The Nøkk Explained | Nordic Folklore

[@kalycocat]

*Legend has it, the Nøkk will one-tap you when you least expect it...*

[@FoxesCollections]

Sketchy Sugar I’ve been there before

[@gruma6581]

Best attack op

[@kalycocat]

Gruma 65 ong

[@Knight_Of_Eleum_Loyce]

I don't get it. What is this a reference to?

[@kaczynskis]

@@Knight_Of_Eleum_Loycerainbow six siege

[@brynjaro37]

As a Scandinavian, I can confirm that this thing is real

[@tobynoby4761]

Can double confirm

[@RubenVatle]

YEP. tripple confirm

[@michaelafton7387]

Yes

[@purplefoxgirl3799]

Im Sorry but IT Isn't.

[@MG_52]

Can quadruple confirm

[@mirageangel9378]

Some of my ancestors were Norwegian immigrants and I live in a wild and unpopulated area in North America. I wonder if I was told of legends like this as a small child and it stuck with me in part, though I didn't remember the details. There's a mountain lake a few miles away which is full of water lilies. I had never even seen a water lily before going there. There are times on clear, hot, summer days when there are a few campers and swimmers on the east end of the lake where the water lilies don't grow, and once in a while a boat is seen out in the middle, but they never stay out there long. Most of the time when I go there, however, it's abandoned and an eerie fog rises from the black mirror that is the surface. If you drive to where the road that goes partway around it ends and walk out on the last dock, standing there looking out into the west end, there's a decidedly unsettling atmosphere. The wind seems to moan and whisper, and there's a feeling like the lilies are moving in your peripheral sight, but when you turn your eyes to look, it's already still again and you can't see below the surface to see if a fish or frog bumped it. I can never bring myself to stand there for long before I just feel too creeped out and have to leave. Last time I was there a dumb duck just appeared out of nowhere and swam to me as I had reached my creepy-quota and was about to leave, following me all the way back to my car. I offered it a piece of cracker (it was all I had) and it looked offended. I guess I don't know what it was expecting of me. It's not like I went there to feed ducks, and if I had, the menu options would have been even less exciting than a Wheat Thin. Generally wild things used to hand-outs aren't impressed when someone brings critter-healthy options. Now you have me wondering if it was expecting alcohol, tobacco, or a goat instead.

[@Hihihihihihi147]

When I was a kid we would always go to a mountain lake that was incredibly deep and dark. somebody hat appearantly told me a story of the nokk some time and my kid brain connected the lake to the legend which is why I never wanted to go near that particular lake

[@ThatOneFungus]

Logical asumption when you are young and don’t know the Line between real life and fantasy

[@Hihihihihihi147]

@@ThatOneFungus true. It was probably for the better too. The lake was known to be quite dangerous

[@grumpy9426]

People say nokk will be nerfed but it has not happened yet

[@Luckragol]

i was kept away from beach and open water by story of näkki, that would grab me and take away for its eatings. but in those stories näkki was a watercat, seacat, that would jump from the lake and take me away if i would go to shore alone.. aint much a fan of open waters even now as a grownup. :)

[@meatyboychu1474]

Luckriel The Everliving I have never heard of this water spirit untill now. Interestingly enough there have been times when I have been in Norway walking in the mountains, where I have often felt the need to walk into small lakes, and been disturbed by the urge and walked away because it obviously wasn’t safe or didn’t make sense. Usually because the lake looked nice or pleasant.

[@niksalazar1687]

u had me at alcohol, tobacco, and blood

[@AnnaBridgland]

Sounds like a party to me!

[@Laly7]

Nice videos! Very well narrated and easy to follow. I believe that the Greeks have a tradition to spit animals and/ or humans to make evil spirits leave, as well as making the cross sign. I was reminded of this when you mentioned that is how they would control the Nøkk. Lovely series by the way. Thank you!

[@AnnaBridgland]

Laly Gomez thank you! :)

[@chrishall6333]

Thank you for your tales. I enjoy your voice telling these wonderful folklore. Thank you again

[@passion4footballfollowuson776]

@annabridgland You have no idea how many views you're going to get if you put: "Rainbow Six Siege" in the title...

[@passion4footballfollowuson776]

Thanks for the like Anna. If you didn't notice; a video game called Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, has introduced a (counterterrorism) operative in the game called "Knøkk". He's a "Dansk" Frogmen (special operations unit) and people are eager to learn more about him and the name. Great narration BTW, very clear and intriguing. Your voice sounds pretty professional, have you considered voice acting? Anyway, great continuation of your day and thank you for your time!

[@randomgamer239]

Often appearing from the dark depths of the water and saying "activating hel"

[@slade9792]

Ubisofts Sam brought me here and I gotta admit this actually scared me

[@jarodsimpson1]

I love the beautiful soothing voice that tells these stories. Your wonderful

[@gmg6956]

You had me at shape shifter

[@phantom2k10]

glad is stumbled across this series

[@ThatOneFungus]

When I first learned of the nøkk I just loved the idea, this is Why I love being Scandinavian, the mythology is amazing

[@AnnaBridgland]

I agree!

[@trashboi6686]

Nokk is present in almost all European cultures, even Slavic.

[@clonecommanderfang2827]

Yes. Our folklore has just some creepy shit. Yes im norwegian. And that creature with the violin was not nøkken it was fossegrimmen Nøkken or the nøkk was said to be dangerous

[@enter8976]

Fantastic! Awesome video and wonderfully narrated. How would one learn the Nøkks' name?

[@AnnaBridgland]

It's hard to say! A lot of older stories have been passed down verbally and changed a lot. Perhaps naming the creature as "Nøkk" is enough - I won't be sticking around to find out though!

[@edagaming3074]

New siege op looks good

[@PragmaticEmpath]

Shroud 2 I like rushing with her shotgun 👌

[@northstar7775]

Don't know if this is the same but when i was 8 and go fishing on rivers my grandma used to give me steel(silver). Btw, this is when i lived with her in Sallapadan, Abra.

[@PENNSYLVANIA5999]

Underwater myth party happens Nøkken:so kappa do you drown children Kappa:**yes**

[@avalon5957]

You forgot Denmark. In Denmark and especially on Funen, the Necken or, Nøkken, mostly referred to on Funen as Å Manden, (the Man of the Stream, or the River Man), is said demand an offering each year. And if no one has drowned in the river within a year, he is said to jump out of the river and grab a person walking close to the river, and drag them down into the waters where he will drown and devour them. Hate to be that person, but I know it's become a common misconception, but Finland isn't part of Scandinavia 😂 Only Norway Sweden and Denmark.

[@AnnaBridgland]

Unfortunately I didn't come across any Danish legends at the time otherwise I would have loved to include them! The series is on Nordic folklore which includes Finland, Iceland, the Faroes, etc as well as Scandinavia

[@cuddlecomix9863]

This is just a what if in my mind- What if you could block out the Nokken's music with different music, like hum a catchy tune you know (for me it would be "Your Welcome"from moana)or just think of a song to get stuck in your head, Could a person avoid temptation to go in the water then?

[@vikingskuld]

I have to say you do a spectacular job narating theae videos. Bot trying to be wierd just to compliment here but you have the most beautiful voice for this type work. Its sophisticated sexy and clearly understood. I could listen to you talk for ever. Thats not a compliment i have ever given before. Thank you for your work. Lol your also one of the few who knew what a fossagrim is

[@thorhansen5060]

We Faroese call it “Nykurin”👌🇫🇴

[@_paleo.figs_5881]

So just don't trust horses by water

[@redjack7611]

Wow you are still active after 2 years congrats for your hard work subbed!!

[@alainabilow]

Love the ending. Great job!

[@no.6660]

I’m surprised you didn’t mention the Icelandic version. Which is a black horse from east Iceland

[@RenanL.S.]

I am working on a story based on nordic culture, mythology and folklore, and your videos are being very helpful. Thank you.

[@AnnaBridgland]

You're welcome, I'm glad to hear it!

[@mamacookie4948]

Looks like a very beautiful place

[@sharkanenoa5928]

There's Nokk in Frozen 2 maybe it was the reason why Elsa has ice powers

[@RinitaChan]

And Elsa rides the Nøkk, even though doing so according to these actual myths would leave her super-duper *_D E A D._*

[@FoxesCollections]

That’s a bad idea Elsa

[@MG_52]

Once I was around the age of 8 me and my family went to visit some place that apparently was once visited by the Nøkk. A man explained to me who the Nøkk was and his intentions, around the buildings I was staying was different pictures and paintings of the Nøkk. Many of them showed the Nøkk as a dark tall figure coverd in vegetation walking out of s lake, water dripping cold white eyes and walking in a misty forest. There were even a painting of him were he was shown tangling a man by the leg with these long veins. Few hours passed and me and my brother decided to go out since we were bored, it was dark and mist just as the man touring us described the night to be when the Nøkk appeared. I didn't know it but apparently there was a lake near by that my brother found we looked at it for a few minutes and ran back to the building we where satying at. I was terrified but I forgot about the next day as the dumb kid I was

[@futuregamers3367]

I love stuff like this

[@ozzyrose4453]

People drown behind my apartment where there's a river almost every year

[@corettaha7855]

rosie the Cat try throwing some steel in there. It can’t hurt to try.

[@grigoriyefimovichrasputin7897]

@@corettaha7855 a lot of things have steel in em

[@bogie5199]

same... i swear i saw it before

[@ozzyrose4453]

I want to meet one XD even know it would be dangerous be it's worth it

[@Faction4GamersTV]

Rainbow Six Siege anyone? :D

[@sippinredd8881]

Faction4GamersTV yup

[@Valentinangelov1]

Yassss

[@Bruh-jo4lb]

Pronunciationnnnnnnnnnnnn

[@chunkochunko4501]

Fookin Lazer Sightss

[@nicolelacroix8620]

Yessir

[@myrstrand]

There is a small, beautiful lake on an island i Kragerø where the Nøkk/Neck/Nokk is said to be living. This is where Kittelsen was inspired to paint his famous paintings of the Nøkk. www.visittelemark.com/kragero/experience-kragero/tarntjernet-tower-pond-at-jomfruland-p514353

[@SANov61]

great job!

[@kryvi9415]

i like to imagine myself blasting through the norwegian nature of trolls, nøkks, and huldras with a steel sword

[@AnnaBridgland]

Sounds like a fun time!

[@denisegjerne9014]

I love this

[@AnnaBridgland]

Thank you!

[@gabriellez613]

Interesting, thanks !

[@True_Meme_Blaster]

it was actually in a norwegian movie called Askeladden with trolls and nøkken

[@joshuasdsmalls2157]

Scary.

[@davidianetta3152]

I'm enjoying this series very much, thank you for posting. Do you recommend any books on Nordic folklore?

[@AnnaBridgland]

Unfortunately most of the books that I used in this series are in Norwegian, Danish or Swedish and don't have translated versions. The only English book I used during this series was Northern Mythology Vol. 2 by Benjamin Thorpe, which is less about folklore and more about old myths and legends. Sorry I can't be of more help!

[@davidianetta3152]

@@AnnaBridgland Thanks for responding. What Swedish books can you recommend, then?

[@AnnaBridgland]

​@@davidianetta3152 'Troll och människor' both volumes 1 and 2 by Selma Lagerlöf and 'Svensk folktro A till Ö' by Ebbe Schön were the Swedish books I used :)

[@davidianetta3152]

@@AnnaBridgland Great, thank you!

[@Western2526]

Thanks Happy Sam.

[@Anglisc1682]

Reminiscent of Grendel in the English poem Beowulf

[@hysminai7397]

What you call the Finnish version (the first one) is the only version I've heard here in Norway. (and I live in south, nowhere near Finland)

[@tiril2201]

The nøkk is one of the respons i dont wall alone by lakes here in norway

[@coronaphone710]

I spotted them as deep as the south of the Netherlands

[@dhimasaryacahyanugraha7258]

May I have an example of nakki tales that tells he's playing violin?

[@showmedonttellme3126]

We call them Zoras.

[@saudicomedyhomevideosksa8504]

She hunts people near the river and one taps them with her silent deagle...

[@grumpy9426]

She is gonna get a nerf some day

[@JoseLopez-ls1ih]

Frozen 2 brought me here🍁💧⛰️🔥❄️

[@lakeythiajones3375]

OKAY F THIS I'M NOT ABOUT TO BECOME A DEAD CORPSE SO I'M NOT GOING NEAR THE WATER

[@Witnessdomaining]

First photo looks like Hovden!

[@AnnaBridgland]

Yes I've seen lots of places like that in Norway, a very typical landscape! :)

[@cremebrulee2484]

Wait is the horse version a kelpie?

[@AnnaBridgland]

They are definitely very similar, so it could be! A lot of Scottish legends were influenced by Viking/Scandinavian settlers between the 8th and 15th Century :)

[@corettaha7855]

crème brulee I’ve heard of kelpie and it sounds very similar.

[@eternalbliss13]

Are there any books in which I can read more about the Nokken? I'm actually really interested after seeing this video.

[@AnnaBridgland]

I'm not actually sure about books in English as pretty much all of the books I used for this series are in Norwegian, Swedish or Danish. Northern Mythology (Vol 1 - 3) by Benjamin Thorpe are great English sources for Nordic folklore in general, I imagine there is a bit on Nøkken in there too

[@eternalbliss13]

@@AnnaBridgland Ok thank you 👍

[@Nickl1610]

As a Dane who has been taught these things in school, I kinda fear it. I am a catholic and am strong in Christian faith, but these tales of folklore do scare me sometimes.

[@christopherross4136]

Nordic cousin of the Kelpie. Well we probably got Kelpie from the Nokk I'm thinking

[@westerncultureandtradition]

I would love to know how to pronounce some of the Scandinavian letters. Looks like an o but is said as ex maybe?

[@AnnaBridgland]

I am trying to think of a way to describe it. The Norwegian "ø" is pronounced a bit like the "u" sound in "turtle" or "hurt" but a bit longer 🙂

[@gustavjohansson8562]

Finnish languages is basically elvish from lord of the rings

[@grigoriyefimovichrasputin7897]

The Nøkken looks like a Deku Scrub prove me wrong

[@Vingul]

Lol, I see what you mean at least. When I was a kid, I thought it looked like a spider-like creature, but really it's the top of Nøkken's head peering over the water in that drawing.

[@grigoriyefimovichrasputin7897]

@@Vingul finally someone acknowledged this.

[@carl1164]

In sweden, it is called näcken. Näck means naked.

[@comfort_devil]

So...the horse form is basicaly a kelpie isn't it?

[@AnnaBridgland]

Yes there are a lot of similarities!

[@aceofarts5776]

New subscriber

[@dominaluxxie2861]

Great narration. What is the motive for the drownings?

[@AnnaBridgland]

No one knows!

[@elderscrollsswimmer4833]

Näkki lives in places people likely drown -- strong currents in the rivers for one. Deep waters and wells may also have Näkki in them. It's a force of nature, you respect them and their peace or else.

[@starguardianariel]

I was thinking of the same thing too

[@Maiqty]

Yes I play siege yes I play nokk no I was not thinking of her I was thinking of my submechaniphobia

[@a-sheepof-christ9027]

this video needs an update with music from Northern Journey. Just saying.

[@DungNguyen-zg5oh]

I have been there with My freinds

[@Arhii]

This and everything old is based ancient Finnic culture - original native European culture - Näkki word is directly Finnish word.

[@Ngraini]

You forgot the danish nøkk aka “Åmanden”

[@jyzz6784]

How do I make that o

[@real5142]

Sam sent me!

[@udadayquinao1322]

New sub nice tho!❤

[@TheOrangeHeathen]

weird that nøkk is spelled with a danish Ø and there is no folktales of it in Denmark

[@AnnaBridgland]

Ø is also used in the Norwegian alphabet! 😊

[@TheEmeraldLady]

There are stories in Denmark too ☺️ He's sometimes called "Nøkken" in Danish, but the most common name for him is "Åmanden". I live in Odense and there are stories of an Åmand living in the Odense river (Odense Å).

[@TheOrangeHeathen]

@@TheEmeraldLady nice jeg kommer fra havdrup det er bare lidt mærkeligt at jeg aldrig har hørt om den men tak få info👍

[@Alex_in_Wonderland111]

Eerily similar to a Kelpie

[@AnnaBridgland]

Yes, I think the link between the two is really interesting!

[@youngmasterzhi]

Ever heard of a “juicy Nokken”?

[@blessinggadri1834]

I live im nowey

[@SkellyBones9341]

Is it pronounced nukk of nookk?

[@AnnaBridgland]

It's similar to the "u" sounds in "hurt" or "ea" in "search" 🙂

[@SkellyBones9341]

@@AnnaBridgland thank you

[@jakekulvinskas3076]

Anyone else click this for r6?

[@mittey5365]

But can he one shot Aquaman though?

[@michaelafton7387]

Nøkken

[@Networkjetproductions]

Hey are You swedish ??

[@AnnaBridgland]

I'm Australian but I lived in Norway for a number of years!

[@Networkjetproductions]

@@AnnaBridgland ok

[@ThatOneFungus]

Huh, someone outside of scandinavia knowing how to pronounce the ø, now I just have to hear an english person saying æ and å corectly

[@AnnaBridgland]

Haha! I lived in Norway for many years so that explains it 🙂

[@ThatOneFungus]

@@AnnaBridgland oh kult, da er det lettere å forstå

[@IlyDegir]

Me as a norwigian i do not think this is real

[@benjamin6909]

I can't believe 7 people down-voted this video.

[@AnnaBridgland]

Me too!😂

[@WesleyWyndam-Pryce]

What's a down-vote?

[@peel-socks2796]

It is called a nix on english and is nor a nordic mythical creature. It’s a finnish creature called Nakki.

[@AnnaBridgland]

Yes the Finnish version is Nakki and there are a number of different names in English, though versions of it can be found all over the Nordic region!

[@peel-socks2796]

@@AnnaBridglandnow i realise his was made 4 years ago😕 sorry for bothering you.

[@AnnaBridgland]

Not at all, I try to reply to all the new comments I get even on old videos! :)

[@dianapalomo2088]

Sigh

[@someordinaryperson6222]

Nøkk not nokk 🤦‍♂️

[@Vingul]

Det er ikke alltid så lett for folk som ikke har Ø i alfabetet veit du.

[@Vingul]

She did actually pronounce it as a Norwegian would, smgdfh mate.

[@someordinaryperson6222]

@@Vingul i know i know, im Sorry