Rådande
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Rådandeorlöfjerskorare tree spirits inSwedishfaeriemythology,similar to thedryadsandhamadryadsofGreekandRoman mythology.
In Swedish folklore, aråis a spirit connected to a place, object or animal; examples are theskogsrå(a forest being) andsjörå(a water being). Thus, the word rådande or råande may derive frområandande,"spirit".[1]It may also be a corruption ofträdande(pluralträdandar), meaningtree spirit).Råandråd-ande(with a hyphen) are attested inJacob Mörk's political satire novel "Adalriks och Göthildas Äfventyr" published in Stockholm in 1742.
Benjamin Thorpetranslates rådande as "elf" and identifies them withlöfjerskor,or grove-folk. He explains that sacred groves were supposed to be protected by deities. A tree that grew unusually fast was a "habitation-tree" or boträd, and an invisible Radande was believed to live in its shade, rewarding those who cared for the tree and punishing any who harmed it.
References
[edit]- Mörk, Jacob-Henrik (1742).Adalriks och Göthildas Äfventyr.Stockholm.
- Thorpe, Benjamin (1851).Northern Mythology, Comprising the Principle Popular Traditions and Superstitions of Scandinavia, North Germany, and the Netherlands. Vol.2 Scandinavian popular traditions and superstitions.London: Edward Lumley. pp. 71–73.
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