Iceland’s Tragic Ghost Children – Folklore Friday

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024.

Who are Iceland’s Ghost Children?

with what’s known as a child ghost.

The tale begins when a maid at a local farm gives birth to an unwanted baby. During Iceland’s pagan era, it was common to abandon such children in the wilderness. This harsh and unusual choice was seen as logical for young mothers hoping to avoid judgement and punishment from the local community.

Shortly after this terrible act, the nearby village planned to hold a celebration filled with dancing and singing, known as Vikivaki. The maid was invited but declined because she didn’t have suitable clothes.

On the day of the Vikivaki, the maid was tending to her owner’s sheep with another woman. She lamented her lack of clothes, complaining openly. At that moment, a soft voice sang out to her from beneath the wall of the sheep pen:

“Dear mother, in a pen, a pen, do not worry about it because, because I’ll lend you my rag to dance in and dance in.”

Realizing it was her dead child mocking her from the darkness, the maid was struck with terror. She was haunted by the experience for the rest of her life and was considered insane, tormented by an act that, unfortunately, was not uncommon in heathen Iceland.

Random Fact of the Episode

Vikivaki is one of the most well-known traditional folk dances in Iceland. It is a type of ring dance that requires the dancer’s body to remain quite stiff and has been performed throughout the Nordic regions since the Middle Ages. The dance is performed by both men and women and is relatively easy with simple steps. Vikivaki refers to both the dance and the accompanying music.

Icelandic Word of the Episode

Útbúður means an infant child left outside to die.

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Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega.