Norway
挪威
Norwegian folklore says that Christmas Eve is kind of like Halloween and brings about a number of evil spirits and witches. The brooms of the houses are hidden to keep them away from witches and men will often go outside and shoot their guns to ward off evil spirits.
挪威的民間故事說平安夜類似于萬圣節(jié),會招進一些邪惡的精靈和女巫。屋里的掃把都被藏起來了,來防止女巫們作惡。男士通常會出門放幾槍,來祛除邪惡的精靈。
Pagan winter celebrations used to revolve around Thor’s pet goat and a person would arrive at the parties wearing a goatskin and carrying a goat head. He would eventually fake his death and then return to life. As Christianity started to take over the area, the goat was recast as a form of the devil and he was eventually banned.
無神論者的圣誕慶祝過去都是以托爾(Thor)的寵物羊和一位穿著羊皮、拿著羊頭出現(xiàn)在聚會上的人為主題。這個人會詐死,然后復生。隨著基督教在挪威的盛行,山羊被重新定義為一種邪惡的化身,這個人最終也被禁止在故事中流傳。
Since then, the goat character was morphed into Julebukk, a “yule goat.” The new story of the goat involved him traveling from door to door where he would get gifts for keeping the evil spirits away. Nowadays, kids dress up and play the role of the Julebukk, where they get treats as they visit the houses.
自那以后,“山羊人”演變?yōu)椤笆フQ羊”(Julebukk)。在新故事中,他挨家挨戶的拜訪,并且會因祛除邪惡精靈而得到禮物。如今,孩子們會打扮得像“圣誕羊”,也會像他那樣在拜訪每家每戶得到獎賞。