The Turn of Seasons

"HULDRA OR HULLA. Over the whole of Norway the tradition is current of a supernatural being that dwells in the forests and moun tains, called Huldra or Hulla. She appears like a beautiful woman, and is usually clad in a blue petticoat and a white snood ; but unfortunately has a long tail, like a cow's, which she anxiously strives to conceal, when she is among people. She is fond of cattle, particularly brindled, of which she possesses a beautiful and thriving stock. They are without horns. She was once at a merry-making, where every one was desirous of dancing with the hand some, strange damsel; but in the midst of the mirth, a young man, who had just begun a dance with her, hap pened to cast his eye on her tail. Immediately guessing whom he had got for a partner, he was not a little terrified ; but collecting himself, and unwilling to be tray her, he merely said to her, when the dance was over, "Fair maid, you will lose your garter." She instantly vanished, but afterwards rewarded the silent and considerate youth with beautiful presents and a good breed of cattle.

The idea entertained of this being is not everywhere the same, but varies considerably in different parts of Norway. In some places she is described as a handsome female, when seen in front, but is hollow behind, or else blue; while in others she is known by the name of Skogsnerte, and is said to be blue, but clad in a green petticoat, and probably corresponds to the Swedish Skogsnufvor. Her song a sound often heard among the mountains is said to be hollow and mournful, differing therein from the music of the subterranean beings, which is described by ear-witnesses as cheerful and fascinating. But she is not everywhere regarded as a solitary wood-nymph: Huldre-inen and Huldre-folk are also spoken of, who live together in the mountains, and are almost identical with the subterra nean people. In Hardanger the Huldre-people are always clad in green, but their cattle are blue, and may be taken when a grown-up person casts his belt over them. They give abundance of milk. The Huldres take possession of the forsaken pasture-spots in the mountains, and invite people into their mounds, where delightful music is to be heard.

The belief in Huldra is very ancient. We read that as far back as the year 1205, the queen of Magnus Lagabaeter, when detained by an ad verse wind at Bergen, having heard that the Icelander Sturli Thordsen was an excellent story-teller, desired him to relate to her the Saga of the giantess Huldra."

B. Thorpe, Northern Mythology