The story of two cute little children lost in the woods might seem sweet enough, but in an early French version the evil witch is replaced by the devil himself who wants to bleed Hansel and Gretel to death on a sawhorse. When I read about Krampus again on the FairytaleTraveler some more things became clear and I was thrilled to learn something new, […], […] holiday in China. In some legends Krampus has been associated with or said to be a version of the Norse god Loki, who is at times portrayed as a horned devilish trickster figure. I found it funny that adults would tell children something so absurd in order to scare the pants off of them so they would behave. Which he did, saving the village. Whatever the case, there’s no arguing that the traditional German holiday monster is rampaging his way into the American Christmas scene. The pub which the sly fox is running away from is base on the Wagon & Horses at Beckhampton which is about 7miles from where I live. The mermaid’s sisters trade their hair for a dagger from the sea in an attempt to save their kin, but the unbelievably besotted heroine fails to go through with the task out of love for her prince and is sentenced to a foamy fate. And as long as there are cool legends to be explored, I’ll be right there in the mix. He is usually seen smoking a cigar. Legends say that he joined St. Nicholas on his treks the night before St. Nicholas’ feast. The Fairytale Traveler. This beast with Germanic roots is St. Nicholas's other half and scares children into being nice, not naughty. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights. No, I don’t mean Santa, I mean his alter ego Krampus; a popular Christmas tradition in European countries such as southern Germany, Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic. It follows the adventures of Christa and her son Gauge as they explore the world's magical, otherworldly and fairytale-like places, places that inspired great stories, film locations, creepy places, historic sites, castles, and just about anything suited for royalty. High quality greeting card, no message, individually wrapped with envelope. Krampus takes the form of a more polite and serious Demonic Spirit. He is usually very willing to do his master's bidding. So the next time you hear a distant jingle on a cold December night, don’t be so quick to assume it’s good ol’ St. Nick. Modern versions of Snow White’s tale have fallen far from the tree. He sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, he knows if you’ve been bad or good so be good for goodness sake! Perhaps the dark-hearted Krampus provides a needed counterpoint to the relentless blitz of sugarplums-and-candy canes imagery of the Christmas season – a “yin” to the “yang” of Hallmark holiday TV specials and cheery department store Santa’s workshop dioramas. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. [3] “The Krampus is the yin to St. Nick’s yang,” Seghers tells Smithsonian.com. His payment, any favor of his choice, has not been made yet, something that chills Okami to the bones. He wanders around aimlessly and in agony but is eventually guided back to Rapunzel when he hears her voice. I’ve heard of Krampus before but vaguely. Making a contract with him in hurry, Krampus was given the order to kill the attackers. His saints day falls in early December, which helped strengthen his association with the Yuletide season. As awful and frightening as Krampus might seem, it could be a solution in a country with a generation full of “naughty” children that feel deserving without earning. The night (December 5th) preceding St. Nicholas’ feast is nowadays known as Krampushnacht or Krampus Night. However, Okami was disgraced for using the sacred item, and kicked out from the village. Holiday Special 2013 . Many European cultures not only welcomed the kindly man as a figure of generosity and benevolence to reward the good, but they also feared his menacing counterparts who punished the bad. It is the rhapsody of two seasons that meet briefly and dance together... where fading summer day... Editor's note: I am still busy making decisions on the Krampus anthology submissions, but Scott's fascinating information on Krampus is well worth reading on this eve of Christmas Eve--even though Krampus usually visits earlier in the month of December. While St. Nicholas would reward the good with gifts and treats, Krampus would punish the bad. I would like to think that if I had had the fear of Krampus that I might have made some different choices in my growing up.-Tak. It follows the adventures of Christa and her son Gauge as they explore the world's magical, otherworldly and fairytale-like places, places that inspired great stories, film locations, creepy places, historic sites, castles, and just about anything suited for royalty. This version of St. Nicholas isn’t accompanied by eight reindeer, however, but rather by a dreadful, demonic character known as the, The origins of the Krampus legend stretch back to pre-Christian folklore — a cautionary avatar of the hazards of going abroad on a dark, snowy night. On this day the young men of the Alpine area dress up and wander through the streets with bells clanging to signify their approach, ready to chase children (and sometimes curious tourists) with their chains and whips. series, Grimm. The original French story by Charles Perrault strays far from the popular path and ends with those famously big teeth. It just may be Krampus coming to drag you to hell! Feel free to email me with questions! Krampus is the opposite of Santa Clause. BUt there is one story with a (kind of) happy ending. In the original story, the evil queen is actually Snow White’s real mother, who has sent a huntsman to not only kill her daughter but to also bring back her liver and lungs, which she intends to eat.

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