The Wild Hunt (https://wildhunt.org/tag/the-hobbit)
As both musician and writer, I’m drawn to Odin as an embodiment of the creative force. As a practitioner of Ásatrú, I can’t support companies that steal the work of human artists to generate disposable dross.
Aside from mysterious nocturnal creatures and inner earth cults, there are also elves and dwarfs in the forest. There are dark holes in trees that are obviously the entrances to elf homes. There are ancient tree stumps clearly used by the elf-king to address his gathered followers during moonlight ceremonies.
Ever since then, across six decades, I’ve associated the forest – any forest – with dwarfs, elves, secrets, songs, trolls, traps, witches, wizards, and other mysterious manifestations. All unknowingly, my ex-monk philosophy professor father was laying the tracks for my later embrace of Norse mythology and Ásatrú religion.