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

A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com - In Icelandic folklore, Gryla (Grýla) is a giantess living in Iceland's mountains.

In Snorre Sturluson's Prose Edda, from the 13th century, she is mentioned as the most horrible sorcerer who scared children into obedience.

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.

These days, Gryla (her name means 'a scare' or 'something that scares') is strongly connected with Christmas time, though this connection appeared for the first time in the 17th/18th century. Since then, talking about Gryla and frightening children has been forbidden.

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.

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See also: 

How Did Vikings Celebrate Yule – The Winter Solstice?

Perchta: Evil Witch Of The Alps – An Old Tradition That Still Continues

Why Was Celebration Of Christmas, Easter, Midsummer And Saint’s Day Forbidden In Scotland?

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