Gryla

Gryla is a Witch from Icelandic mythology who eats children who behave badly. She’s the mother of 13 children called the Yule lads who give Christmas presents to good children and rotten potatoes to bad children.

 Gryla in Medieval Sources 
In the 13th Century, Snorri Sturluson wrote that Gryla was a name for some female Trolls .  There’s a 17th Century poem about Gryla which says she’s a hermaphrodite.

 Christmas Folklore 
In early stories, Gryla asked parents to give her their badly behaved children so she could punish them. They could get her to leave by giving her food. There are stories about her kidnapping children every Christmas and then eating them.

 In Popular Culture 
Gryla is in the television show The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina played by Heather Doerksen.

Gryla is the main villain of the movie Red One.

Category:Witches
Category:Mythology
Category:Iceland