1 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Anny and Samantha. I welcome to stuff. 2 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 2: I never told you production if I heard you, And 3 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 2: today we are bringing back a classic holiday appropriate that 4 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:26,639 Speaker 2: was I think it was your idea, Samantha, but I 5 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:32,479 Speaker 2: loved it. And it was on Greela the Iceland's Christmas Witch. Yeah, 6 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 2: it was a fun one. It was a fun one, 7 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 2: and it's been on my mind because over on the 8 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 2: other show I Do Saver, we're doing an episode on Skier. 9 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 2: The depending on who you ask, yogurt or thick Cheese. 10 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 2: But one of the goblins we talked about in this 11 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 2: story steals Skier. So it just made me think of it, 12 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:00,120 Speaker 2: and I thought it would be a fun one to 13 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 2: bring back as we enter the end of the year 14 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 2: getting dark ely. Oh my goodness, Oh my goodness in Iceland. 15 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 2: It was really fun to research this one, so please 16 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 2: enjoy this classic episode. Hey, this is Danny and Samantha 17 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 2: and welcome to Steffan never told you a protection of iHeartRadio. 18 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 2: So I am so excited about this one. 19 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 1: I am so so excited because. 20 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 2: Probably a lot of you experienced the same thing. We've 21 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 2: talked about it every year we talk about it, but 22 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 2: for us like when the holidays come, it doesn't it 23 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 2: means like a sprint to the end with getting ahead 24 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 2: with work, so you can quote take time off and 25 00:01:57,280 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 2: you really. 26 00:01:57,600 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: Want to anticipate it. 27 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 2: So I think it was like October we were talking 28 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 2: about this. 29 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 3: Well, we were talking about the fact that we've been 30 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 3: talking about witches yes much, and we were like, oh, 31 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 3: it's gonna be said, We're not gonna talk about witches anymore. 32 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 1: But then but. 33 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 2: Then you had the idea like, I wonder if there's 34 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 2: a Christmas witch, how there had to be yes, and 35 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 2: you were correct, You correct. There are multiple Christmas witches, 36 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 2: some of which are kind of like nice and. 37 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: Curb commercial. 38 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 2: Because we found a book as well called The Christmas Switch, 39 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 2: which is not what we were looking at looking for, 40 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:34,919 Speaker 2: but maybe we'll look into one day. No, we were 41 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 2: talking about like a Christmas witch. 42 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 4: Like we're talking Grim's fairy tale level. 43 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 2: And so we've had this outline since then four months 44 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:53,239 Speaker 2: and yeah, today we are talking about Griela the Christmas Witch. 45 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: I will say I. 46 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:57,839 Speaker 2: Looked up the pronunciation, but it was from a UK 47 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 2: video and this is an Icelandic which so hopefully Griela 48 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 2: is correct, but if not, please let us know. 49 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 1: And yeah, this was gonna be a bit shorter. 50 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 2: Because again, holidays have got a lot going on, not 51 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 2: too much as written about Greela sadly enough, although I 52 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 2: did get a personal anecdote last night. 53 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: I can't wait to share it. Yes, oh it's so cool. 54 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,680 Speaker 2: But yeah, yeah, if you have any details we missed 55 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 2: any Christmas witches we should shot out, please let us know. 56 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 2: And yeah, if you if you listen to this and 57 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 2: you're like, you know what, this is my thing? 58 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 1: I want more. 59 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 2: We have done so many episodes on witches, as you said, 60 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 2: we have done so many episodes on witches. We've done 61 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 2: episodes on monsters. We've done episodes on why women love monsters. 62 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 2: I would say our discussion of Bobby Yaga is particularly 63 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 2: relevant to this conversation. Bobby Yaga came up in a 64 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 2: lot of articles about Reela, So. 65 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 1: Go check that one out if you'd like. That was 66 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: a good one. That was a fun one too. 67 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 2: Yes, and this is definitely much more our lane when 68 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 2: it comes to the holidays. 69 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 1: Of like, like I got twist, let's take it twist. 70 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: Everyone else is doing this. Let's go for the halloweenish 71 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 1: version of what we. 72 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:19,160 Speaker 2: Can do, yes, yes, and it is super fun. So yeah, 73 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 2: if you're looking at the darker side of Christmas stories 74 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:24,920 Speaker 2: and legends, which there are quite a few. One that 75 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,599 Speaker 2: has gained a lot of cultural traction here in the US, 76 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 2: including parades and a whole movie I've seen, I've seen 77 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:37,159 Speaker 2: a play about him is Crampis, the hoofed, horned German figure. 78 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: But you really don't hear so. 79 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 2: Much about Greela, the Christmas ogris and witch from Icelandic legend, 80 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 2: although she did recently pop up in something which we 81 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 2: will talk about. Yeah says yes and kind of a 82 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 2: shortened thing because we have talked about which is a lot. 83 00:04:56,240 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 2: But Christmas whiches have roots in pagan history, to deities 84 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 2: and spirits that were thought to be women from those 85 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 2: festivals around this time, especially like Harvest Hesshols are like cool, 86 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 2: the you know, Winter's coming, that kind of thing. I 87 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 2: actually did find a Game of Thrones and Greila connection. 88 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:16,359 Speaker 2: It was a whole article. I didn't make it, but anyway, 89 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 2: and many of these Christmas witches do have connections to 90 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:25,679 Speaker 2: the cold and deadly dark weather of winter, and Greela 91 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 2: is definitely in that realm and she evolved from these beliefs. 92 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 3: Huh, I wonder if it's related to the line in 93 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 3: The Witch of the Wardrobe with the White Witch. 94 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 1: Yes, I bet it absolutely is. 95 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:46,280 Speaker 3: She's one that keeps winter there exactly, thoughts. So let's 96 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:49,479 Speaker 3: break down Grela's history. The legend of Grela dates back 97 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 3: to the thirteenth century Iceland, and she is not one 98 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,279 Speaker 3: to be trifled with. She lives in a cold, dark 99 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,839 Speaker 3: cave in the hinterlands and is the mother of monsters 100 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 3: and the eater of naughty children. Yes, she snatches them 101 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 3: up and cooks them into a delicious stew. Of course, 102 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 3: her name loosely translates to growler. 103 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 2: That makes sense, Yeah, Like you'd hear this like growling 104 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 2: sound as she goes oo. 105 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 1: Yeah. 106 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:24,719 Speaker 2: Stories of Greela started as mostly oral and the first 107 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,359 Speaker 2: written accounts started showing up in the thirteenth century, so 108 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:29,359 Speaker 2: that's kind of why this is when we know the 109 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:32,599 Speaker 2: story for sure, but it was probably around long before that. 110 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:36,719 Speaker 2: Take this poem from the time, Here comes Grila down 111 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 2: in the field with fifteen tails on her. Another poem reads, 112 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,719 Speaker 2: down comes Greela from the outer fields with forty tails, 113 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 2: a bag in her back, a sword knife in her hand. 114 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 2: Coming to carve out the stomachs of children who cry 115 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 2: for meat during lint. 116 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 1: Big no No. 117 00:06:55,240 --> 00:07:00,320 Speaker 2: Other poems mentioned her and her husband, who she later 118 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:02,600 Speaker 2: ate because she was bored. 119 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 4: You know, you gotta do what you gotta do. 120 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, she had multiple husbands. One historian described her as 121 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:10,240 Speaker 2: the first feminist. 122 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: In Iceland, which really cracks me up. 123 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 2: I don't think it was related to the eating of 124 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 2: the husband or multiple Is this. 125 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 3: Like the conservative definition of they're gonna eat the men? 126 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, be bored. 127 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 2: But yeah, so never fear, because Greila did get a 128 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 2: second husband, who was this troll like figure who has 129 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 2: a name, but I did not put it in here 130 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 2: because I knew I butchered the pronunciation. Oh yes, he's 131 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 2: also kind of a figure in this because the story 132 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 2: of Grila is also the story of her whole interesting family. Okay, yes, 133 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 2: including a huge man eating yule cat. 134 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 4: Who's cat. 135 00:07:57,640 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 2: It's like a well, it's a just a cat that 136 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 2: comes out around this time, Okay, so okay, yeah, it's 137 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 2: like it's I've seen illustrations of it, and it's like 138 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 2: a big black cat. I've seen some of the descriptions 139 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 2: make it sound much more kind of like cerberus, like 140 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 2: glowing red eyes kind of thing. 141 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 1: Others are kind of like, it's just a big butt cat. 142 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:25,640 Speaker 2: So I don't know, but this can't purposely targeted those, 143 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 2: especially kids. But anybody really who wasn't wearing any new clothes. 144 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 2: It could be like a sock, it could be underwear. 145 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:36,680 Speaker 2: But if you weren't wearing any new clothes during this time, 146 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 2: you were in trouble. Because so all of this they 147 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 2: come out. It's supposed to be as winters coming, it's 148 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 2: getting darker and colder. This is when they start, you know, 149 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:50,319 Speaker 2: checking in on what you're doing. 150 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:50,880 Speaker 3: Right. 151 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:53,680 Speaker 1: You need new clothes. It's getting cold. 152 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:56,560 Speaker 4: I think that your cat as classes, but I don't. 153 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 4: I don't like it. How dare you if we can't 154 00:08:59,160 --> 00:08:59,840 Speaker 4: afford those. 155 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 2: New To round out the family, she had thirteen adult 156 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 2: sons called the thirteen Mule Lads. Each of these huge 157 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 2: dudes has their own reputation of mayhem during December, including 158 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:32,200 Speaker 2: sausage wiping, door slamming, and left over eating. We're gonna 159 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:35,079 Speaker 2: go into them more a bit later, but just okay, 160 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:37,319 Speaker 2: this is her family, this is what she's got going on. 161 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 2: They weren't related at first. They kind of got you know, 162 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 2: pushed together over time. But at first they kind of separate, 163 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 2: separate legends, and then they all got mashed up together, mush. 164 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 4: Together, one horrible family. 165 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 3: So this gets a bit complicated in terms of how 166 00:09:56,559 --> 00:09:58,320 Speaker 3: modern day Christmas. 167 00:09:57,840 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 4: Has transformed over time. 168 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 3: But in Iceland at the time, there was a midwinter 169 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 3: holiday related to English and Germanic Yule that involved a 170 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 3: lot of gathering, feasting, celebrating all the things that many 171 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:15,240 Speaker 3: of us associate with holidays. Ohever, because of Iceland's geographic 172 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 3: location during this time of year, it's generally darker for longer. 173 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 3: And yes, I have a TikTok account that lives in Iceland, 174 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 3: I watch compared to somewhere like the US, for instance. 175 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 3: And these early celebrations were not only an opportunity to 176 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 3: connect with a living and the. 177 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 4: Dead, but also with creatures like trolls. 178 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:38,959 Speaker 3: Elves, and other things in that realm that were believed 179 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:43,040 Speaker 3: to inhabit the area. It was believed that sometimes these 180 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 3: creatures wore flesh faces to visit houses and farms. 181 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 4: Yeah you'll never notice, you'll never reck it. 182 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 1: So freaky, like, hello, yes, I am normal. 183 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 2: So one of these creatures in this realm was Greela, 184 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 2: who Yeah, we're going to get into this more in 185 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:11,679 Speaker 2: a second, but a lot of different descriptions of Kreela 186 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 2: generally has a horntail, at least one horned tail, and 187 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 2: a bag I that she would throw at children, specifically 188 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:22,119 Speaker 2: ones that she deemed to be naughty. She wasn't necessarily 189 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 2: associated with Christmas, as I said, but more the place, 190 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 2: the cold mountains, the danger that the season came with 191 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 2: in terms of weather, the darkness and snow engulfing the land. 192 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 2: She was the one who had the power over this 193 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 2: land and those living there, especially during winter. 194 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 1: People were at her whim and mercy, or the lack thereof. 195 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 3: Her physical descriptions have varied over the years, from more 196 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,959 Speaker 3: ogre like to more old witch like. Here's a quote 197 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,200 Speaker 3: from mental Floss Grella might look like though like all 198 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 3: Icelandic trolls, she's a growth, massive giant. One rhyme says 199 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:05,439 Speaker 3: she has fifteen tails, each of which holds one hundred bags, 200 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:08,440 Speaker 3: with twenty children in each bag, doomed to be a 201 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 3: feast for the troll's family. Another says she has forty tails, 202 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:15,199 Speaker 3: and still another says she carries a bag of children 203 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 3: on her thighs all right. Some poems say she has 204 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:22,560 Speaker 3: three hundred heads, each of which has three eyes. Other 205 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 3: describes eyes in the back of her head, ears that 206 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:27,440 Speaker 3: hang so long that they hit her in the nose 207 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:31,959 Speaker 3: of matted beard, black and teeth and who's all these 208 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:34,200 Speaker 3: stories agree on one point. 209 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:39,000 Speaker 4: She is very very ugly. You ugly? 210 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:43,320 Speaker 1: Oh oh okay. 211 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, And there has been surprise not to me, 212 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 2: but to many probably some scholarly debate about why most 213 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:57,320 Speaker 2: of these witches are ugly. Some we've discussed before, like 214 00:12:57,400 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 2: links to perceived wildness of pagan as them or just 215 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 2: you know, Spinster's old woman, Spinster must be ugly. Others 216 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 2: speculate it's almost an end of the year thing, more symbolic, 217 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 2: so like because she's a winter which the end of 218 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:14,400 Speaker 2: the year's coming. Like maybe at the beginning of the 219 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:16,680 Speaker 2: year it's like she's a baby. By the end she's 220 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 2: like this. 221 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: I don't know. 222 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:22,439 Speaker 2: And others say that instead of summoning our causing bad weather, 223 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 2: the witch is scared away, like maybe so this isn't 224 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:32,880 Speaker 2: commassing more than just grela, but like their ugliness, I feel. 225 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:35,840 Speaker 1: Terrible saying that. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Agrela. 226 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 2: But their appearance is part of scaring the weatherway that 227 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 2: they're actually not bringing it. 228 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:43,440 Speaker 4: Oh, that's the greater good. 229 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 1: That's some interpretations of it. 230 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 2: Others are just like they're just kind of like a 231 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:49,920 Speaker 2: part of the land and you have to respect the 232 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:51,199 Speaker 2: land and the danger of the winter. 233 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:53,600 Speaker 1: Like there's a lot, there's a lot going on. There's 234 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 1: a going on here. 235 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 2: It wasn't until the nineteenth century that people started to 236 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 2: associate Greela with Christmas specifically. It was also at the 237 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 2: same time that the menacing Yule Cat and thirteen Yule 238 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:09,120 Speaker 2: Lads were more clearly linked to her, becoming like this big, 239 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 2: dark family. And by the way, the stories of the 240 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:16,520 Speaker 2: Mule Lads got so bad parents were banned from telling 241 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 2: them to their kids in Iceland in seventeen forty six. 242 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 2: The stories, well, you know, we've talked about this before, 243 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 2: because the function of a lot of these is to 244 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 2: get your children to behave right. But it sounds like 245 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:32,440 Speaker 2: it got kind of out of hand with the staring 246 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:33,520 Speaker 2: of the children part. 247 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 3: I mean, it kind of makes sense again, like they 248 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 3: went from Crampus and Grila to Santa Claus. 249 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 4: But I wanted to reinforce instead of de ter. 250 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, yes, yiss, and I would love for listeners 251 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 2: to write in. But I did find a couple of 252 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 2: fascinating essays about how legends like this or stories like this, 253 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 2: especially in in Iceland are more generally Europe, perhaps specifically Iceland, 254 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 2: like are just so important too, How like they're more 255 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 2: they're taken more seriously than they are here I guess right, 256 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 2: Like they are kind of respected and people hear them 257 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:20,440 Speaker 2: and still hear them, and like it's almost a matter 258 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 2: of respecting this darkness in this winter and this environment 259 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:26,359 Speaker 2: of Iceland. 260 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:29,920 Speaker 1: It was interesting, very very interesting. 261 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 2: And as you're saying, Samantha, the twentieth century saw American 262 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 2: depictions of Santa Claus spreading throughout Europe, and that did 263 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 2: impact how the Yule lads were drawn much more Santa 264 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 2: e bigger bellies, red whiskers. Instead of taking stuff and 265 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 2: causing mayhem, they started leaving gifts. And Griela was threatened 266 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 2: with eternal extinction by those who wanted the winter holidays 267 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 2: to be more family friendly, with one song going into 268 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 2: detail about their death, like they actually try to kill 269 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:02,000 Speaker 2: her off. 270 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 1: We want this to be a time of rabbites. 271 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 2: Yes, and This trend didn't really reverse until recently. In Iceland, 272 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:17,080 Speaker 2: an effort by the National Museum of Iceland has been 273 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 2: pushing to restore the yule ads to their pre Santus cells. 274 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 1: And I want to go over their names now and 275 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 1: what they do. I love it. And this is from 276 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 1: the museum. 277 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 2: So there's sheep coat clod he tries to suckle use 278 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 2: in farmer sheep sheds. Gulligalk. He steals foams from buckets 279 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:40,480 Speaker 2: of cow milk. Stubby, he short and steals food from 280 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 2: frying pans. Spoon liquor. He licks spoons. 281 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 4: Would you call me. 282 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:52,040 Speaker 2: Pot scraper aka pot liquor? He steals unwashed pots and 283 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 2: licks them clean. Bowl liquor. He steals bowls of food 284 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 2: from under the bed. Back in the old days, Icelanders 285 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 2: used to sometimes store bowls of food. They're convenient for 286 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 2: midnight snacking. Perhaps door slammer. He stops around in slam's doors, 287 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 2: keeping everyone awake. Skier gobbler, he eats up all the 288 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 2: Icelandic yogurt. 289 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 1: Skier. 290 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:15,679 Speaker 2: I think that's how you pronounce it. Sausage swiper he 291 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 2: loves stolen sausages. A window paper he likes to creep 292 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:23,920 Speaker 2: outside windows and sometimes steal the stuff he sees inside 293 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:25,680 Speaker 2: door sniffer. 294 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: He has a. 295 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:31,119 Speaker 2: Huge nose and an insatiable appetite for stolen baked okay 296 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:35,200 Speaker 2: meat hook He snatches up any meat left out, especially 297 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 2: smoked lamb Candle beggar. He steals candles, which used to 298 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:41,199 Speaker 2: be sought after items in Iceland. 299 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 4: I like these very specific, right somewhat. Yeah, they are 300 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:46,960 Speaker 4: all really gross, sparely. 301 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: Yeah. 302 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:50,880 Speaker 4: Why do they have to lick so many things necessary? 303 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 2: I know, Well, it's funny too to me again, going 304 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 2: back to that point of it, sounds like it's just 305 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:58,440 Speaker 2: trying to get you to like clean up after yourself, right, 306 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:04,440 Speaker 2: like ball, Yes. 307 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:07,399 Speaker 4: And apparently you know closed the door. 308 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:10,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, well that one's kind of that. That's like 309 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 2: plug in your keyhole. I guess. 310 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:16,120 Speaker 1: I don't know. I got a very big kick out 311 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 1: of this. 312 00:18:16,359 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 2: I've never heard of it, but as I mentioned at 313 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:22,920 Speaker 2: the top, I was telling people that I was doing 314 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 2: this research a couple of days ago, and somebody was like. 315 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 1: Oh, no, I know Grela. 316 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 2: I've heard of Krila because I went to Iceland to 317 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:31,640 Speaker 2: visit a friend, and. 318 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:33,879 Speaker 1: This is his story. 319 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:37,119 Speaker 2: He says when he got there, he saw a statue 320 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:39,159 Speaker 2: of her in the airport and was like, whoa, if 321 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:44,919 Speaker 2: you haven't seen a statue of her, whoa. She's intense 322 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:47,399 Speaker 2: and was kind of taken aback that he saw the 323 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 2: statue in the airport. But then one of these yul ads, 324 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 2: somebody dresses, one of these juwel ads, kept opening and 325 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:58,359 Speaker 2: closing the door to his taxi and he didn't know 326 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:00,680 Speaker 2: what was going on because he's an American heard of this. 327 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:02,800 Speaker 4: So wait, was it a real person doing this thing? 328 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: Yes? 329 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 4: Okay, okay, yeah, yeah what okay? 330 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 2: But he knew he knew all about it because he 331 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:12,400 Speaker 2: said he had to ask his friend, like, what was that? 332 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:15,200 Speaker 1: And his friend told him about Yeah. 333 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 4: That was alarming because you're like, are you trying to 334 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:19,200 Speaker 4: kidnap me? I've scene taken? 335 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:26,080 Speaker 2: No, sir, no, sir, I say, and this I've I 336 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:27,879 Speaker 2: This is where I want you listeners to write in. 337 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:33,360 Speaker 2: Apparently kids are still terrified of her. They're still are 338 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 2: freaked out by Grila. There are depictions of her across 339 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:41,359 Speaker 2: Iceland to remind folks about Greela, and she and her 340 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:45,160 Speaker 2: sons were recently featured in the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina 341 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:48,920 Speaker 2: on Netflix where she was a witch that protected mistreated 342 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 2: children instead of turning them into stew Yeah. Yeah, so 343 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 2: there's definitely been kind of an embracing of of this creepier, 344 00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 2: more historical version of and her whole. 345 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:07,360 Speaker 3: Family and her whole family. Yes, yeah, looking at the pictures, 346 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 3: she's gruesome. But apparently there's really fun ornaments. I want one, 347 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 3: I know, Agreedla ornament would be amazing. 348 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:14,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, Oh my. 349 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:14,960 Speaker 1: Gosh, I do. 350 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 2: I want one too, And I think if we hear 351 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 2: from listeners, I think we do a follow up on 352 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:22,199 Speaker 2: Greta because I feel like there's got to be more 353 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 2: about her. 354 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:24,320 Speaker 1: But that's about what we could find. 355 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 2: Is most of this came from one really helpful article 356 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 2: deep Dive from the Smithsonian if you want to read more. 357 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:33,160 Speaker 2: It's amazing, and there's there was a lot more academic 358 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 2: stuff about like witches and winter, which is in general 359 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:36,480 Speaker 2: that was not. 360 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:38,520 Speaker 1: Exactly what we were looking for for our. 361 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:41,360 Speaker 2: Easy kind of winter episode, but fascinating and we could 362 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:57,280 Speaker 2: return to at a later date. We did want to 363 00:20:57,320 --> 00:21:01,120 Speaker 2: go through a couple more examples quickly, because Greela is 364 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:03,240 Speaker 2: not the only Christmas witch in town, as we said, 365 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:05,639 Speaker 2: and we've got a few honorable mentions that when I 366 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:07,359 Speaker 2: read about, I was like, oh. 367 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 1: No, we have to I have to at least mention this. 368 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 3: So there's an Austrian and Bavarian one, fral Pershta, who 369 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,880 Speaker 3: around Christmas time checks into sea which kids have been 370 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:23,439 Speaker 3: naughty or nice. The naughty ones get their torsos split 371 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:25,479 Speaker 3: open and stuffed with straw. 372 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:30,640 Speaker 2: Obviously, obviously there's a lot of interesting ones about Frau 373 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:31,159 Speaker 2: perche I. 374 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 1: Nobody is safe from her. 375 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 2: But that was the one where I was like, whoa 376 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 2: we really like from zero two hundred quickly ready and 377 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 2: the parents are supposed to find the body the next 378 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:46,920 Speaker 2: say that's so gruesome. 379 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:49,840 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, yeah. 380 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:56,119 Speaker 3: That's horrible. It is open, stuffed with straw. Yep, what 381 00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:58,160 Speaker 3: happens to the good kids? 382 00:21:58,160 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 1: Nothing? 383 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 2: Yes, if you don't get open stuff, yes. But at 384 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:12,160 Speaker 2: the same time, then there's Italy's La Bifana. La Bifana 385 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:15,399 Speaker 2: is descended from pagan witches and based on the story, 386 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 2: can write a go to our broom or both maybe, 387 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:22,680 Speaker 2: and it's typically very crone like in appearance. Generally, good 388 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:25,400 Speaker 2: kids are safe from La Bifana and may even get 389 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 2: some candy from her. Bad kids however, might get coal. 390 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:35,440 Speaker 2: Some versions have candy shaped like coal, which I guess 391 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:37,879 Speaker 2: is fine, but they could also get scooped up and 392 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:40,359 Speaker 2: taken to her home to be fed to her cannibalistic husband, 393 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 2: which seems to be a theme just like Grila. There 394 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 2: have been some attempts to sanitize and Christianize her story, 395 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,159 Speaker 2: with one going so far as to claim that the 396 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:52,040 Speaker 2: three Wise Men stayed with her on their way to 397 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 2: see Baby Jesus, and when the men invite her to 398 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:59,200 Speaker 2: join them, she declines. She says she's busy and in 399 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 2: some versions grieving the loss of her own child and 400 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 2: doesn't want to go, and then in some versions thinks 401 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 2: that Jesus is her own child. 402 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:09,360 Speaker 4: What huh? That went very far? 403 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:11,520 Speaker 1: Yes, I know, yes, I know. 404 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 2: She changes her mind and goes and brings Jesus a gift, 405 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:17,800 Speaker 2: and he loves it so much he makes her the 406 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 2: protector of Italian children, and some depictions of her she 407 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 2: even sweeps the floor of all the home she visits, 408 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:28,120 Speaker 2: which is very nice. She's so beloved in Italy. There 409 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:31,119 Speaker 2: are multiple festivals and markets held in her name, and 410 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:34,119 Speaker 2: apparently one in Italy involves a boat race with people 411 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:35,400 Speaker 2: dressed up as witches. 412 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 3: So yeah, the guests, the celebrations now are of her 413 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 3: being a witch, not so much as the saint or 414 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:41,719 Speaker 3: is it the saint version. 415 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:47,240 Speaker 2: I think I think there's both, but I think I 416 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 2: think she she's she started out as a much less 417 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:53,440 Speaker 2: nice witch and evolved into a nicer witch, but I 418 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 2: think she's still like witch. 419 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 4: Okay, okay, she can still hold on too that claim. 420 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 1: Yes, that my understanding. 421 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:04,680 Speaker 2: But again, listeners writing because it seems she's still quite popular. 422 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 4: Yeah, she's relevant. 423 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, like festivals, fastivals, way to go, I know, yes, 424 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:16,119 Speaker 2: that's let's take a trip this time. And then there 425 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:17,639 Speaker 2: were a couple more I did want to mention this. 426 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:21,720 Speaker 2: There wasn't like enough to do a whole mention of 427 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:24,639 Speaker 2: them without going into I think this would be a 428 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 2: separate episode, But I did want to say there were 429 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 2: a couple of other Christmas, which is that actually were 430 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:36,359 Speaker 2: more about harassing women than children, like a housewife is 431 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:39,480 Speaker 2: not doing her job as well as she should be. 432 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:44,080 Speaker 2: Some of it involved like leaving smudges of feces on 433 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:50,919 Speaker 2: like laundry, like messing up housework, and sometimes splitting them 434 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 2: open and stuffing them with straw which I just found 435 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 2: fascinating because, as we said, these are so they're so 436 00:24:56,840 --> 00:25:00,919 Speaker 2: like moralistic, naughty or nice, do your chores or else 437 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,800 Speaker 2: that I find it interesting that there are some versions 438 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:08,240 Speaker 2: of them that are specifically towards women and housewives from 439 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 2: this time. So just a note that I had when 440 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:19,119 Speaker 2: I was doing this research, like huh okay, interesting, yep, 441 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 2: very interesting. I mean honestly, the research was very fun. 442 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,560 Speaker 2: This was a fun one to research. So if you 443 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:29,879 Speaker 2: listeners again you have any follow ups, any more details, 444 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:34,680 Speaker 2: any suggestions, any legends which ye other, which is there 445 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:35,399 Speaker 2: are also some. 446 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:38,440 Speaker 1: Really cool like women in food and. 447 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 2: Which is traditions that I found, So if you know 448 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:45,680 Speaker 2: about those, please let us know, yes. 449 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:47,879 Speaker 1: And you can contact us in many ways. 450 00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:50,679 Speaker 2: You can email us at Stephanie Mom's Stuff at iHeartMedia 451 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:52,359 Speaker 2: dot com. You can find us on Twitter at mom 452 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:54,480 Speaker 2: Stuff podcast or on Instagram at Stuff I've Never Told You. 453 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:57,040 Speaker 2: Thanks It's always to our super producer Christina. 454 00:25:56,880 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 4: Thank you. 455 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 2: And thanks to you you for listening. Steph Never Told You. 456 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:03,840 Speaker 2: Dispection about iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, 457 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:05,679 Speaker 2: you can check out the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 458 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 2: or where you listen to your favorite shows,