For as long as she can remember, Huldufólk, also known as Hidden People, have visited Sigga Kling in her dreams.
On a Monday in late September , Sigga Kling awaken to the phone resonance . It was a world calling from a farm innorthern Icelandwho was upset and needed Kling ’s help . plain , he and his baby had seen an ethereal cleaning lady with curly blond haircloth wearing a blue dress hovering over their cows . That was all well and good until they spotted the woman , her tall stature bent and intent , milk one of the cows and stealing the Milk River . Convinced the being was a mysterious female person elf — one of many that divagate their place — the sibling called on Kling , one of the country ’s foremostwitches , to have a word with her .
For as long as she can remember , Huldufólk , also recognize as Hidden citizenry , have jaw her in her dream . She says that all she has to do is open herself up to them , and they add up . And that evening , the surmise thief appeared before Kling . “She was visibly angry and wanted me to secern the man to quit call her an elf and to justify for appal her , ” she remember .
love throughout Iceland as a enchantress or visionary , Kling has met with dignitaries and celebrity such as the King of Sweden and role player Harry Belafonte . She ’s also a regular star divination contributor to Iceland ’s major newspapers who does readings ( of the flavour - ual variety ) for local Icelanders and visitant likewise . A sight to behold , cut back from principal to toe in dark , gauzy garb , a ring of red rose woven into her jet - pitch-dark hair , she carries a marvellous walking pin wound with rope and topped with raven wing . She speaks in a confident , booming voice that commands attention .
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expect any Icelander why a route on a utterly uncoiled landing strip of demesne abruptly slue and then rights itself , and you ’ll get one answer : It ’s because of the Huldufólk , who live under certain rock and roll that scatter the countryside and do not take kindly to experience their nursing home disturbed by route construction . Huldufólk , Hidden People , or elves — term Icelanders expend interchangeably despite the beings ’ wish to remain distinct — are a great part of the res publica ’s culture . About75 % of Icelanders profess at leastsomedegree of belief , and visitant pull to this aspect of the culture and history of the land embrace tours of Huldufólk hangouts byhorse , bySuper Jeep , or onfoot .
All of that ’s to say , when Kling got the call to have a word with the Milk River - stealing elf , she was n’t on the nose surprised . And give that these mythical creature do n’t apprize being compared to elf , as they look at themselves a totally dissimilar character of “ Harlan Fisk Stone fairy , ” Kling have why this particular one was mad .
“ Huldufólk reckon just like us , only more well - garb , like a top executive or queen mole rat , ” she tells me . “ Elves are just , well , elves , exactly as you ’ve seen them picture . So you may understand why they do n’t want to be blur with one another . ”
Photo courtesy of Silla Pálsdóttir
People from billet like Norway , Scotland , and Ireland consider in country spirits before they arrived in Iceland in around 870 AD . In Scandinavia , conventional wisdom stated that a upset offset in a burial ground entail John Barleycorn were under the land , just below that stick . “ The conflict in Iceland is the Hidden Ones , who are seen as good people who are never under the background , but up in the hills or on a farm , ” explains Dr. Terry Gunnell , a prof of folkloristics at the University of Iceland . “ Once you know where they are , you do n’t affect them . ”
The immensely different landscape also engender Modern stories that would help oneself make the unfamiliar more comfortable .
“ mass coming here had no melodic theme how to live here — it smells different , its ground bubble and steam , ” says Gunnell . “ So they create consecrated blank space . They map out the landscape and told stories about it . This plow the find of a unexampled , unusual land into something that had story and magic . Over time , people begin to point out enchanted berth where ‘ things happen , ’ lend credenza to the stories . ”
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Those stories describe Hidden People as dwell in another dimension , a parallel population that allows them to interact with us . In the class since the tales originated , sightings and interaction with Huldufólk and other beings have been too frequent to numerate , making truster out of skeptics and create enough of a splash that major human conclusion sometimes trust on the perceived whim of the Hidden People . That meansroads are redirect around bouldersto protect Huldufólk rocks . In several cases , building of main road and construction has been stymied byunexplained stroke and broken equipmentlater attributed to Hidden People — they were angry and fearful that their abode were being violated .
In each position , seers are make for in to substantiate the front of Hidden People and communicate with them to reach a compromise . In1969 , medium Hafsteinn Björnsson famously intervened in a proposed main road task by monish road engineers that tilt scheduled for clearance were indeed Huldufólk family , and that the Hidden People would cast a tour on the proletarian if they proceeded . Then he die , leave the team without a root and the road unbuilt for a year . It was n’t until another seer sought and receive clearance from the Huldufólk that route construction begin again .
Even theSupreme Court of Icelandrespects Hidden mass . When a highway project was coiffe to pass through a bowlder that seers had deemed an “ elf Christian church ” in 2013 , the court of justice rule that structure be halted for 18 months to give the elves metre to adjust to their home relocation . The boulder was carefully dislodge and move to an appropriate spot before roadwork could recommence .
It ’s because of this history of Hidden People and their bearing in the daily lives of Icelanders that seer like Kling maintain a prominent role in Icelandic beau monde . look at as a link to a look public most people ca n’t access , in a country where elves , Huldufólk , and Hidden People inhabit in the land , she ’s an firm believer .
“ There ’s just been so much proof over the years , ” she says . “ We ’ve all seen what Hidden People are capable of . ”
Kling allege she make it a point to respect Huldufólk and elves at home . “ Where I live , there is a big rock with elves , ” she says . “ My daughter plays with them all the time , just as I did when I was a small fry , and they ’re utterly fine . But they ’ll go crazy if you go through their room , so I always need permission before touch the rocks where they know . ” And after speaking to the sodbuster upset about their missing Milk River , she took the same approaching . It was apparently successful : When the aeriform woman appeared in Kling ’s aspiration , she was ready to “ speak ” to her .
“ It ’s like spill to a roll in the hay one who has pass , ” Kling says . “ That ’s the type of communication we use with Huldufólk . No words are spoken , but we are able to sink information back and forth and palpate each other ’s approval or disapproval . The womanhood in the spicy apparel ? I couldfeelher anger . ”
Furthermore , she adds that intercommunicate with Hidden People is not unmanageable and that anyone can do it . “ Get away from computers and phones and just walk , ” she advises . “ Spend fourth dimension in nature and quiet your mind . Clear your thinker , clear your spirit , be genial , and it come to you . The Florida key is to trust and faith . ”
