It is built on a Norwegianlegend about the sea-creature nøkken, which translates as "water sprite"., and is based on a story about him transforming into a beautiful, white horse and getting out of a silent pond. The horselures a young boy onto its back and takes him with it back into the pond, generating a great disturbance in the normally so silent water. A normal performance lasts about 16–18 minutes.
Meaning of the title
Nykken or Näcken, originating from Old Norse, is a spirit said to exist along the borders of water and land. People would often say prayers to the Nykken before swimming so that no harm would come to them.