Gryla: Cannibalistic, Evil Troll And Her Sons ‘Yule Lads’ – In Icelandic Folklore

A. Sutherland  – AncientPages.com – In Icelandic mythology, Gryla (Grýla) is a giantess who lives in the mountains of Iceland.

She is mentioned in Snorre Sturluson’s Prose Edda, from the 13th century as the most horrible sorcerer who scared children into obedience.

Grýla and Leppalúði on the main street of Akureyri, Iceland. source

Many stories about Gryla have long scared Icelandic children, and they did not dare to go out during Christmas time, but her role changed much with time.

Now, Gryla (her name means ‘a scare’ or ‘something that scares’) is strongly connected with the Christmas time, though this connection appeared for the first time in the 17th/18th century. Since then, it has been forbidden to talk about Gryla and frighten children.

See also:

Yule Goat Is A Scandinavian Christmas Tradition Based On Norse Legends And Worship Of God Thor

Jolabokaflod – Iceland’s Wonderful Christmas Book Flood Tradition – Exchange Books As Christmas Eve Presents And Spend The Evening Reading

Beautiful Legend Of La Befana – Witch Who Delivers Gifts To Children In Italy On Epiphany – Twelve Days After Christmas

Gryla is a cannibalistic troll, often described as having horns and hoofs, a large warty nose, and thirteen or fifteen tails, according to Sturlunga Saga. On each tail, she had 100 sacks, and in each of them, she stuffed disobedient children.

She was known to have not one but many heads. The troll’s evil nature perfectly reflects Gryla’s hideous appearance.

Gryla’s Yule Lads

She lives in a distant and isolated mountain cave somewhere in the highlands of Iceland, with thirteen naughty sons – the Jolasveinar, and her elderly and disabled (or lazy) husband, Leppaludi. She had several husbands before she met. Leppaludi, but when tired of them, she eliminated them.

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