He can also teach humans how to play if they bring him a stolen piece of meat. The stories in which the Tomten doesn’t necessarily care for the animals but causes chaos if he doesn’t receive his porridge could be seen as an indicator of beliefs about the power of the land and of these earth creatures—that they’re meant to be respected, and that in some way, something is owed to them for being able to live a peaceful life. 1. These 10 most famous of the Norse legends evoke images of mighty battles, forces of nature and wicked beings. From a giant wolf to a mysterious spirit of the Black Death, listed below are ten creepy creatures from Scandinavian folklore. This attractive young man sits naked under waterfalls, often playing music on a fiddle. Post navigation ← Baba Marta: Bulgarian Springtime Ritual Persian Folktale: Bōz Bōze Ghandí → ; Bigfoot - A type of Sasquatch native to North American forests. Norse mythology - including the stories of Odin, Thor and Loki - was the basis of the religion of the Viking warriors that plundered Europe from the 8 th to the 11 th centuries. Swedish Mythologies Of Water Creatures They looked back in time to rediscover their old . The Church Grim were said to be guardians of a particular church, and would feed off the church's energy to stay alive. Where do I start?! They are the ones who decide who must go to Valhalla after the end of a battle. The warriors who have fought with courage and ambition on the battlefield are the ones ultimately selected by the Valkyries to dine and fight for eternity with the gods in Valhalla. So maybe it’s not always as sinister as I described, but—but if you don’t, like… You put out the porridge. Trolls are another Scandinavian folklore creature that has made its way into western culture. Scandinavian folklore or Nordic folklore is the folklore of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and the Faroe Islands.It has common roots with, and has been mutually influenced by, folklore in England, Germany, the Low Countries, the Baltic countries, Finland and Sapmi.Folklore is a concept encompassing expressive traditions of a particular culture or group. Pesta is a figure of illness, often appearing in the form of an ugly old woman dressed in black. When Eve and Adam had many children, she was giving them all a bath when God came to visit. She then started talking about this gnome/troll-like creatures called Tomten. This may sound brutal and heartless, but for many parents it was a matter of . The word Kappa means 'river child.'. They are tremendously talented fiddle players and are said to sit in waterfalls performing enchanting music. Image source: Wikimedia Commons. Mythical Creatures. The Huldra, or Tallemaja in Swedish, is a troll-like female known for living in the woods. However, they are also masters in regards to magic and illusions. Your email address will not be published. I am the daughter of a Swedish immigrant family and have heard many of these stories passed down to me from my great grandmother who emigrated to the U.S. in the late 1800s. To protect yourself from this creature, you could throw an iron cross or needle into the water. 19th century Romantic depiction of a Draugr by Norwegian painter Theodor Kittelsen. The Swedish also have a version of the Nokken, but they describe him as a beautiful man who tricks women into jumping into the water, then drowns them. . Magical Creatures and Mythical Beasts: Includes magic flashlight which illuminates more than 30 magical beasts! 11 Creatures From Scandinavian Folklore You Should Know Learn how your comment data is processed. Werewolf: Wolf-human shapeshifter (Global Culture) Dragon: Depicted as fire breathing and winged (Global Culture) Chimera: Hybrid Fire-breathing creature (Greek Mythology) Loch Ness Monster: Aquatic monster (Scottish Folklore) Mermaid: Human-fish Hybrid (Global Culture) Yeti: Ape-like being/entity (Nepalese . As you may already know, Pegasus is a winged divine stallion usually depicted as pure white in color and was sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god. Take a second to support Victor RouÄ on Patreon! Most of the stories about trolls in Scandinavian legend talk about how stupid they are. The Scandinavian Folklore consists of a huge variety of creatures, good or evil, which have frightened people for centuries. 10. Mare is a common part of Germanic folklore, but she does have different names and shapes depending on where in Scandinavia you visit. These mine spirits were relatively good humoured, and helped the miners by knocking in places with rich lodes of mineral, or metal. You can read about Scandi trolls in the Clara Stroebe et al book, Scandinavian tales. 30 Mythical Creatures — List of Mythological Creatures If she was carrying a rake, then some of the people at the farm might survive. Although, you can still track down some traditional books that tell older tales, like the Vaesen guide to the Monsters of Scandi folklore. Although some of the Scandinavian creatures have changed over the years, many of the traditional stories are still mentioned today throughout the Scandi countries. A mare ( Old English: mære, Old Dutch: mare, Proto-Slavic * mara; mara in Old High German, Old Norse, and Swedish) is a malicious entity in Germanic and Slavic folklore that rides on people's chests while they sleep, bringing on nightmares. The Church Grim is a very little-known and mysterious creature, but also one of the most feared creatures in Scandinavian folklore. Annotation: http://www.amazon.com/The-Tomten-Astrid-Lindgren/dp/0698115910/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367443488&sr=8-1&keywords=tomten According to legend, the dwarves lived in their own region of Midgard, hidden . I would recommend this website and page to people who is learning or wants to find information about the Scandinavian creatures !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very much unlike the Nokken, the Grim (also known as Fossegrim) are quite peaceful water spirits who may even be helpful in their relationship with human beings if they are given a stolen piece of meat. "pirates of the Caribbean". She dwells into the mines and caves near deep forests and is said to lure men into endless labyrinths of underground tunnels. In Finnish, the word is näkki. According to Scandinavian folklore, every home has its own Nisse who lives in a barn or the countryside near your house. Image source: Wikimedia Commons. This entry was posted in Folk Beliefs, Myths and tagged farming, mythical creatures, Swedish, Tomten on May 14, 2013 by Sonali Chanchani. Mythology / By tommy. The Scandinavian Folklore consists of a huge variety of creatures, good or evil, which have frightened people for centuries. But rather the creatures that constantly appear to challenge the gods and terrorise men. However, they are also masters in regards to magic and illusions. Valhalla is the heaven promised to Vikings. Most notably was a story similar to those about the lake spirits. ; Basilisk - A legendary lizard who could kill a man with its stare. Today, we’re going to introduce you to some of the top creatures from Scandinavian legend that you should know about. The Church Grim is a very little-known and mysterious creature, but also one of the most feared creatures in Scandinavian folklore. She said that even nowadays people in Sweden see nature as having kind of a “magical quality to it” — thus the rise of these earth-based mythical creatures (i.e. The most famous tales from Scandinavian folklore are stories of good versus evil and sinister creatures disguised as beautiful mortals. On a personal note, I heard about your account of people believing in the existence of these folk creatures/spirits (at least locally in some areas of Scandinavia) from other Scandinavians as well. According to legend, the dwarves lived in their own region of Midgard, hidden . There are mystical mythical creatures that inhabit land, the sea and the air. Wolves play a prominent role in Norse folklore and Fenrir is the grandest, most frightening wolf of all. The Kraken is a Scandinavian monster that you’re probably pretty familiar with from Clash of the Titans and Pirates of the Caribbean. Required fields are marked *. Post navigation ← Baba Marta: Bulgarian Springtime Ritual Persian Folktale: Bōz Bōze Ghandí → ð. The Mare is one of the better-known spirits in Scandinavia, often associated with bad dreams. Image source: Wikimedia Commons. Thank you for your comment and for your readership, Svein! These Scandinavian creatures actually originate from North Mythology. From a giant wolf to a mysterious spirit of the Black Death, listed below are ten creepy creatures from Scandinavian folklore. ð, Your email address will not be published. The following is an exact transcript of our conversation. $5.99 (45 used & new offers) Other formats: Kindle , Library Binding. Image source: Wikimedia Commons. Scandification is a participant in Amazon Service LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated websites. Many have their basis in Mythology and some have emerged from cultural folklore. The Icelandic nykur is a horselike creature. Drawing of a Nisse by Danish artist Thomas Lundbye (1842). Before we continue, check out these great resources on Amazon…. Norway or Sweden? It is primarily a water demon inhabiting rivers and lakes and devouring disobedient little children. If you’re looking for a bedtime story to tell your little ones, make sure you double-check whether you’ve got the traditional Scandinavian folklore or not. Pesta travels from farm to farm in her story, carrying a rake and a broom and spreading the plague. Famous in Jewish folklore, golems are most often depicted as beings created from inanimate matter such as clay or mud, which have been brought to life to serve . These creatures are a tribe of female warriors that decide who should go to Valhalla after they die. Nordic Tales: Folktales from Norway, Sweden,... An Illustrated Treasury of Swedish Folk and Fairy... Mythology (75th Anniversary Illustrated Edition):... Reimund Kvideland and Henning Sehmsdorf’s book here, Your indispensable roadmap to dating a Swedish man, Being vegetarian and vegan in Sweden: Why it’s one of the best places to go green & eat clean, AWNL Stockholm: The meteoric rise of Swedish jewellery design, VEJRHØJ Watches – wood, steel & Nordic minimalism, Meet Larsen and Eriksen: The watch designers from Denmark, Urbanista audio: Scandi designs to suit your lifestyle, Triwa watches: Transforming the watch industry forever. © Scandification 2021. The Swedish form is derived from Old Swedish neker, which corresponds to Old Icelandic nykr (gen. nykrs), and nykk in Norwegian Nynorsk. Where do you come from, if I may ask? mythical creature, a bit of politics and in the end the hero saving the day. Happy Danes: Why is Denmark the happiest country in the world? In Swedish, the name for Mare is Mardom, which means “mare-ride” or “mare-dream”. 11 creatures from Scandinavian folklore you should know. However, if she was carrying a broom, everyone in the family would die. These fair and beautiful creatures are often peaceful in Scandinavian stories and usually have long lives which made them wise. If you want to get deeper into folktales and legends from Norse times, check out Reimund Kvideland and Henning Sehmsdorf’s book here. In Swedish folklore, Nyk sometimes appears as a handsome man who lures women into jumping into the water and then proceeds to drown them. The Mythological Kappa. Artistic portrayal of a group of meadow elves dancing by Swedish painter Nils Blommér. This may sound brutal and heartless, but for many parents it was a matter of . Elves, on the other hand, lived in the castle of Froy. Join thousands of others and stay up to date with the our latest articles. During early Swedish history, it wasn't uncommon for unwanted infants to be put to death by their parents. The Kappa is a Japanese mythical creature. In this medieval account, the protagonist is heading with his ship for Helluland (modern day Baffin Island, Canada) on the Greenland Sea where he and his crew spotted two enormous maritime creatures named Hafgufa (‘sea mist’) and Lyngbakr (‘heather-back’). The Nisser or (Nisse), are still valuable parts of Scandinavian culture, and even have some connections to Christmas. Other descriptions say that the Kraken is more like a giant octopus that drags ships to the depths. There are mystical mythical creatures that inhabit land, the sea and the air. Coming from Norse mythology originally, the troll is apparently inspired by cruel giants that were enemies of the gods. The Coblynau dressed in miners' attire, and stood at around 18 inches in height. Another better-known creature from Scandinavian folklore, Valkyries come from Norse mythology. You can find some stories about dwarves and elves in the Nordic Tales book by Ulla Thynell.
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