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The Icelandic Yule Lads bear little similarity to the world-famous Santa Claus, who is descended from St. Nicholas, patron saint of children and sailors. In contrast, the Icelandic Yule Lads are descended from trolls and their original role was to strike fear in the hearts of children. As it happens, they are the sons of two of the most hideous ogres ever known in Iceland, Grýla and Leppalúði.
No doubt most children would have wanted to avoid the Icelandic Yule Lads in the old days, since they were used by parents to frighten their children into behaving – just as Grýla and Leppalúði are today. Evidently this was of some concern to Icelandic authorities, since in 1746 a public decree was issued to prohibit parents from frightening their children with monsters and fiends like the Yule Lads.
Whether it was due to this decree or something else, the Yule Lads became increasingly benign. Over time they ceased to be a threat to children's lives, though they continued to be thieving scoundrels. In the 20th century, the Icelandic Yule Lads became strongly influenced by their foreign colleagues, both in terms of conduct and appearance. They began wearing red garments on special occasions, similar to Santa Claus and the Danish Christmas gnomes. They also developed an unprecedented kindness towards children, to the point where they started depositing gifts in their shoes.
Yet despite these foreign influences, the Icelandic Yule Lads kept their traditional Icelandic characteristics, including their names, their residence in the mountains, and their number – thirteen.
Now to my favorite children's story..
This gorgeous place is the Barnafoss (the Children's Falls). Which is a great and beautiful place. And an occasion to remind youngster to mind their parents.
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The falls got their name from a story. You see once there were 2 bad little boys. They were often disobedient.
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One Sunday they both told their parents they were sick when it was time for church Well, the mother and father put them into bed and left for church. But the boys got bored and got up to play. They went to the river and played on a natural bridge that crossed the falls. But they got dizzy (from the lies or the sickness - no one says) and they fell into the falls and died.
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Their mother was so distraught, she put a spell on the bridge that anyone crossing it would become dizzy also and fall into the water. (Don't ask me how killing other people help with her distraughtness.) Not long after, there was an earthquake that destroyed the natural bridge so it didn't claim anymore lies. Now get dressed for church this minute.