Mill's Surplice represents the legendary race of creatures called elves. Elves initially appeared in early English and Norse mythology as beautiful and good beings with magical abilities and weaponry; the sword of the Norse god Frey is said to have been made by elves. Later, they came to be seen as mischievous imps who play tricks on, kidnap or harm others, and even as the relatives and cohorts of fairies and dwarves. Alternatively, some elves could be very helpful and kind to people (the Elves and the Shoemaker, Santa's elves, etc.). Elves could also have a much darker side and were sometimes connected with death and the underworld. In the famous poem and composition, by Goethe and Shubert respectively, "Der Erlkönig" (The Elf King), during a frantic ride in the forest, a father loses his