Winter myths and legends steeped in water

Winter is beautiful but also dark, harsh, and often cruel. This most challenging of all seasons has deeply influenced the cultures of many regions around the world, giving rise to fascinating myths and legends. Chilling tales are a specialty of northern societies, frequently intertwining the motif of water – a fitting symbol of winter’s stillness, calm, detachment, and melancholy.

Cailleach, Queen of Winter

In Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, Celtic mythology birthed the goddess-witch Cailleach, also known as Beira. According to ancient beliefs, she was the mother of all gods, a giantess who created mountains and unleashed storms upon the world. Depicted as an old woman with white hair, yellowed teeth, and blue skin, she embodied winter and icy destruction.

One night, while guarding a well on Ben Cruachan, Cailleach is said to have fallen asleep, causing a flood that claimed hundreds of lives but also created Loch Awe, Scotland’s longest lake. Similarly, when she washed her plaid in the icy waters of the Corryvreckan Gulf, she formed a massive whirlpool, now considered the third largest in the world, whose menacing roar can be heard almost 20 kilometers inland. After washing, the Queen of Winter spread her plaid on the land, covering it with a pristine white layer of snow. On Ireland’s Beara Peninsula, a rock believed to be her remains marks the spot where Cailleach awaited the return of her husband, Manannán, the god of the sea.

Sedna, Mother of the Sea

In Inuit mythology, the figure of Sedna, goddess of the sea and marine creatures, inspires both fear and respect, as she has good reasons to seek vengeance on humanity. According to one version of the northern legend, she was a beautiful girl who refused to marry any hunter, angering her father – winters were long and harsh, and it was hard to feed the family. In desperation, Sedna eventually married a mysterious stranger who took her to a deserted island, where she discovered he was not a man but a bird spirit. Trapped in a nest, she awaited her fate.

Her fortunes changed when her father came to visit and decided to rescue her. He took her into his boat, but the bird spirit caught up with them and unleashed a fierce storm. Sedna fell overboard, clutching the boat’s edge with her fingers at the last moment. Terrified of the bird spirit’s revenge, her father, fearing for his own life, cut off her fingers, sending her plunging into the depths of the sea.

Betrayed by humans, Sedna now waits in the ocean’s depths, stirring up the fiercest winter storms. Her severed fingers turned into seals, walruses, and whales in the water. It’s no wonder that for centuries, Inuit travelers crossing the ice trembled at the thought of a sudden attack by the Mother of the Sea.

Nuckelavee, Niflheim and Morana – other winter myths from the north

The most terrifying demon of the Orkney Islands is the Nuckelavee – a half-man, half-sea-horse creature whose breath kills plants and animals and spreads epidemics among humans. Hidden in the ocean’s depths during the summer, it is imprisoned by a benevolent spirit who ensures good weather and calm waters. In winter, however, Nuckelavee breaks free, turning the sea into a raging force of destruction.

In Norse mythology, one of the nine worlds connected by the sacred tree Yggdrasil is Niflheim – a realm of icy cold and frost. It is the destination for Viking souls who failed to die honorably. Frozen rivers crisscross Niflheim, surrounding the Hvergelmir well – a source that feeds the magical tree and numerous other rivers. Thus, death symbolically connects with the beginning of life.

Winter and water are not only storms, deadly frosts, and blizzards but also a period of transformation, change, and rebirth. It is impossible not to mention Morana, known locally as Marzanna, the Slavic goddess of winter and death. Her annual cycle culminated in a ritual drowning in spring – signifying the end of winter and the arrival of a time of blooming and abundance.