What is the name of the legendary sea monster, with a name meaning 'Octopus', that was said to have dwelled off the coasts of Norway and Iceland?
"Kraken The kraken () is a legendary cephalopod-like sea monster of giant size that is said to dwell off the coasts of Norway and Greenland. Authors over the years have postulated that the legend originated from sightings of giant squids that may grow to 13–15 meters (40–50 feet) in length. The sheer size and fearsome appearance attributed to the kraken have made it a common ocean-dwelling monster in various fictional works. The English word ""kraken"" is taken from Norwegian. In both Norwegian and Swedish ""Kraken"" is the definite form of ""krake"", a word designating an unhealthy animal or something twisted"
"Hafgufa Hafgufa (Icelandic, ""haf"" ""sea"" + ""gufa"" ""steam"") is the name of a massive sea monster reported in the ""Örvar-Odds"" saga to have existed in the Greenland Sea which was said to disguise itself as an island or pair of rocks rising from the sea. In ""Konungs skuggsjá"", an Old Norwegian philosophical didactic work written toward the end of the 12th century, the King told his son of several whales that inhabit the Icelandic seas, concluding with a description of a large whale that he himself feared, but he doubted anyone would believe him about without seeing it. He described"
"Iku-Turso Iku-Turso (, ""the eternal Turso""; also known as Iku-Tursas, Iki-Tursas, Meritursas, Tursas, Turisas among others) is a malevolent sea monster in Finnish mythology. Nowadays ""Meritursas"" means octopus in Finnish, named after Iku-Turso, but originally ""tursas"" is an old name for walrus while the more common term is ""mursu"". However, it is more common to see the word """" (lit. ""ink fish""), the name of its Subclass Coleoidea in Finnish, for the octopus. The name of the monster is probably related to the Proto-Germanic ""*Þurisaz"" (""giant""). His appearance remains unclear, but he is described with several epithets: ""partalainen"" (the one"
"and Echidna in the Greek mythology and maybe even the Leviathan, confirm that. In Norse mythology, ""Jörmungandr"", or ""Midgarðsormr"" was a sea serpent so long that it encircled the entire world, Midgard. Some stories report of sailors mistaking its back for a chain of islands. Sea serpents also appear frequently in later Scandinavian folklore, particularly in that of Norway. In 1028 AD, Saint Olaf is said to have killed a sea serpent in Valldal, Norway, throwing its body onto the mountain Syltefjellet. Marks on the mountain are associated with the legend. In Swedish ecclesiastic and writer Olaus Magnus's ""Carta marina"","
"(cognate with the English ""crook"" and ""crank""). In modern German, ""Krake"" (plural and declined singular: ""Kraken"") means octopus, but can also refer to the legendary kraken. In the late-13th-century version of the Old Icelandic saga ""Örvar-Oddr"" is an inserted episode of a journey bound for Helluland (Baffin Island) which takes the protagonists through the Greenland Sea, and here they spot two massive sea-monsters called Hafgufa (""sea mist"") and Lyngbakr (""heather-back""). The ""hafgufa"" is believed to be a reference to the kraken: After returning from Greenland, the anonymous author of the Old Norwegian natural history work ""Konungs skuggsjá"" (""circa"" 1250) described"
"of 8 serpents gnawing on the roots of Yggdrasil: Nidhöggr, Gravvitnir, Moin, Goin, Grábakr, Grafvölluðr, Svafnir and Ofnir. Sea serpents were giant cryptozoological creatures once believed to live in water, whether sea monsters such as the Leviathan or lake monsters such as the Loch Ness Monster. If they were referred to as ""sea snakes"", they were understood to be the actual snakes that live in Indo-Pacific waters (Family Hydrophiidae). Snakes entwined the staffs both of Hermes (the caduceus) and of Asclepius, where a single snake entwined the rough staff. On Hermes' caduceus, the snakes were not merely duplicated for symmetry,"
"who bore all the monsters in the sea. The rocks had surely been the nose of Hafgufa; the island, Lyngbakr; Ögmundar Eyþjófsbana had summoned the beasts to kill Oddr and his men. Both the lyngbakur and hafgufa seem to have derived from a single creature called the ""aspidochelone"" in the ""Physiologus"". The Icelandic Physiologus contains two illustrations of the aspidochelone, one with its back overgrown with vegetation and another with gaping jaws. ""Örvar-Odds"". Lyngbakr Lyngbakr (Icelandic, ""lyngi"" ""heather"" + ""bak"" ""back"") is the name of a massive whale-like sea monster reported in the ""Örvar-Odds"" saga to have existed in the"
"islands of Orkney, Shetland and the Faroes. The Baltic Sea is created where its tongue falls out, and when the creature finally curls up into a tight knot and dies, its body becomes Iceland. True to his word, once the skies clear and the earth settles, the king relinquishes his kingdom to Assipattle, who marries Princess Gem-de-lovely. As promised, the king also gives Odin's magic sword to Assipattle. The stoor worm is likely to be an Orkney variant of the Norse Jörmungandr, or world serpent, also known as the Midgard Serpent. The Orcadian folklorist Marwick highlights the similarity between the"
"England. Another account of an encounter with a sea monster comes from July 1734. Hans Egede, a Dano-Norwegian missionary, reported that on a voyage to Godthåb on the western coast of Greenland he observed: a most terrible creature, resembling nothing they saw before. The monster lifted its head so high that it seemed to be higher than the crow's nest on the mainmast. The head was small and the body short and wrinkled. The unknown creature was using giant fins which propelled it through the water. Later the sailors saw its tail as well. The monster was longer than our"
"many marine monsters of varied form, including an immense sea serpent, appear. In his 1555 work ""History of the Northern Peoples"", Magnus gives the following description of a Norwegian sea serpent: Those who sail up along the coast of Norway to trade or to fish, all tell the remarkable story of how a serpent of fearsome size, 200 feet long and 20 feet wide, resides in rifts and caves outside Bergen. On bright summer nights this serpent leaves the caves to eat calves, lambs and pigs, or it fares out to the sea and feeds on sea nettles, crabs and"
"Blackwood and Laurence Marcellus Larson presumed the beasts mentioned in the ""konungs skuggsjá"", St. Brendan's saga, and several other sea monster sightings must have been what they knew as the kraken. Hafgufa Hafgufa (Icelandic, ""haf"" ""sea"" + ""gufa"" ""steam"") is the name of a massive sea monster reported in the ""Örvar-Odds"" saga to have existed in the Greenland Sea which was said to disguise itself as an island or pair of rocks rising from the sea. In ""Konungs skuggsjá"", an Old Norwegian philosophical didactic work written toward the end of the 12th century, the King told his son of several"
"were confined to countries beginning to move away from primitive beliefs and possibly evolved ""out of the suppression of human sacrifices to divinities in bestial form."" Stoor worm The stoor worm, or Mester Stoor Worm, was a gigantic evil sea serpent of Orcadian folklore, capable of contaminating plants and destroying animals and humans with its putrid breath. It is probably an Orkney variant of the Norse Jörmungandr, also known as the Midgard Serpent, or world serpent, and has been described as a sea dragon. The king of one country threatened by the beast's arrival was advised to offer it a"
"Lyngbakr Lyngbakr (Icelandic, ""lyngi"" ""heather"" + ""bak"" ""back"") is the name of a massive whale-like sea monster reported in the ""Örvar-Odds"" saga to have existed in the Greenland Sea. According to the saga, Lyngbakr would bait seafarers by posing as a heather-covered island, and when a crew landed on his back, he sank into the sea, drowning the crew. As Örvar-Oddr and his crew were sailing southwesterly through the Greenland Sea, the deck officer Vignir knew this area would be dangerous, and made Oddr agree to sail the ship beginning the next day, to which Oddr requested Vignir advise him."
"St. Augustine Monster The St. Augustine Monster is the name given to a large carcass, originally postulated to be the remains of a gigantic octopus, that washed ashore on the United States coast near St. Augustine, Florida in 1896. It is sometimes referred to as the Florida Monster or the St. Augustine Giant Octopus and is one of the earliest recorded examples of a globster. The species that the carcass supposedly represented has been assigned the binomial names Octopus giganteus (Latin for ""giant octopus"") and Otoctopus giganteus (Greek prefix: ""oton"" = ""ear""; ""giant-eared octopus""), although these are not valid under"
"Gigantic octopus An unknown species of gigantic octopus has been hypothesised as a source of reports of sea monsters such as the lusca, kraken and akkorokamui as well as the source of some of the carcasses of unidentified origin known as globsters like the St. Augustine Monster. The species that the St. Augustine carcass supposedly represented has been assigned the binomial names """"Octopus giganteus"""" () and """"Otoctopus giganteus"""" (Greek prefix: ""oton"" = ear; giant-eared octopus), although these are not valid under the rules of the ICZN. They are not to be confused with the known giant Pacific octopus, which is"
"Gigantic octopus An unknown species of gigantic octopus has been hypothesised as a source of reports of sea monsters such as the lusca, kraken and akkorokamui as well as the source of some of the carcasses of unidentified origin known as globsters like the St. Augustine Monster. The species that the St. Augustine carcass supposedly represented has been assigned the binomial names """"Octopus giganteus"""" () and """"Otoctopus giganteus"""" (Greek prefix: ""oton"" = ear; giant-eared octopus), although these are not valid under the rules of the ICZN. They are not to be confused with the known giant Pacific octopus, which is"
"Stoor worm The stoor worm, or Mester Stoor Worm, was a gigantic evil sea serpent of Orcadian folklore, capable of contaminating plants and destroying animals and humans with its putrid breath. It is probably an Orkney variant of the Norse Jörmungandr, also known as the Midgard Serpent, or world serpent, and has been described as a sea dragon. The king of one country threatened by the beast's arrival was advised to offer it a weekly sacrifice of seven virgins. In desperation the king eventually issued a proclamation offering his kingdom, his daughter's hand in marriage and a magic sword to"
"anyone who could destroy the monster. Assipattle, the youngest son of a local farmer, defeated the creature; as it died its teeth fell out to become the islands of Orkney, Shetland and the Faroes, and its body became Iceland. Similarities between Assipatle's defeat of the monster and other dragon-slayer tales, including Herakles' destruction of a sea monster to save Hesione, have been noted by several authors. It has been suggested that tales of this genre evolved during a period of enlightenment, when human sacrifices to bestial divinities were beginning to be suppressed. The name ""stoor worm"" may be derived from"
"until they hatch, after which she also dies. Strategies to defend themselves against predators include the expulsion of ink, the use of camouflage and threat displays, their abilities to jet quickly through the water and hide, and even through deceit. All octopuses are venomous, but only the blue-ringed octopuses are known to be deadly to humans. Octopuses appear in mythology as sea monsters like the Kraken of Norway and the Akkorokamui of the Ainu, and probably the Gorgon of ancient Greece. A battle with an octopus appears in Victor Hugo's book ""Toilers of the Sea"", inspiring other works such as"
"in Nordic myth. Sea monsters lived in every ocean from the seven-headed crocodile-serpent Leviathan of Hebrew myth to the sea-god Koloowisi of the Zuni people of North America and the Greek monster Scylla with twelve snake-necks. In some cultures, eels (which spend their early lives in freshwater before returning to the sea as adults) were regarded as magical creatures. Rivers and lakes often had snake-gods or snake-guardians including Untekhi the fearsome water-spirit of the Missouri River. Until recently, some northern European communities held well dressing ceremonies to appease the snake-spirits which lived in village wells and told legends of saints"
"and the same (""bäckahästen""). In Scandinavian folklore, dragons are commonly known as ""lindworms"", monstrous serpents with or without hind legs. In Sweden, Norway and Denmark, they typically live in the ocean, and here, tales of marine monsters appear to have the widest dissemination, although a famous specimen is also said to reside in the Swedish lake ""Storsjön"". The Norwegian lake ""Seljordsvatnet"" is also famous for its claimed inhabitant, a serpent known as ""Selma"". The coasts of Scandinavia are reportedly also haunted by the terrifying ""Kraken"". Sea serpents, with their glowing eyes and long manes, are also prevalent in Scandinavian folklore,"
"an Icelandic biologist who has extensively studied the lake, both of these could explain some but not all of the sightings, while traditional legendary material could explain some of the stories. Lagarfljót Worm In Icelandic folklore, the Lagarfljótsormur or Lagarfljót worm is an Icelandic lake monster purported to live in Lagarfljót, a lake by the town of Egilsstaðir. Sightings have been logged since 1345 and continue into the 21st century, including a 2012 video supposedly showing the creature swimming. An origin of the creature is given in Jón Árnason's collection of Icelandic folktales and legends published in 1862. The serpentine"
"Jörmungandr In Norse mythology, Jörmungandr (, pronounced , meaning ""huge monster""), also known as the Midgard (World) Serpent (), is a sea serpent, the middle child of the giantess Angrboða and Loki. According to the ""Prose Edda"", Odin took Loki's three children by Angrboða—the wolf Fenrir, Hel, and Jörmungandr—and tossed Jörmungandr into the great ocean that encircles Midgard. The serpent grew so large that he was able to surround the earth and grasp his own tail. As a result, he received the name of the Midgard Serpent or World Serpent. When he releases his tail, Ragnarök will begin. Jörmungandr's arch-enemy"
"have gained more support. However, ""Hversu Noregr byggðist"", dating from the former part of the 13th century, is by most opinions referring to the White Sea when it uses the term Gandvik. Gandvik In Norse mythology, Gandvik is a dangerous sea, known as ""Bay of Serpents"" because of its tortuous shape. Saxo Grammaticus stated that Gandvik was an old name for the Baltic Sea (a name misspelt Grandvik in some translations). The legend presumably refers to Gulf of Bothnia. However, there are two opposite theories about where Gandvik was situated, based on the 1323 Treaty of Nöteborg: in the Arctic"
"for a long time and there is a plethora of witness descriptions of encounters with Seljordsdormen, especially from hot, quiet summer. The oldest written account of the creature is from 1750, when it should have rounded a rowboat with a move lass who belonged to a man from Bø , but also in our time alleges certain that they have observed worm or lakeside Skien river. Various expeditions have repeatedly visited Seljord in a vain attempt to prove that Seljord Serpent exists. Selma (lake monster) In Norwegian folklore, Selma is a large snake-like lake monster said to live in the"
"authorised version. The song appears in the Icelandic Viking movie ""In the Shadow of the Raven"". Ormurin Langi Ormurin Langi (""The Long Serpent"") is a ballad type song (kvæði) in the Faroe Islands. It was written ca. 1830 by Jens Christian Djurhuus. The song has 86 verses and is in Faeroese, and deals with the Norwegian king Olaf Tryggvason. The title ""Ormurin Langi"" refers to Olaf Tryggvason's ship with the same name (Ormrinn Langi in Old Norse). Around 1800 there was an increasing amount of attention paid to the store of Faroese folk ballads (kvæði), which survived in the oral"
"Selma (lake monster) In Norwegian folklore, Selma is a large snake-like lake monster said to live in the 13 km long Lake Seljord in Seljord, Telemark, Norway. Various expeditions have repeatedly visited Seljord in a vain attempt to prove that Selma exist. Swedish cryptozoologist, Jan Ove Sundberg, has been trying to capture Selma for a number of years, but has not succeeded. The sea serpent Selma has been depicted in the coat of arms of Seljord since 1989. Designed by local artist, Halvor Holtskog, the arms show Selma in a gold-color on a red background. The animal has been discussed"
"Lagarfljót Worm In Icelandic folklore, the Lagarfljótsormur or Lagarfljót worm is an Icelandic lake monster purported to live in Lagarfljót, a lake by the town of Egilsstaðir. Sightings have been logged since 1345 and continue into the 21st century, including a 2012 video supposedly showing the creature swimming. An origin of the creature is given in Jón Árnason's collection of Icelandic folktales and legends published in 1862. The serpentine creature is said to live in Lagarfljót, a freshwater, below-sea-level, glacial-fed lake which has very poor visibility as a result of siltation. It is described as longer than a bus, or"
"removed from the list in November 2005. Storsjöodjuret In Swedish folklore, the Storsjöodjuret (, literally ""The Great-Lake Monster"") is a lake monster said to live in the lake Storsjön in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. The lake monster is first attested in 1635. When the only city located by Storsjön, Östersund, celebrated its 200-year anniversary in 1986 Storsjöodjuret along with its offspring and nest became protected by law, a law which was revoked in 2005. Storsjöodjuret is described as a serpentine or aquatic reptile with fins across its back and the head of a dog. It is reported to"
"the serpent's venom. John Lindow draws a parallel between Jörmungandr's biting of its own tail and the binding of Fenrir, as part of a recurring theme of the bound monster in Norse mythology, where an enemy of the gods is bound but destined to break free at Ragnarok. Asteroid 471926 Jörmungandr was named after the fictional sea serpent. The official was published by the Minor Planet Center on 25 September 2018 (). Jörmungandr In Norse mythology, Jörmungandr (, pronounced , meaning ""huge monster""), also known as the Midgard (World) Serpent (), is a sea serpent, the middle child of the"
"Morgawr (folklore) In Cornish folklore, the Morgawr (meaning ""sea giant"" in Cornish) is a sea serpent that purportedly inhabits the sea near Falmouth Bay, Cornwall, England. According to legend, the creature first appeared near Pendennis Point in 1975, described as having a trunk with a very long neck and black or brown skin ""like a sea lion's"". Local mackerel fisherman blamed bad weather and poor fishing on supposed sightings of the monster. Some versions of the story say the monster appeared after German submarine U28 torpedoed a British merchant ship during World War I, and describe it as 60 feet"
"landed sooner, the crew would have surely drowned. The ""rocks"" and ""island"" must have been two sea monsters—the great whale Lyngbakr, and Hafgufa. The rocks had surely been the nose of Hafgufa; the island, Lyngbakr; Ögmundar Eyþjófsbana had allegedly summoned the beasts to kill Oddr and his men. The 17th-century Danish physician Thomas Bartholin once published in a journal that he recalled having heard about St. Brendan saying Mass obliviously atop Hafgufa (he was either mistaken or misinformed; or possibly interpreted it with his own local gloss; the correct beast in this legend was the giant fish Jasconius). Later, William"
"(""Glittering Nymph""), which remains very popular and which is frequently sung in renditions by numerous artists. Jofur Jofur (from Old Norse ""Jöfurr"": ""wild boar"") is a name used in Nordic literature for the thunder god, mainly as a synonym for Jupiter. Jofur probably originated in the writings of the 17th-century Swedish scientist and writer Olaus Rudbeckius, and has since been used in Nordic poetry, mainly during the Baroque and Rococo eras. Jofur (as a god) does not appear in Norse mythology, even though the word was also used as an honorary title for kings and heroes. The most famous use"