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by Ken Barr   Reprinted with permission from Icelandic Connection  v67(1): pp12–13, 2015. Living in caves out of town, They wait all year for their chance, For mischief in December, To dance their holiday dance.   The thirteen sons of Grýla, ýla, Their father Leppalúði, Each yuletide season they come, For mischief, wait and you’ll see.   Each one is so different, In at the antics that they choose, But they’re brothers after all, Each one with nothing to lose.   So starting De

The story is based on Jón Árnason's Icelandic Folktales and taken from the book Hildur, Queen of the Elves, and Other Stories: Icelandic Folk Tales retold by J. M. Bedell. Story is used with permission. Hildur, Queen of the Elves And Other Stories: Icelandic Folk Tales, retold by   J. M. Bedell, Interlink Books, 2007. amazon.com Around the middle of the 7th century, on a poor farm in the Kelda district, there lived two sisters, Sigrídur and Geirlaug. For reasons no one else

This wonderful new Christmas legend is currently only available in Icelandic, but will be out next year in English. If you have been learning Icelandic a children's book can be a good way to practise, and I did surprisingly well with reading it, I was very encouraged!  You will have heard, I am sure, of the festive peril that awaits you should you not be gifted any new clothes for Christmas - Jólakötturinn , or the Yule Cat, will come to devour you! Jólabókaormurinn introd

By Gunnar Birgisson   Photo Credit: Regína Hrönn Ragnarsdóttir; Guide to Iceland You will notice there are a lot of rocks in Iceland. There are pebbles and boulders and cliffs and everything in between. The rocks frequently dominate the view, what with the lack of forests, not to mention cities.   But not all rocks are the same. Honestly, it’s hard to tell the difference, but some of those cliffs, outcroppings and other rock formations are considered by Icelanders to be elf c

By Bryndís Víglundsdóttir Laxness Portrait by Einar Hákonarson Wikimedia Commons The Nobel laureate Halldór Kiljan Laxness is the...

Join Us for the Icelandic Roots mini-conference, Friday Forum, on August 1, 2025 with a fabulous lineup of speakers at the Mountain Community Center.

Legends: Are they Fact or Fiction?

Note: The story is based on Jón Árnason's Icelandic Folktales and taken from the book Hildur, Queen of the Elves, and Other Icelandic...

Celebrating the end of Christmas season with bonfires and elves dancing.

By Rob Olason In 2012, Icelandic Roots was the name of a blog Sunna Furstenau started to document her role as the Icelandic National...

Bryndís Víglundsdóttir and Gay Strandemo share their thoughts upon completing their collaboration on the trilogy of stories Bryndís...

This ghost story or folktale about The Deacon of Myrká is well known though we do not know the original author. This story takes place in...

Iceland is one of the most literate countries in the world and has a long literary history going back to the Icelandic Sagas. The love of...

Icelandic Roots Volunteer Cathy Josephson guides us on a literary journey through the Sagas of the Icelanders that take place in the...

A gruesome autumn folktale from the island of Hrísey not for the faint of heart. It's full of wizards, spells, spirits, charms, and a...

At the beginning of time, God paid a visit to the first of his creations, Adam and Eve. They received him with great joy and showed him...

By Becky Byerly-Adams Iceland boasts a rich literary legacy with the Icelandic Sagas being hailed as a global treasure. Additionally,...

-Samkoma-expanding our Icelandic Roots online community Have you read about our unique online events and wanted to join our online...

Special Icelandic Events - Please share by Romayne Kilde, Nordic Culture Clubs Scandinavian Festival The Nordic Culture Clubs and the...

Editors Note: The most iconic creatures from Icelandic and Faroese folklore are probably Huldufólk, or “hidden people.” The term...