44 Days of Witchery ~ A myth or story from folklore?
Oh! I love, love, love folklore. Here’s a favorite myth of mine!
The Hulder. Skogsrå. Ulda. Huldrekall. Huldra.
Hulders are seductive, beautiful (even if plain) women with either cow tails or fox tails. Like mermaids, they lure men. Some stories include sex, and that the Hulders reward those who pleasure them and punish those who do not. They can be incredibly kind - or vicious. This depends largely on how they are treated. One of my favorite stories goes:
A boy in Tiveden went fishing, but he had no luck. Then he met a beautiful lady, and she was so stunning that he felt he had to catch his breath. But, then he realized who she was, because he could see a fox's tail sticking out below the skirt. As he knew that it was forbidden to comment on the tail to the lady of the forest, if it was not done in the most polite manner, he bowed deeply and said with his softest voice:
"Milady, I see that your petticoat shows below your skirt."
The lady thanked him gracefully and hid her tail under her skirt, telling the boy to fish on the other side of the lake. That day, the boy had great luck with his fishing and he caught a fish every time he threw out the line. This was the Huldra's recognition of his politeness.
So there’s a bit about Hulders!
