1
5
10
15
Are you sick of geng ________ or new pyjamas at Christmas? If you lived in Iceland you would certainly be grateful if
your presents contained something to ________. Even a hideous Christmas jumper would be a welcome gi because it
would prevent you from being eaten by Jólaköurinn the Christmas Cat!
Old Icelandic folklore states that every Icelander must receive a new piece of clothing for Christmas or they will nd
themselves in ________ danger. An enormous black cat is a said to ________ around the snowy streets on Christmas
Eve, ________ through windows, looking for people who haven’t kept this simple rule. Not wearing something new on
Christmas Eve? ________ will eat you!
However, perhaps worse sll is Jólaköurinn’s owner: Gryla. Tradional
tales tell of a giant ogress, who is part troll, part animal, that lives up in
the ________ with her cat, her third husband and her thirteen children.
At Christmas Gryla and her sons, who are also known as the Yulede
Lads, come down from the mountains. Gryla looks for naughty children
that she can ________ and put into her ________ to boil them up and eat
them. The only way to escape this terrible ________, is for the children to
repent and ask ________ for their bad behaviour.
Perhaps one of the nicer Icelandic tales concerns Gryla’s sons. The
Yulede Lads are actually like thirteen ________ or Father Christmases. Icelandic children place a ________ in their
bedroom window each evening in the 13 days before Christmas. Every night, one Yulede Lad visits, leaving sweets and
small gis or rong potatoes, in their shoe, depending on how that parcular child has behaved on the ________ day.
Although these tales are only stories, Gryla, her sons and the Christmas Cat ensure that Icelandic children everywhere
are as good as ________ at Christmas.
Adapted from: hp://www.iceland.is/the-big-picture/news/celebrang-christmas-with-13-trolls/7916/
20
1
5
10
15
Are you sick of geng or new pyjamas at Christmas? If you lived in Iceland you would certainly be grateful if
your presents contained something to . Even a hideous Christmas jumper would be a welcome gi because it
would prevent you from being eaten by Jólaköurinn the Christmas Cat!
Old Icelandic folklore states that every Icelander must receive a new piece of clothing for Christmas or they will nd
themselves in danger. An enormous black cat is a said to around the snowy streets on Christmas Eve,
through windows, looking for people who haven’t kept this simple rule. Not wearing something new on
Christmas Eve? will eat you!
However, perhaps worse sll is Jólaköurinn’s owner: Gryla. Tradional
tales tell of a giant ogress, who is part troll, part animal, that lives up in the
with her cat, her third husband and her thirteen children. At
Christmas Gryla and her sons, who are also known as the Yulede Lads,
come down from the mountains. Gryla looks for naughty children that she
can and put into her to boil them up and eat them.
The only way to escape this terrible , is for the children to repent and
ask for their bad behaviour.
Perhaps one of the nicer Icelandic tales concerns Gryla’s thirteen sons. The Yulede Lads are actually like thirteen
or Father Christmases. Icelandic children place a in their bedroom window each evening in the 13 days
before Christmas. Every night, one Yulede Lad visits, leaving sweets and small gis or rong potatoes, in their show,
depending on how that parcular child has behaved on the day.
Although these tales are only stories, Gryla, her sons and the Christmas Cat ensure that Icelandic children everywhere
are as good as at Christmas.
Adapted from: hp://www.iceland.is/the-big-picture/news/celebrang-christmas-with-13-trolls/7916/
20
(Except for Big Talk quesons!)
1. What stories, tales and tradions do we have here in the UK
at Christmas and New Year? Discuss and make a list in your
group.
2. Summarise the three tales menoned in the arcle about Christmas in Iceland. Write a
sentence or two describing each one in your journal.
3. Would you prefer a shoe full of presents every day for thirteen days or do you prefer
exchanging gis on Christmas morning? Why? Why not?
4. Do you think it is right or appropriate for parents in Iceland to tell their
children about these scary stories to make them behave? Discuss in your
group and be prepared to share your answers with the class.
