Friday, 27 July 2012

Stories: Gryla, the Icelandic Monster

In my sketchbook, I wrote briefly about Gryla and Leppaludi.

This research started off with a tale I heard from a character say in 'Criminal Minds'. 'Dr Spencer Reid' mentions of an 'evil santa being' that basically climbs down chimneys and eats children, rather than bestowing gifts.
I've tried to find this tale that he mentions of, but was unable to find a shred. Instead I kept coming across B moveies about evil santas.
Eventually, after strolling through google, I finally came across something that sounded equally interesting:

Gryla and Leppaludi:
The story of these characters originates from Iceland, however, it is said it derived from Norway, as settlers from there made homage in Iceland:

[The following quote/s have been translated from Icelandic to English with Google translate.]
'No one knows what Bugatti is originated, but it is first mentioned in the Prose Edda, 13 century, indicating that because it came with settlers from Norway to Iceland.' [link]

Gryla and Leppaludi are depicted as a pair/couple, that steal and eat children who have been naughty at Christmas.

'To this day they are used to frighten children, and those children know as well as they ever did that Grýla likes nothing better than feasting on naughty children.'  [link]


The two are described as humanoid-like beings, that descend from ogers/trolls.
Some of the tales about the two vary in difference:


'Bugatti has the old stories either three or hausa hausa three hundred and three eyes in each head. It has also been said that it is a fifteen-tail and tail every hundred balloons, and each made twenty naughty children. It is disgusting claws, horns like a goat hooves on their feet, six ears and teeth as Ovenbaked rocks!'
'Bugatti was one old witch; she tvígift. First her husband was bull.'
'Bugatti is ævagömul. It is mentioned among the trolls of women in the mantra Prose Edda.'
She is gray and Gugga, with claws and hooves, Hornos, large mouth and teeth. All her senses are things too wonderful, she has eyes in the back of the head and ears into the shoulders, the nose is hlykkjótt far. Their eyes glow from the fire and know it is helblá steam. [link]

I think the quote saying 'a fifteen-tail and tail every hundred balloons' means that Gryla had 15 tails and on each tail, there was a 100 bags, all of which had children inside, as this quote will also say:


Although I imagine Gryla's depiction in text monstrously rich, when you see the illustrations  of her, she doesn't appear to look more than an evil witch or old granny. Mostly, she is just depicted as a giant with a bag, hauling in her 'dinner'.
What I also find a little odd, is that for a tale this rich and well known in Iceland, how is it that it is not commonly known elsewhere? It sounds brilliant! - Like something from the BFG [Big Friendly Giant, Ronald Dahl].

Gryla is often referred to by two other names: Bugatti and Godzilla.

Above: Images of Gryla, chasing and snatching naughty children.

'Among other local Christmas moisture is the most famous Bugatti flagðið it is mentioned in the Prose Edda and Sturlunga. Bugatti has traditionally played an important role in child rearing, as her favorite food is meat of wicked children.'

'Bugatti and Leppalúði are old Folklore and much folklore associated with Christmas in Iceland.'
'She appears around Christmas and ate naughty children with the best appetite, though, is not known what she did to the livelihood of other seasons. Bugatti had done nothing with the children if they were good and docile.' [link]

Yule Cat:
It is also said that they have a cat called 'The Yule Cat'. The belief of this story was that if you did not receive any clothes near christmas, the Yule Cat would come to eat you.


'Cat lived with Godzilla and Leppalúði and had the lead a habit to eat those not receiving new clothes for Christmas.' [link]

'Gryla og Leppaludi'

This video appears to be a school Christmas play, most likely held in Iceland. It shows what I believe to be Gryla, Leppaludi and the Yule cat, coming to visit the children and check 'who's been naughty or nice'.
Overall, I really like this tale! I would like to do something with this visually, like retell the story perhaps in an animatic, like in Katy Towell's style a little.
There are many descriptions of the characters, so it makes this widely open for individual visual interpretation.

Sunday, 15 July 2012

Summer Brief: What should my research be about?

A month ago, I went back into my college to get my summer brief. I was told it could be based on anything as long as I could generate a fair amount of research from it. I've thought it over for a while and have decided to base it on stories, myths and legends.

Starting Point:

Now for the hard work to begin. 
The screen shot above is about a fairy tale article from Deviant Art (this is posted on my second blog).
I think it is something I can use or at least look through as a start for my sketchbook research.
It's like an article/debate about the authors of fabled tales of old and how they've influenced, effected the imagination of the generations, etc.

Monster High

About a week ago, I messaged someone called Wendy Sullivan on Deviant Art. 
When she is not generating freelance work, she works on 'Monster High' episodes like this below: 

For me 2D animation and Halloween-ish things are some of my favorite things. So when I saw this I wanted to know how it was created.
Messaging her, I asked if there was any 'making of's or animatics I could find to see any of the processes the episodes undergo. 
A few days later, Wendy wrote back to me. Unfortunately, she said there wasn't anything like that available on the web, but she told me some of the other things they do with the episodes: