Nykur – A Deadly Icelandic Water Horse – Folklore Friday

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

What Makes a Nykur Different than a Normal Icelandic Horse?

Nykur is a water horse that is a gray color but it can shape shift into other things, living or dead. However, it’s said that it can’t take the shape of lambswool or peeled barley.

In most stories, when the Nykur shows up it is normally around water. It lures people in to ride it. The Nykur specifically hangs out around rivers or lakes that are difficult to cross so that you do want to mount it. When you approach it, the Nykur acts super docile and calm. You first think it is a wild horse that is just out and about minding its own business.

The Nykur is hoping that when you see that the river or lake is hard to cross that you jump on it to get a ride across. However, as soon as you mount the horse it immediately starts to gallop into the water. In the water, it turns on its side in the deep area, which catches you off guard. The Nykur uses its body weight to sink you deeper into the water and holds you down there until you drown. Definitely not a fun experience.

How to Avoid Being a Victim of a Nykur

One very obvious difference between a Nykur and a regular horse is that it has inverted hoofs. Yes, their hoofs are literally backward

If you have already mounted the Nykur and it starts to gallop towards the water, saying its name “Nykur” will immediately make it throw you off of its back because it hates the sound of its name. It will then head into the water without you.

One story of a child that was able to survive a Nykur is that a young girl was sleeping out in the Icelandic wilderness near some water. A Nykur saw her and started to drag her into the water. She woke up and realized what was happening. Luckily, she was able to say “Leave me alone, Nykur”. Once it heard its name, the creature released her and raced back into the water.

Another way is to make the sign of a cross on the backside of the Nykur is another way to protect yourself.

Random Fact of the Episode

A Nykur can mate with another horse that is not one of them and create offspring. The offspring look like a regular horse. A big difference is said to be that when water is poured on that horse, it will lay on it side and let the water be poured all over it. Also, if it is going to a river or a lake, it will want to roll over on its side.

Icelandic Word of the Episode

Nykur can mean neck in Icelandic but in this context it is a water demon.

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