In his writings, Tolkien characterised the dwarves as greedy. Our own smith-god Weland (Wayland) is sometimes thought of as a dwarf-god (perhaps from the Wayland Smithy long barrow which is small). Weland's name comes from the root *Wilą-ndz meaning 'crafting-one'. The Frisians called him Wela(n)du, and perhaps connected here is the OE word Wela / Weola from the Proto-Germanic *welô (also *welan) meaning wealthy or rich.