Talk:Vittra (folklore)

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The page mix two different mythologies, and the confusion is understandable since the word Vittra simply mean 'super natural being' and indeed have the root in old nordic vättir. The Swedish idea is indeed about short beings, dwarfs or tomtar - the latter ones can be said to have developed into the modern idea of Santa claus - at least locally. But in this mythology it can also be something quite more sinister. Example is Vittra (2012) Johannes brost.

But in the north the word is used for a being from the Finno-ugric culture, (Lapps and Finns) and is more like elves. The description about these having cows, and might borrow those is from this area. So what about that film mentioned above. Well in the culture in the north, that would not be a Vittra, but "Bäran".

Anyway, there's a nice image used on another wikipedia page. A man stands talking to a woman, but she got a tail. This is a mix of the Northern idea of Vittra - with the one from Norway where this being look like a human but is a bit of a troll. So there the idea of Norna / Skogsrå have influenced the idea.

Compare with Japanese: Kitsune and Chinese: Huli Jin.

Then there's also 'Mountain angels' - again similar to elves, and would be named 'Vittra' if a person from the north would ever encounter one. This do lead to the lappish mythology as that's the name their given by Swedes.. These who in lappish mythology are named *Saiva* have a lot of similarities with the northern idea of Vittra. Speculation: I personally think they are the same, but it's no more than a hypothesis of mine.

I could go on quite a bit on these matters, as I know this mythology since childhood. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 31.208.185.166 (talk) 20:40, 9 May 2022 (UTC)[reply]