00:24The preparations for the Feast of Yuletide begin on 5 December.
00:30On this day, the barriers between the mundane and the realms beyond, weaken, releasing the magic of the season.
00:39From Helheim, the son of Hel, the half-corpse half-alive daughter of Loki the trickster, steps from the realm
00:47of the dead, and plants his black hooves on the snow-ridden ground.
00:52Krampus, a dreadful fiend, a goat that walks like a man, a jagged-toothed beast from man's worst nightmare.
01:01His clawed spindly fingers are bent in a perpetual arthritic grip, and in one palm, he holds a branch of
01:09birch, with which he punishes the wicked.
01:13Rusted chains encircle his body, and cowbells decorate the lynx.
01:19Those who hear the awful dull clanging of bells know that the horror of Christmas has come.
01:25When Krampus sees a mortal with a soul as black as his fur, his forked tongue lolls in drooling anticipation.
01:35On Krampusnacht, the night of Krampus, the black man-goat stalks the streets, and enters homes, in search of those,
01:44who have been naughty, and had not observed the preparations for Yuletide.
01:49To the misbehaving children, he gives lumps of coal, and branches of birch, for their parents to better discipline them.
01:58Those who have been truly wicked before Christmas, should expect the personal judgment of Krampus.
02:05The unfortunate souls, who Krampus deems wanting, shall feel the lick of his private branch, and in the worst case,
02:13be hauled off to Helheim, in a basket, to work in the coal mines for a year, collecting presents for
02:20the naughty children of next Christmas.
02:42As the magic of Christmas seeps into the world of men, even the barriers of Jotunheim, wane, allowing a certain
02:50Jotun to cross the encircling sea.
02:53Gryla, a Jotun woman, but not as mighty as her ancestors or peers.
03:01She is a hunchbacked repulsive and feeble specimen of her race.
03:05She stalks the streets and villages, knocking on doors, and begging children for her dinner.
03:13An average Jotun would not be denied, nor beg for man-flesh, so something is definitely wrong with Gryla.
03:21Perhaps, this is the very reason she can pass the barrier set by Odin.
03:27The other Jotun are far too powerful to cross over, while the begging wretch finds the crossing as easy as
03:34going through a hole in the fence.
03:37The cretinous Jotun can be chased off fairly easily, as she will cower at shouting and threats of violence.
03:45Those of not-so-confrontative disposition might toss food and drink at Gryla, to distract her long enough to shut
03:53their doors.
03:54A thousand sticks might hit her, and a thousand upon thousand households might deny her, but it is said that
04:02Gryla never goes hungry during yuletide.
04:05The parents of the truly naughty children have no quarrel with their progeny going missing one night, as a hunched
04:13monstrous woman, with a sack, walks away from their porch, back to Jotunheim.
04:19For those of morbid curiosity, Gryla prefers her children in a stew, cooked soft and tender, clothes, teeth, hair, and
04:30all.
04:31This, however, is just one version of Gryla.
04:35In other versions, Gryla is neither a weakling, nor a beggar.
04:40She is a mighty ogress, who forcefully takes what is hers.
04:44In the mountains of Iceland, in the dangerous caves of the Dimuborju larva, lives a gigantic ugly witch, who has
04:53a taste for human flesh, an insatiable hunger for the flesh of children, especially naughty children.
05:00With eyes at the back of her head, a big nose, covered in warts, teeth as black as coal, and
05:07sharp as razors, a hunchback, and long flappy ears which reached her nose, she is a fright to behold, a
05:15hideous troll, an evil ogress.
05:19This is the popular version of Gryla, and she is the big bad growler.
05:23She has long bony fingers, and cloven hooves for feet, a donkey tail from behind, and reeks of dead meat.
05:33She carries a gigantic bag, every yuletide season, searching for children to feast on.
05:40Some say she has forty tails, and on the nights of Christmas, Gryla comes down from her mountains, holding one
05:48hundred sacks, on each of her forty tails, and a sword in her hand.
05:53In the sacks, she stuffed naughty children, and with the sword, she carved out their stomach.
06:01Then she brings them home, where she cooks them into stew.
06:06That is her favorite meal, stewed children.
06:10Gryla knows all the children, who have been misbehaving all year round.
06:15Her long big nose, can smell that air of rot, carried by every nasty child, and because children will always
06:23misbehave, there is never a shortage of food for Gryla.
06:27A family of monsters as well, this giant ogress has, she has thirteen mischievous sons, who cause all manner of
06:36troubles, playing pranks on people, during the Christmas season.
06:40They call them the Yule Lads.
06:44Gryla has a lazy troll of a husband, who does nothing all year, but only helps her hunt and stash
06:51children into her big bag, for their Christmas meal.
06:55Neither her husband, nor her children, are as dreadful as Gryla herself, but, alas!
07:01There is one last member of the family who is, and they call this one, the Yule Cat.
07:09This pet belongs to Gryla, and is another flesh-eating monster we shall soon know about.
07:36Gryla may be a child-devouring monster, but that is not to say she sees all children the same way.
07:44The Jotun and her husband, Lepaludi, a Jotun equally as disgusting as Gryla, had thirteen children, who, like their parents,
07:54also enjoy the torment of mortals, during the month of December.
07:58These thirteen young Jotun, are called the Yule Lads, each of whom shall bring a unique torment, every day, for
08:06thirteen days.
08:08The first, Stekjastr, arriving on the twelfth, and leaving on Christmas Day, while Gilyargawa, the second of the lads, shall
08:18arrive after his brother, and leave on the twenty-sixth.
08:22The first Yule Lad, Stekjastr, will harass sheep with his peg legs, kicking them and poking them, until the animals
08:32run away.
08:34Gilyargawa, will steal the milk from cows, and harass them for good measure.
08:39Stufa, the third, is not as horrible as his brother's, as he only eats the burnt crust, off pans, since
08:48his stubby frame, is no higher than the stove.
08:52Dvoruslakia, is as miserable as his stubby brother, but of no fault of his own, as he only eats what
08:59he can find on dirty spoons.
09:01With Potiskville around, the kitchen will be without leftovers, for the following morning.
09:08Ascarlica, comes after, to steal the pots, which Dvoruslakia has emptied.
09:14So now, the family has neither leftovers, nor a pot.
09:20Herdaskalia, will make sure the household receives no sleep, by slamming the doors all night.
09:27Skiagama, will empty the larder of Skiya, which is a cream product similar to yogurt.
09:34Skiagama, leaves no sausages behind.
09:38Glugajitra, peeps through windows, pressing his wart-ridden nose on the glass, as he plans what to steal from the
09:46house.
09:47Gattafor, can sniff flatbread from across the village, with his monstrous nose.
09:53Ketcroker, comes for the cut meats, with his hook.
09:57And finally, Ketysnika, comes to steal the tallow candles for food.
10:04After the rampage of the thirteen for thirteen days, the houses of those unfortunate, shall be left without candles for
10:12warmth, or possessions beyond the walls, roof and chimney.
10:36Gryla has a cat, unfortunately.
10:40This cat, is no ordinary feline, and is as vicious as her mistress.
10:46Her ferocity comes close to the black and sharp fanged Fenrir wolf, if not equal.
10:52To fall prey to this purring beast, means inevitable death.
10:58This beast, is called Yolakurterin, or the Christmas cat.
11:03As snow falls for the first time, it is important for the peoples of the north, to have good clean
11:10and whole woollen clothes, to protect them from the cold.
11:14An hour outside, in improper clothes, will turn the body frigid and sluggish, the perfect prey for a lazy cat.
11:23Those, who are lost in the cold nights of December, had better watch out for a horrible yowl, as a
11:30giant mass of black fur, stomps their way.
11:34Those with warm and thick wool, can better defend themselves, while those, who wear rags on their back, can only
11:42shiver in the cold, before a pair of yellow eyes, approaches from the darkness.
12:07The tales of winter reign predominantly in the north, where the northern lights lash across the sky, and the cold
12:15of Niflheim, clutches the earth in a crunching and squeaking grip.
12:20But one creature of Christmas, visits the east for his mayhem, where the palms and figs grow.
12:27This creature is the horrible Christmas goblin, Karakonkolos.
12:34Karakonkolos is quite similar to Krampus, as he too, is a goat, who walks on two legs, and lives in
12:41Helheim, but is better dressed for the southern climate.
12:45Instead of the long coat of fur, attached by chains, and decorated by cowbells, Karakonkolos terrorizes the world, in the
12:55nude.
12:56The goblin of Christmas, lives in the caves of Nostrand, with Nidhogra, the drake who chews on the root of
13:03the world's tree, Yggdrasil.
13:06Together, the two, work to bring down the great ash, spelling the end of the world.
13:12But on the 25th of December, Karakonkolos gets distracted by the sudden surge of magic, from the mortal world, puts
13:22down his axe, and climbs, to terrorize mortals for 12 days, which the peoples of the east, refer to, as
13:30godless days.
13:32Similar way to most Christmas fiends, Karakonkolos senses the wicked, and ruins their lives the best he can.
13:41Those, who are unfaithful to their spouses, should take care to watch the tops of their doorframes, for the hairy
13:48goblin, for his favorite pastime, is to ride these adulterers, to and through the forest, until they collapse.
13:57During the time Karakonkolos brings havoc to the world, his work on the world tree, had time to heal, and
14:05the world can sigh in relief, for Ragnarok has a while to arrive yet.
14:29As the wild hunt of Odin, descends upon the world, to bring horror and havoc to the dark woods of
14:35Midgard, one, might see a glowing figure, among the honored dead, the Aenhaea.
14:42A woman in white garb, stained with blood, and a crown of fiery candles, that spill burning yellow tallow, on
14:51her mouth of jagged fangs.
14:53This, is Lucy.
14:56Lucy is not amongst the dead, who received the honor to fight, drink and eat in Valhalla until Ragnarok, but
15:03instead, a woman from the depths of Niflheim, her heart, black with vengeance.
15:10Lucy is one of the creatures of the wild hunt, which is to say, that the demonic appearance, and malevolent
15:17nature, is a common thing, in the wild hunt, as the procession of carnage and slaughter, attract several bloodthirsty fiends,
15:26and warriors from all the realms.
15:29On the 13th of December, during the day of St. Lucia, the martyred saint's evil counterpart, parts from the wild
15:37hunt, to seek those, who have not adhered to the preparations for Lucy's night, or night of St. Lucia.
15:45The bloodied demon will descend from the chimney, dragging soot, and logs, and then, will slaughter the entire household, in
15:54their sleep.
15:56Those who have prepared, and kept a vigil for the night, shall be spared from Lucy's wrath, for the demon
16:03hates merrymaking, and light, preferring to live in darkness, and the quiet of the grave.
16:29On the highest peaks of the Alps, lives a lonely crone, who descends upon the villages below, on the 12th
16:37of December.
16:38This one, is called Frau Purchter.
16:42Frau Purchter has the appearance of a woman, but with a nose so long, it acts as her beak.
16:48The beaked crone of the mountains, hates lazy and disobedient children, seeking them with a basket, in a similar fashion
16:58to Gryla, the Jotun.
17:00That is not to say, that adults are spared from her ire, if they had not cleaned their houses, for
17:07the season.
17:07On a good hunt, Frau Purchter will leave the lowlands with a basket, full of screaming children, who she will
17:16spare for a later meal.
17:18On the following morning, the villagers scream at the carnage of last night.
17:23Several houses are doused in blood, as their former occupants lie on the ground, their bellies slit open.
17:31The people will know the culprit, when they see, that the innards of the victims, had been replaced with stones,
17:39the calling card of Frau Purchter.
17:42Unlike the other fiends, Purchter actually rewards those, who had been diligent throughout the year, and cleaned their houses for
17:50Christmas.
17:51These good people will not receive the horrible woman inside their houses, but at their doorstep.
17:58Frau Purchter will leave the good family, a silver coin, before disappearing, without fanfare, or explanation.
18:26One fiend stands out from the rest, for being no more than a mortal man, while his counterparts are goblins,
18:34jotun, monstrous cats, demons.
18:38During the middle ages, lived a couple that hated life and children.
18:44On one December day, Pera Furtar and his wife noticed three young boys from good families, leaving school for their
18:53winter holidays.
18:54Racked with jealousy, after living in squalor and poverty, the couple decided to drug, murder, and flay the boys, out
19:04of sheer malice, curing their hides into leather.
19:08Unfortunately for the two, St. Nicholas, happened to see the crime, and used the old magic of bones and skin,
19:16to resurrect the boys, as a miracle of Christmas.
19:21As punishment for Pera Furtar and his wife, he gave them the curse of eternal life, and eternal servitude, to
19:29the generous saint.
19:30That is not to say, that Pera Furtar changed his ways, and became as generous and kind as his new
19:37lord.
19:39Instead, St. Nicholas harnessed the mean and horrible nature, of the eternal curmudgeon, and kept him as his counterpart.
19:48As Nicholas gave out gifts to the kind and good, Pera Furtar doled out punishment, to the unkind and bad.
19:57On the 6th of December, when St. Nicholas rides around the world, his new servant, rides along with him.
20:05While the generous man of legend, wears a golden robe, giving blessings and gifts, Pera Furtar, wears a black leather
20:14cloak, and yells obscenities and threats, to those around him.
20:19The naughty shall know Pera Furtar by his other name, Father Flog, as he can sniff out the misbehaved and
20:27wretched, around St. Nicholas, assaulting them with his sticks.
20:32Furtar is so diligent, that he has to carry a whole basket of sticks, as he breaks several, during his
20:39duty.
20:41Those, truly wicked, shall be taken away by the Flog Father, to be punished for the rest of the year,
20:48until next Christmas.
21:04You
