Where old beliefs, strange creatures and perfectly ordinary people collide
Sweden’s forests, mountains, lakes and rivers have long been home to more than trees, rocks and fish. At least, that is what generations of Swedes would have had you believe.
There were trolls in the mountains, mysterious beings beneath the hills, and water spirits who took a rather unhealthy interest in unsuspecting passers-by. Even the farmyard had its supernatural inhabitants, some helpful, others decidedly less so.
These stories were not merely entertainment. They offered explanations for the inexplicable, warnings about real dangers and occasionally a convenient excuse for things that had gone spectacularly wrong. After all, blaming the vittra was considerably easier than admitting you had lost the cow yourself.
Many tales survived for centuries through oral tradition, changing a little with each telling. Some were eventually collected and written down, preserving a fascinating glimpse into the fears, beliefs and imaginations of earlier generations.
Here we explore Swedish folklore, local legends and the curious creatures that once shared the landscape with its human inhabitants.
And if you happen to hear someone calling your name from deep inside a forest, it might be wise to keep walking.
