Vittra
Among mountains and pastures in northern Scandinavia are the Vittra, a small humanoid race that get along well with humankind as long as they are respected and left in peace. They live in large families and are rarely found alone.
Vittra look almost exactly the same way as most people do, though they are smaller in size. Unlike Goblins who wear earth gray costumes, Vittra are red-robed and extremely clean and tidy. They are often seen in traditional costumes, much like the ones people wear on special occasions. Sometimes they can take other forms, such as small striped worms or larvae. Anyone who happens to tread on such a Vittra will experience a pain in the foot and will become seriously ill.
Vittra’s lives do not differ significantly from those of men. They tend to their own cows (called vitterkor) which are all white and very beautiful, but small in stature. They wear bells of silver with a mysterious melodic sound. Its small size notwithstanding, they provide much more milk than human cattle. It could happen that a fäbodjäntor (pasture lass) would stumble across a vitterkor when she herded her own cattle. If she was quick and she threw a knife over the vitterkor then she could keep it as her own. That evening she would be visited by Vittra, who put certain conditions on her ownership. She would be allowed no more than one bucket of milk per day, otherwise the vitterkor would die, and all calves the vitterkor may bare would belong to the Vittra.
The Vittra would criss-cross the landscape with their cattle along vittervägar (Vittra roads). Sometimes it happened that people carelessly built their homes in the way of these vittervägar and because of this they could get no peace in the house at night. The only ways to solve the problem was to either move house or to sleep with the doors open so the Vittra can pass straight through.
Vittra are also experts at milking men’s cows, which they would abduct for up to three days, and when the cows were returned to the owner they now had the ability to give more milk as a sign of gratitude.
Some Vittra prefer to live in lakes, known as vitterjärnar. If you throw a silver coin into the water before a fishing trip you can expect to get a good catch.
Artwork by Johan Egerkrans
I’ve never heard of Vittra here in Norway (maybe they are swedish rather than generally scandinavian?) but that painting/drawing is glorious :D
I did a paper work on people’s relation to Vittra in North of Sweden where Vittra is most common. It’s very fascinating to read about all the tales and encounters made with these magical beings. The height on Vittra differs though, where I come from (Västerbotten) they tend to be taller near the coast line. I’m not gonna make a Vittra rant here, I promise. :3
Imported from Tumblr: http://ift.tt/1U3gIZp
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