Jólakötturinn: the monstrous holiday murder cat

[underused]

The Yule Cat (Jólakötturinn or Jólaköttur) is a monster from Icelandic folklore, a huge and vicious cat said to lurk about the snowy countryside during Christmas time and eat people who have not received any new clothes to wear before Christmas Eve…

The threat of being eaten by the Yule Cat was used by farmers as an incentive for their workers to finish processing the autumn wool before Christmas. The ones who took part in the work would be rewarded with new clothes, but those who did not would get nothing and thus would be preyed upon by the monstrous cat.

I will admit, this post is less about a word and more about posting this story. I stumbled upon it a few years ago and it's stuck with me ever since. (I even decorated murder cat cookies this year.) I've always had an affection for the darker side of fairy-tales and the Yule Cat is in good company with ominous "holiday" creatures like Krampus and Frau Perchta.

Nothing like a cautionary tale to keep us from having too much fun. ☺

Comments

[mandralyne]

That's a fun story. I think I'm safe from murder cat though, I bought a new scarf for Christmas.

[underused]

PHEW. Also, a new scarf! What does it look like? Is it super soft? (I am a sucker for super soft scarves.)

[mandralyne]

It's a little bit of christmas kitsch for the holidays with all sorts of snowmen. it's a fashion scarf instead of an outdoors scarf

[underused]

HA, that sounds awesome. ☺

[merikuru]

Oh dear. I'd best save myself quickly from the murder cat.

[underused]

I feel like this is the appropriate story to pin to holiday wish lists. As in "I NEED new socks or I might DIE." ☺

[merikuru]

Ha, yes! <3

(I haven't forgot about my words post. I'll probably just save it till the new year, it doesn't want to coalesce into anything past a jumble. :P)

[underused]

No worries at all! Things here have been uncharacteristically distracting, so I've barely been online myself. The new year sounds totally reasonable. ☺

[merikuru]

And hopefully it's a much less sucky year than this one's been!

[thedaughteroftyr]

Phew safe this year!

[underused]

Yay! I hope your new clothes are something cozy and/or delightful.

[definition_of_insanity]

This is such a great bit of folklore! Thank you for sharing it!

[underused]

You're very welcome! It's too much fun to keep to myself.