The Skogsrå
Swedish woodsmen once feared a beautiful woman who appeared in the forest at night. Seen from behind, she was hollow, like a rotten tree.
What was reported
The skogsrå, 'keeper of the forest', is a spirit of Swedish folklore. She appears to hunters, charcoal burners and woodcutters as a beautiful woman, often by the fire at night. From behind, she gives herself away: her back is hollow like an old tree trunk, or she has a cow's or fox's tail.
Men who were kind to her might be rewarded with good hunting; those who followed her into the forest could lose their way, or their minds, and pine for her afterwards.
Explanations offered
She is the Swedish form of a spirit known across Scandinavia, like the Norwegian huldra. Her stories reflect the loneliness and danger of long work in the forests.
- When
- Told for centuries
- Where
- Värmland, Sweden
- Witnesses
- Swedish folklore
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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