Winter’s Wicked Witch: The Chilling Myth of Gryla Revealed

If grotesque Alpine monster Krampus is the king of Christmas scares, Grýla is most definitely the queen. She’s the fearsome ogress of Icelandic folklore, a chilling figure who’s haunted the imaginations of children – and more than a few adults – for centuries.

According to the legend, Grýla lives in the frozen mountains of northern Iceland with her thirteen sons – known as the Yule Lads – her lazy husband Leppalúði and her pet, Yule Cat. Hers is a terrifying tale that has developed into a cautionary yarn telling of the dangers of disobedience.

But where did this Icelandic legend come from? Who wrote the Gryla poem, and how did the story become so intertwined with Christmas? Deep in the frozen heart of Icelandic folklore lurks a winter witch who makes Satan look like a softie. This is the story of Grýla.

The roots of this terrifying tale can be traced back at least to the thirteenth century. While the Prose Edda – most likely compiled by the Icelandic politician, historian, and poet Snorri Sturluson – became a primary source on Norse mythology and the history of Norse kings, Grýla does not (as most believe) appear in Snorri’s original text. Instead, her name is noted in a later scribal addition found in a fourteenth-century manuscript associated with the Prose Edda, suggesting her story was already circulating in medieval Icelandic folklore by then.

While the famous Icelandic legend persisted through oral tradition and written texts for centuries, the association of Grýla with Christmas began in the seventeenth century, when Icelandic poets began linking her with Yuletide traditions. The earliest existing source linking Gryla with Christmas is from a poem called Grýlukvæði probably written by the Reverend Guðmundur Erlendsson and his brother-in-law Ásgrímur Magnússon which can be dated to between 1638 and 1644. It depicts her as a parasitic beggar wandering from farm to farm during Christmas, demanding naughty children or food as offerings.

Another Gryla poem written in about 1648 or 1649 called Leppalúðakvæði by Reverend Hallgrímur Pétursson also connects this grim giant with Christmas.

Legends describe Grýla as a hideous creature with hooves for feet, a grotesque face, and a huge bag slung over her shoulder, big enough for naughty kids. Different versions of the story have her with fifteen or even forty tails, three hundred heads, a beard, and horns, but whichever description one chooses to believe, the story is always the same.

Grýla is a monstrous ogress from Icelandic legend who comes down from the mountains during the Christmas season to hunt and eat naughty children. She collects them in her large sack and cooks them in a cauldron to make a stew that keeps her going through the harsh winter months.

She’s also the mother of the Yule Lads, thirteen prankster sons, each with a descriptive name that explains their own particular way of harassing children. The sons include Hurðaskellir, or Door Slammer, the son that enjoys waking people up, Bjúgnakrækir, or Sausage Swiper, the son who steals sausages being smoked from the rafters, and Gluggagægir, or Window Peeper, the son who looks into people’s windows searching for things to steal.

The Yule Lads descend from her cave one by one in the thirteen days leading up to Christmas, leaving gifts or rotten potatoes in children’s shoes depending on their behaviour.

Her pet Yule Cat, known as Jólakötturinn, adds another layer to her myth. It’s said to eat anyone who fails to receive new clothes for Christmas, perhaps a metaphor for encouraging hard work during the winter preparations.

While modern depictions have toned down the Yule Lads’ antics and Grýla’s monstrous traits for younger audiences, her legend remains an integral part of Icelandic holiday traditions.

Grýla’s representation is deeply symbolic of Iceland’s brutally cold winters and long nights. Her role as a child-eater served as both a cautionary tale and a reflection of the dangers posed by the unforgiving winter landscape. Parents used her story to scare their children into obedience, warning them against wandering off in the snow or neglecting their chores – a necessity in preparation for survival during Iceland’s darkest months. This winter witch resonated so strongly that her story, and that of other monsters, was officially banned as a scare tactic by Icelandic authorities in 1746 because of their terrifying impact on children.

Today, statues of Grýla can be found across Iceland, and while she no longer instills genuine fear, she remains a cultural icon embodying both the dark humour and resilience of Icelandic folklore.

Grýla has also found new life in modern media, appearing in TV shows like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and films such as Red One, showcasing her appeal as a symbol of winter’s wickedness. In the computer game God of War Ragnarök, she appears as Angrboda’s grandmother, using a magical cauldron to capture souls. The Gryla God of War encounter is a strategic boss fight, blending mythological elements with the game’s storyline.

Grýla embodies the darker aspects of winter and the Christmas season, serving as a cautionary figure to encourage good behaviour. Her terrifying persona is a metaphor for the harshness of winter and the power of nature, making her a compelling and enduring figure in Icelandic culture. Despite modern adaptations softening her image, the famous Icelandic legend remains a powerful symbol of the season’s darker mythology.