 Huldra's Nymphs (1909) byBernard Evans Ward | |
| Creature information | |
|---|---|
| Grouping | Legendary creature |
| Sub grouping | Humanoid |
| Similar entities | Huldufólk "hidden folk",skogsrå baobhan sith,glaistig siren,succubus |
| Origin | |
| Country | Norway |
| Region | Scandinavia |
| Habitat | Forests |
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Ahulder (orhuldra) is a seductive forest creature found inScandinavian folklore. Her name derives from a root meaning "covered" or "secret".[1] InNorwegian folklore, she is known ashuldra ("the [archetypal] hulder", though folklore presupposes that there is an entire Hulder race and not just a single individual). She is known as theskogsrå "forest spirit" orTallemaja "pine tree Mary" inSwedish folklore,[2][3][4] andulda inSámi folklore. Her name suggests that she is originally the same being as thevölva divine figureHuld and the GermanHolda.[5][better source needed]
The word hulder is only used of a female; a "male hulder" is called ahuldrekall and also appears in Norwegian folklore. This being is closely related to other underground dwellers, usually calledtusser (sg.,tusse).
Though described as beautiful, the huldra is noted for having a distinctive inhuman feature — an animal's hairy legs and tail, (usually a cow's or a fox's), and/or a back resembling a hollowed-out tree — carefully disguised under a long clothing.
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The hulder is one of severalrå (keeper, warden), including the aquaticsjörå orhavsfru, later identified with amermaid, and thebergsrå in caves and mines who made life tough for the poor miners.
More information can be found in the collected Norwegian folktales ofPeter Christen Asbjørnsen andJørgen Moe.
The hulders were held to be kind to charcoal burners, watching their charcoal kilns while they rested. Knowing that she would wake them if there were any problems, they were able to sleep, and in exchange they left provisions for her in a special place. A tale fromNärke illustrates further how kind a hulder could be, especially if treated with respect (Hellström 1985:15).
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A multitude of places in Scandinavia are named after the Hulders, often places by legend associated with the presence of the "hidden folk". Here are some examples showing the wide distribution of Hulder-related toponyms between the northern and southern reaches of Scandinavia, and the terms usage in different language groups' toponyms.
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In the mobile gameYear Walk, one of the Watchers is a Huldra.
They are mentioned in Seanan MacGuire's October Daye series in the book "A red-rose chain".
Neil Gaiman's novellaThe Monarch of the Glen, published in the collectionFragile Things, includes references to Hulder legends.
In the subsequentYear Walk: Bedtime Stories for Awful Children, the first chapter is devoted to the Huldra.[6]
In chapter 40 (chapter XL: "A day in Hälsingland", section: "The Animals' New Year's Eve") of the novelNils Holgersson's Wonderful Journey through Sweden, a narrated legend mentions the Huldra.
In the video game "Bramble: The Mountain King," developed by Dimfrost Studios in 2023, the boss Skogsrå is a Huldra.
In A Curse Carved in Bone, Danielle L. Jensen’s novel, the characters encounter a Huldra.
Huldror play a key role in Arlo Z. Grave's dieselpunk fantasy seriesThe Duskingr Saga. The cultural rift between the huldror and selkie is a central issue in the series. In book 1,The Ice Moves for No One, the huldra woman Vespald plays a major role and will be a primary character in the series moving forward. She is also portrayed as autistic and speaks partially in a signed language. There are several other named huldror characters including a priest named Lylok.
