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To clarify a point. In Norse mythology the words Dwarf, Dark Elf, Light Elf, Elf and Troll (Dvergar, Dock Alfar, Dock, Lios Aflar, Alfar, and Troll in Old Norse) all refer to the same type of creature. They are mere geographical variants. They refer to two distinc variants of the same creature: the light elves who where magical creatures of the air and effectively minor elemental creatures, and the dwarves or dark elves who where earth dwelling craftsmen who had little to do with the affairs of men (possibly based upon the Sami, a tribe of Lappish traders and craftsmen who claim that the huge vikings called them dwarfs) and are therefore considered to be made of earth and stone. It is therefore possible to consider that since these creatures where never seen during the day that they only recieved the power of movement at night. In The Lay of Alviss, the dwarf Alviss stomps up to Asgard, over the Bifrost bridge, in oirder to claim a debt from Thor. The promise that he requires to be kept was one of marriage to Thor's beautiful daughter, Thrud. Thor, unwilling to keep his side of the bargain, informs Alviss that he shall not have his desire untill he has named all the different names that all of the different creatures use for all things. Alviss nammes all things according to the men, the gods, the giants, the saxon men, the dwarfs, the men of various parts of europe (not often) and many others. By the time that he has finished the sun rises and turns him into stone.
Now, Tolkien was a lecturer in Old Norse at Oxford University so he'd probably come across this old tale and taken to it. Concerning Vampires (a recent breed of monster outside eastern europe), I believe that the sunlight banishes the threat of their feeble, sustanceless cadavers. I prefer to think of them absorbing life energy by mere touch as oposed to the drinking of blood. The blood of more powerful individuals tasting sweeter is therefore savoured (hence the reason why high level character can take more level drains that lower level ones). Incidentally in Winter Warriors, David Gemmel includes a band of evil Vampire Knights who ride about in the day wearing full black plate armour to avoid the blistering light of the sun. Also the "Blood Eaters" of the third Brak the Barbarian book (the only one that I have) are blatant vampires (who make an incision with their sharp tongue, grip with the two fangs, and suck everything out of the skin). However, they can only drain blood in mist form and as such are an interesting anomaly. I hope that this has cleared a few things up.
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Balgin, the Dwarf
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