Monster Of The Month
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Supernatural Iceland: Trolls
Welcome to Supernatural Iceland! In this episode we’re looking at Trolls, one of the most famous otherworldly inhabitants of Iceland. Trolls are generally described as being dumb, unruly, wild, greedy and cruel – but in the Folklores of Iceland there are also…
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Supernatural Iceland: Christmas Bonus Episode
Welcome to this SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE of Supernatural Iceland! For a extra dose of winter cheer we’re bringing you all you need to know about Iceland’s festive folklore. But be warned, like a lot of Iceland’s traditions, it’s less ‘comfort and joy’…
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Supernatural Iceland: Monsters
Welcome to Supernatural Iceland! Join Valur Grettisson, editor-in-chief of Reykjavík Grapevine, as he explores the world of folklore, other-worldly visits and strange happenings in Iceland. Meet ghosts, ghouls, goblins and even UFOs as we travel around the country seeking out the the…
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Monster of the Month: Kráki – Kraken
A fishing boat was sailing north of Iceland when it suddenly heeled, so that it was almost flooded, due to some horrific creature that held on to the gunwale. The part of it that was on board resembled some kind of pincers,…
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Monster of the Month: Skeljaskrímsli – Shell Monster
Hallgrímur the Strong lived at Vík in Flateyjardalur in the early 1800s. Grímur was his son. One moonlit winter night, Grímur was lying in wait by the sea, hunting for foxes, when he saw a large and unfamiliar creature come on land.…
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Monster Of The Month: Sálir – Souls
Dark are the murky waters, The deep and stormy sea Where each and every evening This fisherman will be. – Dark are the murky waters. The first time that he cast His fishhook overboard, An old and splendid codfish Became his sweet…
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Monster Of The Month: Sækýr – Sea Cow
There once was a man named Bjarni, known as Bjarni the Strong, who lived in Breiðavík by Borgarfjörður in the county of Múlasýsla. One summer day, Bjarni was out in the field in overcast and foggy weather when he heard the sound…
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Monster Of The Month: Moðurmur – Worm Dog
A worm dog […] is a female pup. The bitch will only give birth to one if it has consumed an unboiled cock egg. These have such an aberrant nature that the pup will become a monstrous creature […] as it slips…
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Monster Of The Month: Marbendill – Seaman
A marbendill lives on the ocean floor and is never seen above the surface unless caught by fishermen, as shall be recounted presently. The scabrous, cream-coloured limestone Millepora polymorpha, which is found on the ocean floor and often washes up on shore,…
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Monster Of The Month: Móri – Ghost
Shortly before the turn of the 20th century, a young girl travelled from Reykjavík to the nearby hot springs of Laugar to do her washing. While at her work there, she felt an unpleasant presence and became sick at heart and nauseous.…
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Monster Of The Month: Skuggabaldur – Shadow Baldur
A skuggabaldur has a cat for a father and a fox for a mother. They are no less a menace than foxes or other beasts that sorcerers send to kill the livestock of others. Guns are of no use against them. One…
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Monster Of The Month: Tröllbotnaland – Land of Giants
Tales tell of a country northeast of Iceland and Greenland known as the Land of Giants. Many have paid dearly for attempting to explore the land and its people, including Gorm the Old, King of Denmark, whose mission was hindered by heavy…
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Monster Of The Month: Hafmaður – Merman
It is rather common for seafarers to catch sight of both mermen and mermaids, and perhaps hafstrambis, as they raise their head and shoulders above the ocean and gaze for a moment at the vessel before diving back into the sea. Mermen…
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Monster Of The Month: Kráki, The Kraken
A fishing boat was sailing north of Iceland when it suddenly heeled, so that it was almost flooded, due to some horrific creature that held on to the gunwale. The part of it that was on board resembled some kind of pincers,…
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Monster Of The Month: Dagtröll – Day Troll
Day trolls are trolls who walk abroad during bright days. They are fierce, but steadfast and loyal to their friends. Some are kinds of protective beings, often seeking to mate with humans but avoiding coming into conflict with them. They grant their…
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Monster Of The Month: Sending – Ghost of Substance
The fourth type of sending, and the most peculiar, consists of ghosts raised from natural substances by master sorcerers with comprehensive knowledge of life and matter. These men were supposed to be experts in the substances from which the bodies of men…
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Monster Of The Month: Sögusteinn – Tale Stone
Several accounts of tale stones exist. Ólafur of Purkey says that it can be found in the nest of the wagtail in May. It is to be kept in a bloody neck scarf and put in your right ear when you wish…
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Monster Of The Month: Finngálkn – The Sphinx
Finngálkn is a creature mentioned in numerous ancient tales and legends, including the Saga of Örvar-Oddr, the Saga of Hjalmther, Njal’s Saga and many more. The descriptions therein depict them as large animals that are extremely vicious and dangerous, sometimes carrying a…
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Monster Of The Month: Fylgja – Spirit Companion
Folklore claims that when a baby is born, part of its soul remains, as a unique being, in the membrane that surrounds it in the womb and which later emerges as the afterbirth. This being is called a fylgja and will become…
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Monster Of The Month: Draumagras – Dream Weed
This plant is grey, with a jointed stem and a bud on top. It grows earlier than any other plant, and is fully grown by 16 May. It shall be plucked that day and kept in a Bible until the 16th Sunday…
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Monster Of The Month: Dvergur, The Dwarf
Although the Prose Edda refers to dwarfs as being a kind of elf race, a clear distinction is made in folklore. Dwarfs appear in numerous adventures and chivalric tales. They are excellent craftsmen, dependable and loyal to their friends but extremely vengeful…
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Monster Of The Month: Loftandi, The Air Spirit
On a clear spring afternoon, a rumble was heard from the sky, similar to the sound of a large boat being dragged across gravel. It was heard widely across Suðurnes, in Keflavík, Grindavík, Garður and Hafnarfjörður. In Miðnes, a cloud bank was…
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Monster Of The Month: Ljósálfur, The Light-Elf
“Elves are the noblest and most distinguished of all earthly creatures. Their similarity to us humans is such that when one hears of light-elves—that most gentle breed of elves—one can not help but think that they are our long-dead kinsmen and forefathers,…