Some Scandinavian folklore stuff for the holiday season. A Yule goat (straw goat inhabited by a field spirit) delivers some ale to a lonely deildegast out in the winter forest. Art by dontfapgirl.
Some explanation for the lore:
“The Yule goat is a Scandinavian and Northern European Yule and Christmas symbol and tradition. Its origin may be Germanic pagan, and has existed in many variants during Scandinavian history. Modern representations of the Yule goat are typically made of straw. The custom of wassailing is sometimes called “going Yule goat” in Scandinavia.
The function of the Yule goat has differed throughout the ages. In a Scandinavian tradition similar to wassailing, held at either Christmas or Epiphany, young men in costumes would walk between houses singing songs, enacting plays and performing pranks. This tradition is known from the 17th century and continued in places into the early 20th century. The group of Christmas characters would often include the Yule goat, a rowdy and sometimes scary creature demanding gifts. Other traditions are possibly related to the sheaf of corn called the Yule goat. In Sweden, people regarded the Yule goat as an invisible spirit that would appear some time before Christmas to make sure that the Yule preparations were done right.”
“A deildegast, it was said, does not receive peace in the afterlife as a result of enlarging his own territory while alive by moving the border-stone dividing his own and his neighbours territory. After dying, the deildegast was forced to haunt the area near the border-stone until he was able to lift it back to its correct place. This feat proved impossible, however, as the stone would always slip, causing the deildegast to emit a sorrowful scream before trying again to no avail.“