Nordic folklore


Nordic folklore is the folklore of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. It has common roots with, and has been under mutual influence with, folklore in England, Germany, the Low Countries, the Baltic countries, Finland and Sápmi. Folklore is a concept encompassing expressive traditions of a particular culture or group. The peoples of Scandinavia are heterogenous, as are the oral genres and material culture that has been common in their lands. However, there are some commonalities across Scandinavian folkloric traditions, among them a common ground in elements from Norse mythology as well as Christian conceptions of the world.
Among the many tales common in Scandinavian oral traditions, some have become known beyond Scandinavian borders – examples include The Three Billy Goats Gruff and The Giant Who Had No Heart in His Body.

Legends

  • Tróndur was a powerful Viking chieftain who lived in the Faroe Islands during the 9th century. According to legend, Tróndur was killed by a Christian missionary named Sigmundur Brestisson, who had come to the islands to spread Christianity. Tróndur's legacy lives on in Faroese folklore, where he is often portrayed as a tragic hero.
  • Risin and Kellingin are a pair of giants who are said to live on the island of Eysturoy. They are said to be very large and strong, and they are often depicted as being angry and destructive.
  • Skógafoss is a waterfall located in the south of Iceland, and is home to a number of folk tales, including one about hidden treasure that is said to be buried at the base of the waterfall by Þrasi Þórólfsson.
  • Reynisfjara is a black sand beach located in the south of Iceland. It is known for its towering basalt columns and its sea stacks. The beach is also home to a number of folk tales, including one about a pair of trolls who were turned to stone by the sun.

    Traditions

  • Grindadráp: This traditional whaling practice is deeply rooted in the cultural history and mythology of the Faroe Islands and has been a significant part of their way of life for centuries. The Grindadráp is associated with various customs, beliefs, and rituals, including the importance of communal cooperation and the sharing of resources. However, the Grindadráp is also a contested and controversial practice in modern times, with concerns about its impact on animal welfare and sustainability.
  • Íslendingasögur are a series of prose narratives about events that took place in Iceland in the 9th, 10th and early 11th centuries. They are mostly based on historical events, but they also contain elements of fiction. The sagas tell the stories of the early settlers of Iceland, their families, and their descendants. Íslendingasögur are considered to be some of the finest examples of medieval literature. The sagas were originally written down in the 13th and 14th centuries, but they are believed to have been passed down orally for many years before that.
  • Runes are letters of several related alphabets historically used by various Germanic peoples, including the Norse. In Nordic folklore, runes hold significant cultural and mystical importance. They are often associated with the god Odin, who, according to myth, obtained the knowledge of runes through self-sacrifice. In modern Nordic culture, runes continue to hold symbolic and cultural significance. While the runic alphabet is no longer in common use for writing, it has become a popular element in art, jewelry, and tattoos, often serving as a connection to Norse heritage and a way to express cultural pride.
  • Þorrablót is an annual mid-winter festival that celebrates traditional Icelandic cuisine. The festival is named after the month of Þorri, which falls in January or February, and features dishes such as fermented shark, dried fish, and smoked lamb. The festival also includes music, dancing, and other cultural activities.

    Folk dances

Nordic folklore's traditional dances, intricately linked to celebrations, rituals, and communal assemblies, exhibit specific movements, patterns, and music deeply ingrained in the cultural fabric of the region. An exploration of these dances unveils insights into social dynamics, community cohesion, and the perpetuation of mythological themes across generations.

Norway

  • One Norwegian folk dance, Halling, is characterized by its quick tempo and features acrobatic moves. Typically performed by men during weddings or parties, Halling showcases athleticism through kicks, spins, and rhythmic footwork. The dance serves not only as a form of entertainment, but also as a display of skill and strength.

    Sweden

  • Polska: Often danced as a couple, characterized by smooth flowing movements. Fiddle or nyckelharpa instruments are often found accompanying this dance. The dance holds cultural significance as it is commonly associated with celebrations and social gatherings.

    Faroe islands

  • The Faroese Chain Dance is the national dance of the Faroe Islands, often accompanied by kvæði, the Faroese ballads. Dancers form a circle, holding hands, and move in a rhythmic and coordinated manner. These ballads may recount tales of legendary heroes, folklore figures, or historical events specific to the Faroe Islands. The combination of dance and music enhances the immersive experience, allowing participants to physically engage with the narratives.

    Folk Architecture

Norway

es in Norway represent a unique synthesis of Christian and Norse cultural influences, evident in their architectural and ornamental features. These wooden structures, characterized by intricate carvings, serve as tangible artifacts linking contemporary communities to historical narratives. Beyond mere historical relics, Stave churches function as active centers for cultural preservation, hosting various ceremonies and events. In the context of Norway's evolving cultural landscape, these churches endure as emblematic symbols of enduring identity and heritage, encapsulating the nuanced interplay between religious, mythological, and societal dimensions.

Folklore figures

A large number of different mythological creatures from Scandinavian folklore have become well known in other parts of the world, mainly through popular culture and fantasy genres. Some of these are:

Circhos

The circhos is a sea creature that looks like a man with three toes on each foot. Its skin is black and red. It has a long left foot and a small right foot which drags behind, making it lean left when walking.

Draugr

The draugr, or draug, is an old archaic term for a malevolent revenant with varying ambiguous traits.
In the Icelandic sagas, it describes dangerous corporeal undeads which protects their burial mounds or thereof. They have magical abilities and can shapeshift, including changing size and mass.
In Norwegian folklore, the draugr either refers to land dwelling revenants, or a collective entity encompassing the drowned at sea, sometimes specified as the sea draugr, which may appear wearing the clothes of a seaman, but featuring a head of seaweed. The latter is especially dangerous, and acts as a sign that people will drown at sea. The Wild Hunt, in Norway, has been said to involve draugrs, and, during Christmas, the old Nordic Christmas tradition of leaving out food and beer on Christmas night, as to wellcome spirits of the deceased, household spirits and thereof, into the house, involves leaving beer specifically for the draugrs, to keep them from being malicious, so called "draug-beer". One famous Christmas story tells of a man who finds the "sea draugr" sitting by the coast on Christmas Eve, aggravating it, and then being chased by it inlands. When crossing a graveyard, the "land draugrs" awaken and emerges from their graves to attack the sea draugr.
In Faroese folklore, the draugr is said to be a type of undead being that inhabits the mountains and hills of the Faroe Islands. It is typically described as a large, strong creature with pale skin and long, dark hair. It is often depicted as being cannibalistic.
In Sámi folklore, the draugr is a term for a malevolent revenant and thereof. The term entered the Proto-Sámi languages during the migration period through Proto-Norse. In some Sámi folklore, it is said to be the spirit of a drowned person, which in turn drowns people. In Northern Sámi, this creature is sometimes called a "water draugr".

Elves

Elves are in some parts mostly described as female, otherworldly, beautiful and seductive residents of forests, meadows and mires. They are skilled in magic and illusions. Sometimes they are described as small fairies, sometimes as full-sized women and sometimes as half transparent spirits, or a mix thereof. They are closely linked to the mist and it is often said in Sweden that, "the Elves are dancing in the mist". The female form of Elves may have originated from the female deities called Dís and Díser found in pre-Christian Scandinavian religion. They were very powerful spirits closely linked to the seid magic. Even today the word "dis" is a synonym for mist or very light rain in Swedish, Norwegian and Danish. Particularly in Denmark, the female elves have merged with the dangerous and seductive huldra, skogsfrun or "keeper of the forest", often called hylde. In some parts of Sweden the elves also share features with the Skogsfrun, "Huldra", or "Hylda", and can seduce and bewitch careless men and suck the life out of them or make them go down in the mire and drown. But at the same time the Skogsrå exists as its own being, with other distinct features clearly separating it from the elves. In more modern tales, it isn't uncommon for a rather ugly male Tomte, Troll, Vätte or a Dwarf to fall in love with a beautiful Elven female, as the beginning of a story of impossible or forbidden love.

Huldra

The Huldra, Hylda, Skogsrå or Skogfru is a dangerous seductress who lives in the forest. The Huldra is said to lure men with her charm. She has a long cow's tail, or according to some traditions, that of a fox, which she ties under her skirt in order to hide it from men. If she can manage to get married in a church, her tail falls off and she becomes human.