Scandinavian folklore Nordic folklore is the folklore of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. It has common roots with, and has been under mutual influence with, folklore in England, Germany, the Low Countries, the Baltic countries, Finland and S� ...

, a rå ( ), short for ''rådare'' ("ruler") from ''råda'' (to rule, to advise) from old Norse ''ráða'', is a spirit who is the keeper or warden of a particular location or landform. The rå is known both in Nordic culture and in the Sami culture, where it is called ''radie''. It was important for humans to cultivate good relationships with them, since they had power over the natural forces and animals under their care, and could cause both good and bad luck for humans who interfered with the places and creatures under their watch.

Types of rå

The different species of rår are sometimes distinguished according to the different spheres of nature with which each was associated, such as ''

skogsrå The Skogsrå ( ; ), Skogsfrun ('the Mistress of the Forest'), Skogssnuvan, Skogsnymfen ('the Forest Nymph'), Råndan ('the Rå') or Huldran, is a mythical female creature (or ''rå'') of the forest in Swedish folklore. It appears in the form of ...

'' or ''

hulder A hulder (or huldra) is a seductive forest creature found in Scandinavian folklore. Her name derives from a root meaning "covered" or "secret". In Norwegian folklore, she is known as huldra ("the rchetypalhulder", though folklore presuppose ...

'' (forest), ''

sjörå The sjörå , (lake Rå) or the ''Sjöfru'' (Mistress of the Lake) was a mythical creature of the lake, or Rå, in Swedish folklore. She is a female, humanoid water spirit. She is a seductive creature, often featured sitting and combing her long, ...

'' (freshwater) or ''havsrå'' (saltwater), and '' bergsrå'' (mountains). In accordance with old belief systems, every object, animal, and plant had its own ''rå'' or spirit which protected it. A ''rå'' could also have jurisdiction over places and items owned by humans, such as ''skeppsrået'' (rå of the ship) and ''gruvrået'' (rå of the mine). The term ''rå'' refers to a category of guardian spirits associated with specific elements of nature in Scandinavian folklore. These beings were believed to protect their particular domain—such as forests, lakes, or mines—and could be benevolent or dangerous depending on how humans behaved in their territory. According to ''Scandinavian Folk Belief and Legend'', different kinds of rå were recognized across regions: the ''skogsrå'' guarded the forest, the ''sjörå'' ruled over lakes, and the ''bergsrå'' was connected to mountains and mines. Each was thought to have a humanoid appearance but also carried physical signs of their otherworldly nature, like animal tails or hollow backs. These spirits often demanded respect from humans and were known to punish those who exploited nature without proper rituals or reverence.

The ''skogsrå''

The ''skogsrå'' is one of the most well-known forms of rå in Swedish folklore, often described as a beautiful woman who lures men into the forest. She is believed to have a hollow back or a tail, and her encounters often result in the man becoming lost or enchanted. According to Kuusela (2020), the ''skogsrå'' played a significant role in forest-related beliefs in Sweden and shares similarities with Finnish spirits like the ''metsänpeitto''. Her portrayal also appears in literary works such as August Strindberg's ''The Crown Bride'', where she symbolizes both untamed nature and repressed female sexuality.

Gender

Though specific individual ''rår'' depicted in folklore, such as the ''

'' and the '' bergsrå'', were typically described as female, in general the ''rår'' could be both masculine and feminine.

References

Scandinavian legendary creatures Scandinavian folklore Norwegian folklore Swedish folklore Nature spirits {{Legendary-creature-stub

Types of rå

The ''skogsrå''

Gender

See also

References