Drow

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This article refers to the "Drow" of Scottish folklore. To see the fictional elven race from Dungeons & Dragons see Drow (Dungeons & Dragons). For other fictionalizations, see Dark Elves in fiction.

Drow (pronounced either /draʊ/, rhymes with "now", or /droʊ/, rhymes with "throw") is a mythical elf-like creature in Scottish folklore which lived in caves and forged magical metal work.

[edit] Etymology

Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1970) states: "Drow, n., [scot.]." The word is a variant of the Scots term "trow", which itself derives from the Scandinavian word "troll". The original Scottish Gaelic word is pronounced "dtrow" with a soft "dt" sound, and the original pronunciation sounds similar to "troll." The word is also found in Cornish and Welsh, with slight pronunciation differences. The race itself seems based on another dark elf, specifically the Dökkálfar of Norse mythology.