The Tale of the Krampus
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Listen now to a tale, a tale of winter’s past. It is a tale as old as our common memory; a tale handed down by our Folk of an ancient journey. On a cold winter’s night, beneath the grey of the frigid sky, the God Thor set out to travel to the East, to the land of his greatest foes, to Giantland—to Jotunheim. He set off in a chariot pulled by his powerful goats, Tooth-grinder and Tooth-barer. On this journey he chose to allow Loki to accompany him. In these days Loki was often mischievous but was renowned for how clever he could be. He had not yet become the archenemy of the Aesir and the evil force, which would lead the Giants against the Gods and heroes in the great battle of Ragnarok, which will come at the end of this world but before the next.
The journey to the East was long. Thor and Loki had traveled far from Asgard driving directly into the ice and snow, which seemed to fly from all directions at once. In the blinding storm there was little hope to find food or drink. A calm joy fell over the little band when then spied a cabin in the distance with smoke wafting up from a twisted chimney. Surely there would be something to eat and drink and a fire in the hearth at which the travelers could warm their bodies.
Loki rapped his knuckles on the wooden door. A poor farmer answered. His young son Thialfi and his daughter Roskva hid behind their father’s legs – half shaking from the draft and half shaking from the sight of their awesome visitors. The old farmer and his wife knew the value of hospitality; that they should share their hearth, their food, and their drink with the half-frozen travelers. As the farmer welcomed the strangers into his home, he shuddered with surprise as they pulled back their hoods and heavy cloaks. Was this the thunder-God Thor and the trickster Loki who had entered his meager abode? What trouble might he be in when the Gods learned that he had little more than root-vegetables and hot broth for this evening’s meal?
Knowing of the Gods famed appetites, the farmer’s wife announced that the winter had thus been hard and that they had no meat to share. Thor was thankful for the honesty of his guests and was in a jovial mood for the home was warm and served as a much-needed shelter for the night. He announced that they should all have their fill of goat meat that evening. He proceeded to slaughter his two goats – well aware of the magical power he could wield to bring them back to life.
The farmer’s wife put the goats into the pot along with the vegetables. The wondrous smell of the feast to come wafted through their small cottage. When the meal was prepared, all sat down to dine on this delicacy of the Gods. Thor carefully laid the skins of Tooth-grinder and Tooth-barer on the ground near the table. He announced to all those present that they were to throw the goat bones onto the skins. He carefully instructed all not to break, nor to eat the bones or the marrow within.
That night Thor and Loki filled their stomachs with well-prepared goat meat and vegetables. The farmer brought out a large horn filled with ale that they all happily shared around the table. Thialfi and Roskva could barely remember a time when they ate as well as they did on that evening.
Now some say that Loki whispered a temptation into Thialfi’s ear. Others say that that Thialfi was simply known on occasion to disobey the direction of his parents and his elders. But whatever the reason—while the adults were laughing and enjoying their meal—Thialfi snapped one of the goat-bones in half and sucked the delicious marrow from within. He tossed the bone onto the pile, which had accumulated on the skin on the floor. After dinner, with their stomachs filled and their bodies warmed, all fell off to sleep.
The following morning, before sunrise, Thor awoke and got dressed. He brought the two goatskins filled with the bones from the prior evening’s feast and placed them gently on the ground outside the cabin. Facing North, Thor raised his magical hammer Mjolnir and hallowed the goatskins. Flashes of lightning could be seen across the morning sky. All at once, the magic worked its wonders and the goats sprung back to life. Tooth-barer leaped with joy and bounded over to his master as good as new. But Tooth-grinder merely limped to his master with a sorry look in his eye. His hind leg was lame from having been broken by the boy Thialfi.
When Thor threw open the door to the cottage, the farmer was busy attempting to relight the fire of the hearth and his wife was placing bowls on the table to ready the breakfast meal. Loki stretched his arms and slowly peaked from one of his eyes to see what was amiss.
Thor’s eyes were beaming red as he raised Mjolnir. His knuckles were white as he squeezed and swung his hammer. He bellowed, “Who dared to defy me? Who snapped the bone of Tooth-grinder and ate of his marrow?” The farmer, his wife, and their children all feared for their lives for they knew of the wrath of the Thunder God. At this very moment Loki sprung from his bed and stepped between Thor and the frightened family. “Thor, what good would come from squashing this family with your mighty hammer?” he asked. “They are not giants nor even dwarves.” As Thor began to calm down, Loki continued, “Since your goats are in no condition to pull your chariot, could we not use Thialfi and Roskva as your servants? Let us take them with us as punishment for what they did to Tooth-grinder.” Thor lowered his hammer as he considered the trickster’s suggestion. “And I will make it known throughout the worlds, wherever the Folk may live, that children from now until the end of days will receive an awful punishment should they not be true to you, to the Gods, to their ancestors, and to their parents.”
Thor accepted Loki’s deal. Thialfi and Roskva would travel with Thor and Loki on their journey to Giantland. As sad as their parents were, all were grateful for not becoming victims of Thor’s wrath. The goats and chariot were left behind with the farmer and his wife so Tooth-grinder could heal. The Gods would retrieve them on their homeward journey.
What happened next remains a mystery. Some say a goat-like creature, half-goat and half-monster was born that Sumarmal, what we know today as spring. Others say he simply appeared one day out of the fog and shadows. Some say it was Loki’s plan all along. Regardless of how it happened, the following Yule and each winter thereafter—to make true Loki’s pledge that children who disobeyed their parents, those who were not true to the Gods, those who were naughty, those who were bad—would be visited by the Krampus.
The Krampus, with sack on his back, would come to take those who misbehaved as Loki urged Thor to take Thialfi and Roskva.
The Krampus would come with switch in hand to punish all those who misbehaved. But the Krampus would not come to the homes of those who were good—those who obeyed their parents and remained true to the Gods. For them, a God would arrive in a chariot pulled by his small goats. The red-bearded and red-coated Thor was known to bring gifts for the good children—those who remembered him and knew of his many adventures.
As we enter the dark and cold time of year, when the distance between the worlds is thin, remember this tale of old, for those who fail to heed our warning will be sure to be visited by the Krampus.
Copyright © 2019 by Donald van den Andel
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