All Things Iceland26 Huhti 2024

The Icelandic Ghost that Haunts South Iceland – Folklore Friday

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series, where I am sharing fascinating stories from Icelandic folklore on Fridays throughout 2024.

How Rusty “The Brown One” Became a Ghost

Rusty is a boy that is the main character of this story. According to the legend, he was 16 years old in the late 1700s in Iceland, and one day is he was out walking during a bad storm. Unfortunately, Rusty only had rags on and it was hard for him to find shelter.

At one point he finally found a farm, knocked on the door and asked the farmer if he can stay there until the storm had passed. To Rusty’s surprise, the farmer turned him away. Rusty decided to continue on walking in the storm and sadly he ended up drowning in a large body of water.

After he died, I guess his ghost made the choose to come back and haunt the farmer tha denied him shelter on that fatal night. However, he didn‘t just haunt the farmer. He haunted the family of the farmer for generations. So, if anything went wrong it was blamed on Rusty, the Brown One.

Some examples include marriages not working out, farm equipment breaking, things going missing and so on. Apparently, Rusty‘s ghost was not satisfied with just haunting the family because it‘s said that he started to haunt travelers as well on the south coast.

Rusty Formed a “Ghost Gang”

A young woman that died in a similar way to Rusty ended up joining Rusty as a ghost to haunt travelers. In an even weirder twist to the story, the ghosts of Rusty and the young somehow caused the death of another person. This individual also became a ghost and joined their ghost gang to haunt people. If you plan to travel along Iceland‘s South Coast, know that there is a chance that you might be haunted by this trio of ghosts.

Random Fact of the Episode

Ghost stories are very popular in Icelandic folklore. Every region has a plethora of stories about ghosts, mostly people who we might consider to be wronged in some way, who come back to haunt people. I have some fascinating ones to share in the near future, so keep your eye out for that.

Icelandic Word of the Episode

Ghost – draugur

Share this with a Friend

Facebook
Email
Twitter

Let’s Be Social

Youtube

Tiktok

Instagram

Facebook

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(269)

I Tested the Icelandic AI Learning Platform So You Don’t Have To – The Pros & Cons

Learning Icelandic can honestly feel overwhelming. If you’ve ever tried to learn the language, you probably already know that there are a lot of scattered resources online, different classes, private ...

28 Touko 22min

From Venezuela to Iceland: How Valenttina Griffin Built a Life Across Cultures

I sat down with an inspiring Venezuelan-born entrepreneur, Valenttina Griffin, who has made Iceland her home. Through a lively conversation, Valenttina shares her experiences of navigating different c...

15 Touko 1h 30min

The Cost of a 5-Day Trip to Iceland. Local Expert Advice on how to budget for it.

Along with hearing about volcanoes, waterfalls, black sand beaches, and gorgeous landscapes, one of the biggest things people associate with Iceland is how expensive it is. And honestly, that conversa...

14 Touko 39min

5 Places in Iceland Worth the Detour (That Most Travelers Miss)

There are places in Iceland that are easy to visit. And then there are places that require a bit more effort, but reward you in ways you honestly don’t expect. I’m sharing 5 places across the country ...

4 Touko 23min

Why Thousands Are Visiting Iceland for the Rare 2026 Solar Eclipse

The 2026 total solar eclipse is already drawing attention from travelers around the world, and for good reason. The last time a total solar eclipse was visible in Iceland was in 1954, and the next one...

11 Huhti 10min

Iceland’s Most Delicious Holiday – Cream Bun Day (Bolludagur)

If there were ever a holiday that felt personally designed for me, it’s Bolludagur, Iceland’s cream bun day and, in my opinion, Iceland’s most delicious holiday. Bolludagur takes place every year on t...

12 Helmi 0s

Bríet Ísis Elfar – Interview with Iceland’s Fearless Pop Visionary

Bríet Ísis Elfar is not just one of Iceland’s biggest music stars. She’s an artist who embodies fearlessness, authenticity, and constant reinvention. Her breakout English-language single In Too Deep i...

7 Helmi 1h 10min

5 Iceland Travel Myths – Winter Edition

There’s a lot of advice about traveling to Iceland, and not all of it is helpful. In this podcast episode, I’m breaking down five common Iceland travel myths that end up quietly costing travelers time...

28 Tammi 17min