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The sjörå , (lake
The sjörå , (lake Rå
In Scandinavian folklore, a rå (pl ''rår''), 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 human ...
) or the ''Sjöfru'' (Mistress of the Lake) was a mythical creature of the lake, or Rå
In Scandinavian folklore, a rå (pl ''rår''), 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 human ...
, in Swedish folklore
Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, r ...
. She is a female, humanoid water spirit. She is a seductive creature, often featured sitting and combing her long, sweeping hair with delight, and often lures and drowns men who are unkind, unfaithful or otherwise disrespectful to her or the lake. Like all other rå (keepers) she protects her domain and awards those kind to her with good fishing luck and saves them from drowning. In wintertime she would sometimes stick her hand up from the waters. If the visitor then gave her a mitten she would thank him for his kindness with gifts or protect him in his time of need.
See also
*Peder Jönsson
Peder Jönsson (died 1640), was a Swedish hunter and fisherman from Söderköping, who was executed for having confessed to sexual intercourse with a Sjörå (a lake-nymph; a mythical female creature of the lake). Though they are other cases of the ...
, a man executed for allegedly having sex with a sjörå.
References
Scandinavian legendary creatures Swedish folklore Female legendary creatures Water spirits {{Legendary-creature-stub