Sprites found in Germanic mythology. They appear only rarely in Arthurian legends since they do not figure in Celtic mythology, but Layamon may have equated Celtic spirits with them.
Layamon says that elves blessed Arthur after he was born came with gifts to him. They arranged for him to be rich, valiant and long-lived. Argante, the enchantress who brought Arthur to Avalon, was a “radiant elf”. Layamon also says that Witege, the smith who made Arthur’s armor, was also an elf.
In Spenser’s The Faerie Queene, elves formed the original ruling class of Fairy Land.
See also
Elf | The Legend of King Arthur
Elves | Myths and Legends
Sources
Brut | Layamon, late 12th century to mid-13th century
The Faerie Queene | Edmund Spenser, 1570-1599