed-pipes, dulcimers (small zithers) and lutes. These elvish musicians tend to compose beautiful songs for themselves at night when no one is around so that they can fully enjoy their music without being disturbed by any other creatures or beings out there in the world that may disturb their serenity.
An Explanation of Some Meanings in the Song
This song is about the beauty of the forests, the flowers that grow in those forests, the birds that live in those forests and the sounds of nature in general. Hence, the song is full of descriptions of the beauty of nature such as the songs of birds, the sounds of rivers, lakes and the forests etc.
Conclusion
While the story of the elves is a wonderful fairy tale to read to your little ones, at the same time, this story is also a reminder to us all to be thankful for what we have in this world and be content with our material possessions. So, when you are reading this story to your children, let it remind you as well to be grateful for the simple things in life such as the sound of trees, rivers, the song of birds and the beauty of nature that we can enjoy without any worries.