Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $9.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Hidden Folk: Scandinavian Myths and Legends, #1
    The Hidden Folk: Scandinavian Myths and Legends, #1
    The Hidden Folk: Scandinavian Myths and Legends, #1
    Ebook133 pages1 hour

    The Hidden Folk: Scandinavian Myths and Legends, #1

    By G.K. Lund

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Meet trolls, werewolves, and the mysterious and beautiful hulder who guards the forest.
     

    Out of Norse mythology developed a rich heritage of folklore and the creatures who roamed the Scandinavian mountains and forests.
     

    Among these were the hidden folk, the creatures who remain invisible unless they want to be seen. They could be helpers or the cause of trouble, all depending on their mood. They shaped the landscape and affected people's everyday lives, all the while longing to be part of human society themselves.
     

    Explore Scandinavian folklore through the mystical hidden folk who connected people and nature. Within these pages are also retellings that breathe life into traditional short Scandinavian folk tales.
     

    From waning giants to mischievous sprites, danger and enchantment await in a captivating world where anything could happen.

    *This is a nonfiction book where the chapters on each creature includes retellings of traditional Scandinavian short tales.
    *Contains illustrations of each creature.
    *Suitable for anyone interested in folklore and fairytales, Scandinavian culture and history, or fantasy enthusiasts who wish to read about where creatures in modern novels come from.

    Please note: that this is primarily a non-fiction book and not just a collection of tales.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherNorthern Quill Press
    Release dateJul 30, 2021
    ISBN9788293663584
    The Hidden Folk: Scandinavian Myths and Legends, #1
    Author

    G.K. Lund

    G.K.Lund is an independent fantasy author with a love of old stories and folklore; anything that's dark, weird and wonderful. It's a good thing then that G.K. is based roughly somewhere in the realms of Scandiwegia where old myths are plentiful. G.K. has a background in archaeology (dirty nails and all) and will probably have to put an archeologist into a story one day. Until then, potty-mouthed and kickass characters with other jobs will have to face high stakes and save the day. Find out more and get the news first, as well as a free book. Sign up at: http://my.gklundwrites.com/books-and-news

    Read more from G.K. Lund

    Related to The Hidden Folk

    Titles in the series (4)

    View More
    View More

    Related ebooks

    Literary Criticism For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Wild Things

      Jun 3, 2018

      The ground was spongy and green, the accents Irish, the light atmospheric and ‘soft’ (in other words, it was raining); the scene was set for a storytelling session about epic battles and strange worlds, good versus evil. Especially as we were standin

      3 min read

    • Article

      Chasing the Tale

      Jun 8, 2020

      Chasing the Tale
      1 min read

    • Article

      Folklore AND FICTION

      Nov 2, 2023

      Folklore AND FICTION
      4 min read

    • Article

      Written In The Stars

      Nov 15, 2020

      Written In The Stars
      6 min read

    • Article

      Everyday Wonder

      Aug 5, 2024

      Everyday Wonder
      7 min read

    • Article

      Time Travel with Historical Fiction

      Sep 15, 2022

      September is always a busy time of year. Students head back to school, many heritage organizations reset after Labour Day, and there always seems to be a lot of activities to pack in before cooler weather arrives. I sifted through my “To Be Read” pil

      8 min read

    • Article

      Who Are You Calling Prickly?

      Sep 13, 2023

      Who Are You Calling Prickly?
      6 min read

    • Article

      How Big Is Your Family?

      Dec 10, 2024

      How Big Is Your Family?
      8 min read

    • Article

      Daring To Be Still

      Nov 5, 2020

      Daring To Be Still
      5 min read

    • Article

      Deluge Gallery

      May 30, 2024

      Deluge Gallery
      9 min read

    • Article

      Bundles

      Feb 15, 2021

      Bundles
      4 min read

    • Article

      Getting Out Into Wild Places

      Nov 20, 2023

      Welcome to the newly introduced Treading Lightly column! I’m stoked to be here as your in-house nature lover and trail explorer. In each edition, I will bring you the latest from the world of sustainable gear, enviro initiatives, and anything remotel

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Whale Who Will Come Soon

      Sep 8, 2021

      The beachfront narrows to an ocherous ribbon, belted by blue, above and below. After a while, a handful of shearwaters appear in the air above the Cat Balou. The birds flash around us; like knife-thrower tricks at a circus. Diving through the water,

      8 min read

    • Article

      The Landscape Of Country

      May 6, 2019

      The Landscape Of Country
      5 min read

    • Article

      Tails From The Deep

      Apr 15, 2021

      Tails From The Deep
      5 min read

    • Article

      Ruddy Apes And Cannibals

      Apr 10, 2021

      Does the rain remember vapor? Does vapor remember rain? Yet both were the other in their past lives. If you told their stories to each other, would they even comprehend? And, does that mean their stories are unnecessary, unimportant and implausible?

      15 min read

    • Article

      Learning From The Past

      Dec 23, 2020

      Learning From The Past
      5 min read

    • Article

      Dreamtime Stories

      May 5, 2022

      Dreamtime Stories
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Spirit Of The Rillito

      May 1, 2023

      The Spirit Of The Rillito
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Truth About Ravens

      Oct 1, 2019

      The Truth About Ravens
      3 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Sep 16, 2019

      Subtitled ‘An epic South African story, based on true events’, Dr Botlhale Tema’s book does two things – it shares the writer’s ancestry in an informed but deeply intimate way, and it sheds new light on a long stretch of history in our country, from

      2 min read

    • Article

      The Mysterious Middle Ages

      Jul 7, 2023

      The Mysterious Middle Ages
      4 min read

    • Article

      Writers’ Circle

      Apr 8, 2020

      Writers’ Circle
      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Hidden Folk

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      The Hidden Folk - G.K. Lund

      Scandinavian Myths and Legends

      Scandinavian Myths and Legends

      The Hidden Folk

      G. K. Lund

      Northern Quill Press

      Contents

      Free books

      The dreamer awakes…

      Why folk myths and legends?

      A balance between nature and culture

      What are folk tales?

      Time period and geographical area

      The old and the new religions

      Were the hidden folk real?

      Fairy tales and sagn

      My interest in folklore and myths

      The Vættir

      The midwife and the barrow-man

      Who are the vættir?

      The hulder

      The Forest warden

      Who is the hulder?

      Giants

      The Shepherd boy who saw a giant

      Who are the giants?

      Trolls

      The troll-heads who shared an eye

      Who are the trolls?

      The Farm Warden

      The farm warden’s stall

      Who is the farm warden?

      Werewolves and Man-bears

      The wife who was attacked by a werewolf

      What are were-animals?

      More about Sagn

      Author’s note

      A note on elves and dwarves

      Final words

      List of terms and names

      Sources

      Enjoyed the book?

      Before you close the book…

      Also by G.K. Lund

      About the Author

      Copyright © 2021 by G.K. Lund. All rights reserved.

      No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

      Published by Northern Quill Press.

      ISBN: 978-82-93663-58-4

      www.northernquillpress.com

      www.gklundwrites.com

      Cover design by 100 Covers

      Illustrations by Ricky Gunawan

      Editing by Both Barrels Author Services

      Scandinavian Myths and Legends – The Hidden Folk / G.K. Lund, 1st. ed.

      GET YOUR FREE BOOK TODAY!

      Origins by G.K. Lund

      Sign up for G.K. Lund’s newsletter to get news and behind the scenes updates as well as a fantasy starter collection.

      Get it here:

      http://my.gklundwrites.com/books-and-news

      For Pappa

      "The Dreamer awakes

      The shadow goes by

      The tale I have told you,

      That tale is a lie.

      But listen to me,

      Bright maiden, proud youth

      The tale is a lie;

      What it tells is the truth."

      ― Traditional folktale ending

      Why folk myths and legends?

      When I was a child, I was told stories of the old gods and the Vættir, the hidden folk, by family members, teachers, and locals in my community who thought I should know these things. It was mostly told as entertainment, but they were right. And those stories stuck. Still, I grew up. I got an education and a job, and then one day, I started writing stories and I published them in a true indie fashion. I was bubbling over with stories, and writing them is how I show my creativity. I don’t knit, draw, or brew craft beer. I write. It is my true creative outlet.

      All of this springs from a fascination I’ve kept my whole life for the hidden folk. Yes, the old gods and Norse mythology make for exciting and funny stories, but there is something special about the hidden folk. While the gods bickered, loved, and went on adventures in Asgard, the hidden folk remained with the humans in Midgard. They worked hard, rewarded and punished their human neighbors, but they longed to be part of their lives. Unlike the gods, these unseen people lived close to the humans every single day, creating adventures of their own, or for their human counterparts. They made people’s lives easier—or worse, depending on their mood. They made sure traditions were respected to keep society moving. They protected nature and saw to it that the bond between humans and the forests, rivers, oceans, and mountains was strong and honored. They helped humans understand the world and to navigate within it, even when it all seemed frightening and impossibly hard. And they had guts and gusto to boot. If anyone ever tried telling the farm warden that he wasn’t supposed to do something he wanted to, then he would wait till nightfall and pinch their nose!

      A balance between nature and culture

      Who were these hidden folk? In the Scandinavian tradition, they were referred to as Vættir. These beings were thought to exist in preindustrial Scandinavian societies. They had specific roles and appearances and could be recognized as such if seen or heard about in a tale. But the descriptions we have are similar in both descriptions and name. Take the term tusse, which can be used for both a Vættr and a troll. However, a troll can also be referred to as a Vættr. It can get confusing, but despite the similar roles, these beings did, for the most part, have distinctive traits which help to identify and separate them. 

      It is common to divide the Vættir into groups based on their habitats. Most common is the overarching division into land-vættir and water-vættir. In this book, you will read about Vættir who lived on land, often close to farmland. Water spirits, witches, and spirits of the dead will follow in other volumes. 

      Nature and human culture bind these creatures together. In Scandinavian myths, nature is not merely the setting, but one of the characters. The Vættir acts as an agent for nature and everything that happens there. They were used to explain the formation of valleys, rockslides, and disease. Humans lived close to these nature formations, especially in rural areas, which meant they had to coexist and respect their surroundings to survive. And knowing nature meant knowing its representatives too. This went hand in hand with the survival of generations and their traditions. In their most basic form, the Vættir served as pedagogical tools. They warned of dangerous animals, and not to disturb the status quo. And, of course, there was a dose of xenophobia in there too: beware of strangers as not everyone has good intentions in their hearts. 

      Traditions were believed to steer no one wrong, and the Vættir honored this. It kept everything in balance. Generations survived in the same place with the help of the passed-down knowledge of those who came before. Tradition changes, though. It does not stand still. However slow, it is dynamic and continues to evolve. And so did the lore of the Vættir. It flowed out of one religion and adapted to another until hardly anyone believed in them anymore. For a long time, the Vættir represented a link between humans and nature. Unlike humans, the Vættir were not creatures of nature; they were creatures of culture, developed from the need to survive the natural world.

      What are folk tales?

      Folk tales share information needed to navigate and survive life. We have preserved these stories through songs and legends, magical spells, fairy tales, and various other customs. Traditionally, they were passed on orally, but they have been written down at various points in time to be preserved for future generations. 

      The various pieces that make up the lore are symbolic, and understanding those symbols, help us to understand the world around us. A stop sign is a warning that we cannot move forward but have to pause. A water spirit is a warning to stay away from open bodies of water. But more than that, these old legends and the creatures who inhabit them help us understand ourselves as individuals and as collective groups. It tells us how the world we live in has been seen and interpreted by those who came before us. 

      This world was inhabited by beings that represented the forces of good and evil. In their most extreme forms, good and evil manifested in supranormal ways when a human met these creatures. The gravity of such an encounter became the foundation of these stories, told again and again both for entertainment and as lessons on how living

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1