We would not be remiss if we say that these landvættir were very possibly connected with the Vanir. The landvættir were connected with issues of fertility which Vanir gods like Freyr and Freyja, as well as Njorthr, were intimately connected with as well. (409) Freyr is lord of the alfar and previously we have seen how alfar would be connected to specific trees. Folklore is full of tales of spirits that are attached to trees. (410) In the Eddas one would expect, when mentioning the combined tribe of the Aesir and Vanir for them to be named exactly in that fashion, that is, 'Aesir and Vanir.' But more than once we find, instead, the phrase 'Aesir and Elves.' (411) It is possible that the landvættir are a kind of alf that is connected to specific object, or area of land.

The landvættir were normally considered in that fashion. They were connected to specific areas and did not travel to new lands with settlers. (412) All indications are that the travelers who came and settled Iceland did not bring the landvættir with them. They were considered to have already been there.

Another aspect of the landvættir that point to there being connected to the land they inhabit is that they were also willing to defend the land on which they were connected to. Snorri gives us one such account. In this account Icelanders made insulting verses about King Harald Gormsson of Denmark because he had impounded cargo from their ships. This, of course, angered the king and he sent a wizard to Iceland in the form of whale to scout it out. When the wizard neared the land of Iceland he saw vast numbers of landvættir ready to defend the land. A dragon accompanied by snakes advanced to meet him while from other parts of the Island came a huge bird, a bull and a rock-giant with a staff. (413) Another similar account is recorded by Thiele. The 'underground people' who were normally invisible, became visible when they defended the island of Bornholm from attack in 1645 when two Swedish warships attempted to land. In a later version related by Bødker, a solitary soldier on sentry saw the Swedish ships coming. He heard whispering voices say, "Load and shoot!" When he shot at them scores of little red-capped men became visible and shot at the Swedes until they drove them off. (414) In the previous account given in Egil's saga when he rose nithstangr against king Erik Bloodaxe and Queen Gunnhild he asked that the landvættir wander about restlessly and remain homeless until the king and queen were driven from the land. This might be considered in the same light as defending the land. (415)

The landvættir were inimical to Christianity and it is not hard to see why, with Christianity's attitude that nature, both within man and as a whole was evil and must be overcome and controlled. Christians worked hard to expel landvættir any where they could find them. We saw this from the account of the bishop that expelled one from a rock by pouring holy water on it. Never mind that the spirit did nothing but aid the man who made offerings to it. The landvættir were considered as evil and demonic by the Christians. More than a few stories exist of landvættir being driven from their abodes by Christians. The fanaticism that the Christians went about this business is shown by numerous tales in which bishops would have themselves let down the sides of cliffs on ropes so that they could bless the cliffs where seabirds nested. Accounts say that at these times a voice would call to them, saying 'Wicked folk must have somewhere to live.' Sometimes a skinny arm holding a knife would appear threatening to cut the rope on which the bishop was suspended. In these cases the cliff was left unblessed and was afterwards called the 'Cliff of the Heathen.' (416) On account of this the landvættir were said to have retreated to the most harsh inhospitable lands where few men could be found.

There were a number of feasts that were conducted annually. We have a good deal of information on these. Of the feasts there are two which we have more information on than any of the others. If we take this wealth of information as a sign of their importance, then we can say that the two feasts that were most important were Midsummer and Jól (Yule). The fact that they both survived into modern times because the Christians could not stamp them out and instead decided to appropriate them for their own use, is a testament to how important these two tides were. Grimm agrees with this when he says, "Our two great anniversaries, the summer and winter-solstices, marked off two seasons;" There were other tides that were important as well. The Harvest Feast, Summer Finding (417), which the Christians would turn into Easter after the goddess Ostara and Winter Nights were feasts that were observed across Northern Europe. Besides these feasts it was common to give feasts at weddings, births and deaths.

Snorri gives the three major feasts in Scandinavia as the beginning of Winter for plenty in the coming year, midwinter for growth of crops and in summer for victory. (418) These three are described in the Saga of Olaf Haraldsson. There is says that a sacrifice was made in autumn for a good winter, at midwinter and in summer. (419)

The first feast I would like to examine is the Harvest feast. This feast was also called the Feast of the Wains (wagons) by the Anglo-Saxons because it was in honor of the Vanir whose association with wagons was quite strong. This feast took place at the end of September. (420) Many times there is a mention of an autumn sacrifice (421) such as in the Saga of Olaf Haroldsson but this may be referring to the Winter Nights sacrifice as opposed to the Harvest Feast. There is very little information on this feast available but we could assume that the Vanir were honored at this time as well as the Alfar. One custom that survived the Christian conversion was the leaving of some of the harvest for the gods or in some instances, for Othinn's horse, Sleipnir. When the corn was being cut one clump of ears was left standing and was adorned with ribbons. This clump was for the god who blessed the harvest. Which god that was, we are not told. It was also customary to leave five or six apples hanging on each tree when gathering in all the fruit. This practice was still being performed in late 18th century Holstein. (422) We can assume that the Harvest Feast was one that was conducted in the fashion of the Vanir rites and would probably have much in common with the May Day/Ostara rites.

The Christians here converted this feast to their use as they did with so many others. On the 28th of September was St. Michael's day. (423)

Álfablót

The Álfablót (sacrifice of the elves) is mentioned in Old Norse sources three times. This feast was in honor of the elves and we know that it was practiced very late in Norway. One account comes from the early 11th century from Sweden. The source is Austrfaravísur, written by the Christian skald, Sigvatr Þórðarson. (424) Sigvatr was on a mission for the Christian king of Norway, in which he was to travel to Sweden and arrange a marriage between his king and the daughter of the king of Sweden. As this time we are told that Norway was Christian but that Sweden still retained the old ways. While traveling in Sweden late in autumn he was seeking shelter but could not find any despite going to numerous farms. Every farm he came to would not allow him entry because they were holding the Álfablót at the time. He was told that the halls were hallowed and he, being a Christian, could not enter. The farm wife of one farm specifically said that if she were to let him in, she feared the anger of Othinn. In Sigvatr's own words he said, "She thrust me away as if I were a wolf." (425)

We don't know much about what went on in these feasts and in fact we know little more than when they were held. Since we know that the Alfar and the Vanir were closely connected and that the Harvest Feast and the Álfablót were both held in autumn, we could say that it is possible that the Álfablót was part of the Harvest Feast, just as the Dísablót was part of the Winter Nights Feast.

In Iceland between what was October 11th and October 18th was the feast called Winter nights. This feast today is held in October 13th-15th. It was a feast which lasted three or more days. (426) Winter Nights was one of the three feasts that Snorri mentions as being one of the three most important feasts of the year. It was held on the beginning of the Old Norse month of Gormánaðr which is equivalent to October 14th. In Norway this night is still called Winter Nights and is considered to be the beginning of Winter. It was made in order to bring a good year or more specifically a good winter. (427) The Old Norse name for this feast was Vetrnætr (Winter Nights) which was the first three nights of winter. (428)

We know from the Saga of Olaf Haraldsson that there was a sacrificial feast on what the saga calls "winter-day's eve, in which there was much drinking (fullar) and numerous people were in attendance. There was a prayer given at the sacrifice that was made in order to obtain good seasons or a good winter. (429) The feast mentioned as being on Winter-day's eve we could assume was held on the first night of the feast, that is, on the 13th of October. We know also that the landvættir and the dísir were honored at this time as well, perhaps on the two succeeding nights. (430)

This feast continued on under a Christian guise after the conversion where it was known as the feast of St. Michael. (431)