The Kallikantzaroi

In day 10 of The 12 Days of Frightmas allow me to introduce to you to a Greek creature, The Kallikantzaroi.

Originating in folklore in southeastern Europe and in Anatolian folklore, stories of the Kallikantzaroi can be found in Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia, Cyprus, Austria, Bavaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Northern Italy, Slovakia and Slovenia. Although it’s exact origin is unknown, it is believed to be pre-Christan in theory but they have been mentioned in Christian traditions since the 17th Century.

Just like their origin can’t be pinpointed, neither can their description. The most common description is that they are small black creatures with a long tail, like that of the Devil, are mostly blind and eat small creatures. In central Europe the Kallikantzaroi are said to be horned, and look like a cross between a goat and demon.

Other descriptions have the Kallikantzaroi as being enourmass, small humans in appearence, they are said to be male, with long tongues and made up of various animal parts including horses legs and boar tusks. Some tales say they are covered in hair.

The main story for the Kallikantzaroi is that they spend the year underground sawing through the tree of life, which runs through the centre of the Earth. Every year during the 12 days of Christmas they feel an urge to come up to ground where they wonder the Earth. During this time they have nearly sawn through the tree of life , but when they return underground the tree has healed and they begin again repeating this cycle over and over.

Above ground they cause mischief and chaos.

In particular, they will find and steal babies born during the 12 days of Christmas (25th December – 5th January) turning them into Kallikantzaroi.

They could enter your home in a number of ways including:

Chimneys, windows, doors, keyholes and even cracks in the walls.

It was even thought that if you were born on a Saturday you could see and talk to them.

There are ways to protect yourself from the Kallikantzaroi.

Here are a few:

Place a calender on your doorstep: it’s believed that they cannot count to the number 3 because it is deemed a Holy number, as a result the creatures feared the number because to say it would mean they would die. So they would keep starting to count again only to reach 3 and have to stop. They would keep trying until the sun came up forcing them to retreat until the night returns.
Burn a fire all night: This would prevent them from climbing down the chimney.
Placing a black cross on your door.
Burning insense.
Burning smelly items on the fire: Thought the smell would keep them away.

In the end, they disappear on the Epiphany, where the cycle starts all over.

The Karakoncolos

In day 9 of The 12 Days of Frightmass I bring you an Eastern European being known as The Karakoncolos.

The Karakoncolos can be found in legends across Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia. While each country has a varying story its description remains relatively the same, in that, the Karakoncolos is a tall hairy creature described as a cross between a Devil and Bigfoot.

In general the Karakoncolos is a troublesome and evil creature but it is also harmless, appearing during the coldest days of the year.

Different countries describe different stories so here are a few of them:

Turkey

On the streets: The Karakoncolos in Turkey is described as lurking in the shadows standing on street corners waiting for a passer-by. When a person walks past it would ask you a riddle. If you were lucky enough for your answer to contain the word ‘black’ you would be free to go on your way. However, if your answer did not it would strike you dead with a single blow.
By your house: A Karakoncolos could also hover round your house, particularly your door. Whilst here it would disguise its voice pretending to be someone you know, it could be someone from your family or a good friend, to trick you into coming outside. Once outside you would be placed in a trance where you would be left alone in the elements.

Serbia

Take you for a ride: In Serbia it is believed that both ghosts and spirits can wonder the Earth during the 12 days of Christmas. If you were to come across a Karakoncolos during these days they would jump on your back where you would be forced to carry round, retreating only at dawn, leaving you exhausted
Sneak into houses: They could also sneak into your house lingering behind doorways of children’s bedrooms waiting for a child to walk through. Once a child did, the Karakoncolos would grab the child by the neck dragging the child away to be eaten.

Bulgaria

There is a name variant here, calling them the Karakondjul. They are said to wonder at night but you could scare one away by avoiding eye contact.

Unknown Country

One final story of the Karakoncolos is that if you invite one into your home it feels compelled to copy you. If you were to set fire to a piece of thread or silk, it will mistake it’s fur for thread and set itself on fire.

Le Pere Fouettard

In day 8 of The 12 Days of Frightmsss, I bring you Le Pere Fouettard. A eastern French folklore being who’s story is not as scary as the other behaviour enforcers like Krampus.

Roughly translating to ‘father whip’, Le Pere Fouettard has a number of stories associated with him but one is most prominent.

His story goes that he was once a butcher, who along with the help of his wife, lured three boys into his shop where he killed them. It’s said that St Nicholas discovered what he did and resurrected the boys. The butcher was ashamed of his actions and as a punishment St Nicholas made him work alongside him, he was to forever be his assistant to atone for his sins.

I personally question why it was only the butcher who was made to assist St Nicholas as his wife was also involved, but I guess she wasn’t the person who actually killed the boys.

While this version of the story is most circulated there are variations to the story. For example, one version states that the three boys were well off and were captured while they were on their way to a religious boarding school rather than walking in to the butcher shop. Another version states the butcher craved eating children, which is why he killed them. A third alternative, argues that the butcher repented to St Nicholas which is why he was made to be one of his assistants going forward.

Whichever version is correct, the butcher joined forces with St Nicholas becoming Le Pere Fouettard. He became a figure who issues punishment to children, in contrast to St Nicholas who gives presents on St Nicholas’ Day (6th January). His punishment could involve physically beating a naughty child with a whip.

The more I look into these Christmas folklore beings the more I think they are specifically designed to get children to behave in life.

Hans Trapp

In day 7 of The 12 Days of Frightmass I introduce you to the Hans Trapp, another folklore being who can be described as an anti-Santa who punishes bad children.

The Hans Trapp can be found in folklore in the Alsace and Lorraine regions of France. Described as a scarecrow or boogyman this creature visits children before Christmas, similar to Krampus, except for one notable thing he tries to encourage children to mend their ways.

The Hans Trapp is said to be based on a real person, with some stories giving his name as Hans Von Troth a knight was was exiled and excommunicated from the Catholic Church.

In around the 15th Century one German knight was rich and greedy with lands across the French and German boarder. Locals said he was a satan worshipper and deemed a nuisance by both villagers and the church. One day he was involved in a land dispute with a local Abbott where he had the Wieslauter river blocked, preventing water reaching the nearby town.

The Abbott complained resulting in the blockage being removed, this caused flooding to Weissenburg to the extent that its economy was destroyed. Following this the Abbott complained to the Pope resulting in Von Troth being excommunicated. His land and money were taken and he was exiled, living in a forest. Some stories say he found shelter in the mountains of Geisberg in Bavaria (Germany) creating a make shift shack from sticks.

While living in the forest he began to loose his mind, dreaming of revenge.

Dressed as a scarecrow he attacked a ten year old boy who was passing through the forest, he killed the young boy with a sharpened stick and roasted the boy in small pieces but before he could eat the boy he was struck by lighting and killed. Some say this was God’s doing.

Over the years his has gotten mixed up in myth and after the Hans Trapps’ death he was created as a warning to childten to behave in life.

In modern tales he goes to houses dressed as a scarecrow where he scares children drooling over their flesh.

The Yule Cat

We are now half way through the 12 Days of Frightmass and today I bring you the Jólakötturinn, or The Yule Cat if Icelandic is not your strong point.

The Yule Cat stems from Icelandic folklore, residing in a cave up in the mountains with it’s owners Grýla, Leppalúði and The Yule Lads (you can read about Grýla and The Yule Lads in days 4 and 5 of The 12 Days of Frightmass posts).

The Yule Cat is described as being a huge vicious monster, so tall in height that it towers over houses. In general this cat lurks about the snowy countryside during the Christmas season in search of food, that food being people. More specifically, those who have not received new clothing to wear before Christmas Eve.

I like to think this is why you always seem to get some form of clothes as a Christmas gift, whether a pair of socks or new pyjamas.

I’ve read that stories around The Yule Cat come from the Dark Ages, however there have only been written accounts since the 19th Century and is similar to the other beings associated with Christmas throughout Europe. In that, it is a creature used to enforce good behaviour.

It was once customary that if you finished work on time before Christmas you would be given clothing, however if you did not finish on time you would not and would have to face The Yule Cat. By work, this could be anything from your actual job or simply household chores. This getting work done on time is used as a way to encourage children to work hard, if they did they would receive a piece of clothing for Christmas and therefore be spared from The Yule Cat.

Some stories state that the cat would eat the person who did not receive clothing but there are alternative tales, for example some state that the cat will eat a persons food or only eating children on Christmas Eve.

Whichever story has the right answer, The Yule Cat is still to this day discussed as looking through windows on Christmas Eve to check if you have or have not received clothing as a present. I don’t know about you but I am glad that I own curtains and so don’t have to worry about seeing the cat through my window.