Grýla and Leppalúði: Who are they? Part 1
- Timothy P. Spradlin
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Deep in the icy wastes of Iceland’s highlands, beyond the reach of men and the warmth of hearth light, live two of the most infamous figures in Christmas folklore, Grýla and her lazy husband Leppalúði. They are the parents of the mischievous thirteen Yule Lads, but their story stretches far beyond the antics of their troublesome children. Grýla and Leppalúði embody the ancient fears, moral lessons, and enduring transformations of the winter season, from terror to tenderness, from darkness to redemption.
The Fearsome Matron of Winter
Long before Christmas took root in Iceland, tales of Grýla haunted the long, cold nights. Her name appears in medieval Icelandic sagas as early as the 13th century, where she was described as a mountain-dwelling giantess, a fearsome troll who came down from her cave to hunt misbehaving children.
According to legend, Grýla possessed a cauldron large enough to cook an entire child, and she roamed the land each winter, listening for naughty children whose cries or complaints gave her away to their location. Parents invoked her name to frighten children into good behavior:
“Hush now, or Grýla will come for you!”
Her husband, Leppalúði, by contrast, was known as a lazy and foolish troll, too slothful to join her in her hunts. In some tales, he stays behind to tend the fire, grumbling and groaning while Grýla carries out her grim work.
Together, they became a portrait of primal winter: the hunger and hardship of the dark season, when food was scarce and the cold was merciless.
The Origins of the Legends
The earliest written references to Grýla appear in the 13th-century compilation of sagas known as Íslendinga Sögur and later in 17th-century folklore collections, where her image grew more grotesque and moralistic.
In the old pagan worldview, Grýla may have represented the destructive force of winter itself, the devouring cold that claimed the unwary. With the coming of Christianity, her legend evolved, becoming a cautionary tale about sin, repentance, and moral order.
By the 18th century, she was firmly established as the mother of the Yule Lads, her thirteen sons descending one by one to the valleys below in the twelve days before Christmas, each embodying a playful vice — from stealing food to slamming doors.
Symbolism: The Shadow of Winter and the Hope of Light
Grýla is more than a monster; she is the embodiment of consequences, the shadow side of the Christmas season. Her hunger is symbolic of the human conscience, consuming those who live selfishly or thoughtlessly.
Grýla’s cauldron: A symbol of judgment and renewal, what is thrown into it (our vices) is transformed or purged.
Leppalúði’s laziness: The apathy that allows darkness to grow when goodness stands idle.
The Yule Lads: Their journey down from the mountains mirrors humanity’s progress from fear to faith, from superstition to joy.
In your books, Timothy, this symbolism connects beautifully to The Saga of Belsnickel, where the old northern spirits are slowly awakened to a new light, the dawning of Christmastide and the story of the Child in the Manger. Grýla and her brood represent the wildness of the old world being tamed and transformed by compassion and redemption.
Modern Adaptation: From Fear to Fun
Today, Grýla and Leppalúði have taken on gentler forms in Icelandic Christmas celebrations.
Grýla still appears in parades and festivals, though now she’s more comical than terrifying, a towering troll-mother dressed in rags, with a giant sack slung over her back.
Leppalúði, still lazy and hapless, often trails behind her, mumbling and stumbling in her shadow.
Together, they appear alongside the thirteen Yule Lads, who have transformed from sinister tricksters into jolly, gift-bringing characters, more like Santa’s rustic cousins.
In this new, kinder light, they serve as a reminder that even fearsome traditions can evolve into joyful symbols of heritage, helping Icelanders connect to their roots while celebrating the warmth of community and Christmas cheer.
Grýla and Leppalúði in The Saga of Belsnickel
In The Saga of Belsnickel and Ulvie and the Advent of the Yule Lads, these ancient figures are not villains, but rude holiday guests that Ulvie, Donner and Blitzen work to change their ways.
In the Book The Saga of Belsnickel, Ulvie and the Trolls, Grýla’s hunger is on full rampage, along with other trolls they invade Thuringia in search of young children to eat, while Leppalúði’s indolence mirrors the spiritual slumber that must be awakened by love. Their sons, the Yule Lads, stand with their parents in the conquest of Thuringia. The darkness of their heart stands in contrast with the new dawn of Christianity, bridging old folklore and the first light of the Nativity.
Just as Ulvie learns the language of heaven through the voices of the forest, the Yule Lads in in the Belsnickel Sagas are drawn toward that same redeeming light, their mischief slowly turned toward merriment, their fearsome origins redeemed through faith and friendship.
The Enduring Lesson
“Even the darkest caves hold echoes of the first song of Christmas.”
Grýla and Leppalúði remind us that even in the coldest winter, love transforms everything it touches. Their story endures because it reflects our own journey. from fear to wonder, from punishment to grace, from the shadows of Yule to the light of Christmastide.
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