Creatures of The Snow and Ice

Winter will soon be here for many of us and I thought it would be nice to have a few winter tales ready. They are short and easy to remember.

In the Swiss mythology there is a dwarfs who live in the mountains, they are called Barbegazi. They have long white beards and huge feet. They go about the mountains skiing on their enormous feet. When summer arrives, they hibernate in their caves. Very few people have seen them, but a few shepards have claimed that the Barbegazi have helped them find lost sheep.

In Germanic mythology there was giant named Ymir. Ymir rose up from a poisonous mix of ice and water. He was

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incredibly strong. He would take nourishment from the milk of a cow. This huge giant was killed by the gods. Then Ymir’s body was used for the creation of the world.

In Japanese folklore there is a snow woman named Yuki-onna. She is said to be very lovely, tall with long hair. Yuki-onna is suppose to glide across the snow, leaving no footprints. If anyone sees her or gets too close to her, she can disappear into a cloud of mist.

In the legends some people say she is evil. That during a snow storm, she will lead people astray. While others say she is good, saying she helps people find their way back to safety if they get lost in a snow storm.