Tales from the Island of Serendip 4 4

[Flex Mentallo]

According to a story from the Legenda Aurea, retold by Eelco Verwijs in his 1863 monograph Sinterklaas, one of the miraculous deeds performed by Saint Nicholas after his death consisted of freeing a boy from slavery at the court of the "Emperor of Babylon" and delivering him back to his parents. No mention is made of the boy's skin color. However, over the course of the 20th century, narratives started to surface that claimed Zwarte Piet was a former slave who had been freed by the saint and had subsequently become his lifelong companion.

 

One version of the folklore surrounding the character suggests that Zwarte Piet's blackness is due to a permanent layer of soot on his body acquired during his many trips down the chimneys of the homes he visits.

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Josephine Baker, 1957

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Because of ongoing controversies surrounding the character, many schools, businesses, and other organizations across the Netherlands have begun changing Zwarte Piet's clothing and makeup or phasing the character out entirely.

 

[Flex Mentallo]

There's a female version of Krampus, and she's called Frau Perchta, Berta, Berchte, and even Hulda, depending on the region. She never entirely made the leap into Christianity like Krampus did, and that's probably because she's both sides on the coin of good and evil. Author Al Ridenour writes that she was both a monster and a goddess figure, both hideous and beautiful.

Edited December 26, 2021 by Flex Mentallo

[Flex Mentallo]

Her terrifying, traditional appearances during the 12 days of Christmas were recorded by folklorist Jacob Grimm. He says she was known for giving silver coins to good boys and girls, while the bad ones would be sliced open, disembowelled, and re-stuffed with straw and rocks. A horrible group of evil spirits are under the control of Frau Perchta and she leads them around as she flies across the mountains and plains of Eastern Europe. While she lets this pack of demons do whatever they want to the humans that have behaved badly, it is said she protects the people who are good by keeping her hoard away from them.

[Flex Mentallo]

In Iceland she is even more fearsome. Gryla the Christmas Witch is a cave dwelling ogress. The name Gryla translates loosely to "Growler." She resembles the legend of Krampus with her bag that she tosses naughty children into, but she takes things a step further and actually eats the children.

She once had a husband, but she ate him too when he became boring.

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Krampus's frightening presence was suppressed for many years—the Catholic Church forbade the raucous celebrations, and fascists in World War II Europe found Krampus despicable because it was considered a creation of the Social Dems.

 

 

A more modern take on the tradition in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic involves drunken men dressed as devils, who take over the streets for a Krampuslauf - a Krampus Run of sorts, when people are chased through the streets by the "devils."

Edited December 26, 2021 by Flex Mentallo

[Flex Mentallo]

Today, most Krampusnacht celebrations are pretty tame, although some people do still get hurt. In 2015, The Independent reported on some Krampus-related injuries at a Salzburg parade, but the old-school celebrations make a few bruises look like a walk in the park.

 

Journalist Holly Muller looked at some traditional Austrian tales told by her family members over the years and she says Krampus was a very real threat to kids. Her family told her stories of waiting in the darkness, terrified, hearing the clamor of strange voices coming from outside the window. On that night, they rethought all the life choices they'd made the previous year. Even if you'd been good, there was a very real chance Krampus would burst through your door, grab you and carry you out into the night.

 

[Flex Mentallo]

That Krampus was, of course, someone wearing a costume. Muller's father told her it didn't matter even if you knew that. "It was always the waiting that was the worst. The silence before the onslaught," he said.

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It didn't matter that those people in costume were your neighbors or that they were perfectly normal people every other night of the year.

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On that night, Krampus was totally real.

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No less than 8 movies have been made based upon Krampus and Frau Percha.

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Santa Claus, eat your heart out – and I mean that most sincerely!

[walclark]

Well, that scared the Krampus out of me.  

[Flex Mentallo]

On 12/26/2021 at 9:33 PM, walclark said:

Well, that scared the Krampus out of me.  

My work is done!

[KirbyJack]

Another Flexellent job!