Dwarf

Dwarf
Species Information
Status	Unknown
Distinction	Magical beings of short stature who live underground, native to the Homelands
First issue	Fables #4 — "Chapter Four: Remembrance Day" (flashback)
Last issue	Fables #133 — "Straight Through the Heart: Part Three of Camelot" (flashback)
Lastmentioned	Fables: The Wolf Among Us #17 — "Chapter Seventeen"
Original source	"Snow White" and "Snow White and Rose Red" (primarily)

“	...There was also a civilization below ground. This was the domain of the dwarves -- an industrious race alien to men.	„
	~ Snow White describing the dwarven race, Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall — "The Fencing Lessons"

Dwarves are an industrious race that lived underground in Prince Charming's kingdom.

History

The dwarven kingdom lay deep beneath the lands of Prince Charming. The dwarves were an industrious race who primarily mined fine metals and gems in their underground kingdom. These materials they traded with the dwellers above for food, linen, red meat, and other necessities. It was from these goods that made Prince Charming's kingdom so rich among the kingdoms of men.

It was well understood, in custom if not in law, that dwarves and humans would not intermingle - social or otherwise. Except for formally arranged missions of trade, above and below remained segregated from each other, to the preference of both kingdoms. But there were certain dwarves who ere not content to live their entire lives underground. From time to time they liked to abandon the cold and enclosed dark for open skies and the bright warmth of day. These ne'er-do-wells kept certain cabins scattered throughout the most remote corners of the kingdom above - in the deepest of the deep woods - where they could spend a few days each season drinking and reveling, or indulging in more sinister vices. Such things were tolerated, providing it get out of hand, and such places were over-looked, with a wink and a nod, by the overworld's roving sheriffs and yeomen.

One such dwarf named Coalheart cursed a young prince named Brandish into the form of a bear. Some time after, Coalheart came across two young girls, named Snow White and Rose Red respectively. After these two girls saved him several times, he was killed by Prince Brandish as he gathered his treasure to return underground. At some point prior to his demise, this dwarf sired seven wicked sons who would come to ensnare an older Snow White in their so-called 'comfort cabin'. They abused her physically and sexually for months, and one day came across her comatose body. Thinking Snow White dead, they tossed her out on the edge of the forest and went about their daily lives. When Snow recovered from her coma, she learned the art of swordplay from her new husband Prince Charming and murdered all seven dwarf brothers. The King of the Dwarves learned of their deaths and ordered Prince Charming's kingdom deal with the matter, or suffer the prospect of war between the two kingdoms. Once Prince Charming suspected of his wife's involvement in the dwarf brother's deaths, he convicted the worst captured criminal of the murders and this satisfied the Dwarf King.

A pair of dwarves are later present at the annual "mini" Remembrance Day in Fabletown, for those who died in the battle at the Last Castle.

Psychological characteristics

Dwarves are described as an alien race. There are also certain vile dwarfs whom regularly come up to the surface world to capture and rape young women. Coalheart took great pride in his long white beard and was mortified that he would have to appear with a trimmed beard in front of his people.

Physiology

Dwarves are small humanoid-looking beings with beady white eyes, pointed ears, and are quite long-faced.

Known dwarves

• Coalheart †
• The seven dwarves †
• Tosh

Original source

The dwarves are primarily based on the species of the same name from the "Snow White" fairy tale and the fairy tale of "Snow White and Rose Red."

The standard plural of the noun "dwarf" is "dwarfs." The plural "dwarves" was popularized (though not invented) by the famous author J.R.R. Tolkien in his fantasy fiction works, and specifically refers to fictional fantasy races. In Fables #1 — "Chapter One: Old Tales Revisited," Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall — "The Fencing Lessons" and Fables #96 — "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Chapter Three of Rose Red," the characters correctly refer to the species as dwarves. However, "dwarfs" is used in Fables #133 - "Straight Through the Heart: Part Three of Camelot," and in the title of Fables #96.

Trivia

• According to Fables #133 - "Straight Through the Heart: Part Three of Camelot," the average lifespan of a girl taken prisoner in one of the dwarves' "comfort cabins" was eleven months.
• According to Holly in Fables: The Wolf Among Us #17 — "Chapter Seventeen," the brooch owned by her sister Lily was made of copper from a dwarf mine.