Of the many characters in Swedish folklore there are a few that stand out because of their similarity. They can all be loosely grouped in to the category of sirens: Creatures that lure unsuspecting people away to some fate.
Bäckhästen
Bächkhästen, 'brook horse' in english, is one of these siren creatures. According to a 1926 encyclopedia of folklore A water spirit that appears on the banks of rivers, especially in foggy weather, in the guise of a horse who lures people to ride on its back and then plunges into the water drowning its rider. Stories with this creature often involve either the horse tricking the person into riding it or the person tricking the horse into doing something (or both). (Meijer et al., p 316-317) Another version of this water spirit, called 'Näcken', Elof Hellquist explains is probably originally form Norway based on entomology. (
1922, p 532) This spirit takes the form of a male violinist who lures people into the lake to die. In this derivation, however, the luckless victim is cut across the throat rather than drowned. (Meijer et al., p 316-317)
Skogsra or Hulder
The forest spirit acts in a similar manner to the water spirit in Swedish folklore. The Skogsr
a, however, is a beautiful woman when viewed from the front but if someone
sees her from behind she has a tail and a hollow in her back. Alternatively she can be a tree trunk or some other natural element from behind. This spirit attracts men with her beauty as long as they only see her facing towards them, otherwise the spell is broken. (Granberg, p 2-15) In a twist on the siren story, sometimes the Skogsra becomes as attracted to the man and leaves the forest to live as the man's wife but he must treat her well or her true nature may come out. (Flatin, 1912)
Even into the 20th century these tales were given credence in parts of Sweden. The circumstances of the death of a person found drowned along a stream were rarely investigated. In modern times however these stories are used to scare children or as 'urban myths' where particular mysterious events have occurred. Depending on the tale and teller these nature spirits may also be considered part of the troll family. (Lindow, 50 & 65)
