Norway is not only a realm of beautiful landscapes – majestic mountains, breathtaking fjords and mysterious forests. It’s also a cradle of rich and complicated mythology. Norwegian artist Bjørg-Elise Tuppen has her own vision of mysterious creatures hidden within the folklore of this northern country.
Nøkken is an eerie male creature that dwells in rivers, ponds and lakes. He has been common in Norwegian folklore since Norse times and is a manifestation of the dangers associated to water. He can shift shape and is known to lure people to him and drown them.
According to Norse Mythology the eagle Vidofnir sits at the top of the world tree Yggdrasil.
The earliest description of Alver (Elves) appears in Norse Mythology. Here they are described as demigod creatures of nature and fertility. They can both cause and heal illnesses in humans. The Scandinavian elves were of human size and associated with fertility.
In Norse mythology a Jotun appears as a giant being, often ugly and lumpy. Many of them were in possession of great knowledge. They lived in Jotunheimen (also the name of a great mountain area in Southern Norway) and their many battles with Thor, the hammer-wielding god, is a main theme in Norse mythology. In more recent folklore these beings live on as Trolls.
In Norse mythology Light Elves were minor gods of nature. They were the opposite of Dark Elves, who are evil and caused nightmares.
Spøkelseshus – the word used to describe a haunted house.
In Norwegian folklore Draugen is the walking dead, the ghost of a fisherman who died at sea, and was not buried in holy ground. He brought death to those who saw him and would also sometimes try to pull his victims down into the dark sea.
In Norwegian folklore Huldra is a seductive forest creature who lure men into the forest with her singing. From the front she is beautiful, but she has a cow's tail and her back is hollow. If she is betrayed, she will punish her victims severely.
Skrømt - in Norwegian folklore the word describes a ghost, paranormal activity or an undefined being or entity.
In Norse folklore a Dauing is a dead person who has come back to haunt the living.
