Þorrablót
Celebration Plans
Þóra is a half-troll girl that lives in the Woodpile…she and the Jul Lad have invited the Quimper Hittys to celebrate the Icelandic midwinter feast, Þorrablót. The plan is for Þóra to serve some treats while the Jul Lad declaims Icelandic Sagas…
Skeptical but Curious
Some of the Hittys put on their Icelandic Sweaters and get ready to party! They become slightly less enthusiastic when they hear about a typical Þorrablót menu which includes rotten shark’s meat (hákarl), boiled sheep’s head, (svið) and congealed sheep’s blood wrapped in a ram’s stomach (blóðmör)…but curiosity overrides skepticism.
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Cookies!
Þóra and the Jul Lad are sensitive to cultural squeamishness, and are only offering axe-shaped cookies and poetry. The first day of the month of Þorri, is Bóndadagur, when the women of the family are supposed to be extra nice to the guys, and the guys prove their fitness by running around the outside of the house, in the snow, wearing nothing, and carrying an axe.
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Bemusement
I am very glad for these girls that their squeamishness was not tested. I hope they could avert their eyes if the owner of the woodshed decided to strip down and circle the shed with axe.
I would have liked to hear the Jul Lad declaim a Saga though – I suspect he was around to witness some of those events in person!
Jul Lad’s are very long-lived! If he did perform the ceremony, it was after the Hittys had gone to bed. He and Þóra enjoyed the entire Þorrablót feast though.
What a fabulous festivity for the girls to participate in. At first I thought Min could provide the honours with the axe and no panties but I have realised she is a girlie 🙂 I wish we could be on hand to hear the declamation of the Vinland Sagas! You don’t drink mead with this, but what do the Icelandic bards drink?
Given that I don’t know whether some of my Hettys are now in Iceland (they are, some of the, travelling I know not where) … it’s possible that one of them might ‘blow in’ on your party!
Min can be casual about her clothes, it is true, but prefers to keep covered in the winter! I wonder if there are any Hettys in Iceland – if they are, I am sure they will learn interesting things about the culture.
PS, I am VERY taken with Þóra – she is really beautiful and full of spirit. Does she hail from Iceland herself?
Þóra was made here in Victoria, (though not by me) and was obviously half troll, with her bewitching personality, and little tail.
Oh I am relieved they don’t have to eat the main feast! Sounded rather um…risky for the Hitty family.
I love your Hitty sweaters, did you make them and do you have a pattern? Would love to make one for Hitty Madge!
The Hittys were glad to dodge the feast. I bought all the Hitty sweaters in Iceland two years ago, the bulkier ones were at the Eyafjallajokull Visitor’s Centre, and Min’s little sweater and hat were purchased in Hofn.
Oh well solves that problem them! They are great how wonderful that they fit so well.
As always, I am charmed and enchanted by the magic that you spin! I adore your blog!!!! 🙂
High praise from a spinner! Thank you!
what a relief that Min and the girls did not have to partake of that menu. But what an education for the rest of
us. Thanks for the recipe and the wonderful story and photos. Such a fun episode. we love the half troll girl
and always enjoy it when she makes an appearance.
Þóra is rather shy and retiring as is the Jul Lad, but they like the rest of us are looking for things to cheer themselves up this winter!
What a wonderful celebration. I love the cookie axes!
I was mystified at what could be the purpose of an axe-shaped cooky-cutter, until I learned about Þorrablót…it is obviously an Icelandic relic.
I was wondering how you did them. 🙂