Lagarfljót worm

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View of the Lagarfljót

The Lagarfljótwurm ( Icelandic Lagarfljótsormurinn ), also known as the Icelandic worm monster , is an animal that is said to live in Lagarfljót , a lake near the Icelandic town of Egilsstaðir . Similar to the Scottish Nessie , the Lagarfljótwurm is also described as a type of sea ​​snake , the length of which varies between 10 and 90 meters. The idea of ​​the lagarfljót worm goes back to a legend contained in Jón Árnason's collection of Icelandic folk tales and legends. Sightings of the worm have been mentioned in various documents since 1345.

legend

Jón Árnason's collection, published between 1862 and 1864, tells the story of a girl who lived near Lagarfljót. She put a gold brooch in a box with a small worm in the hope of increasing the gold in this way. Instead of the gold, however, the worm grew and the girl threw the box into the lagarfljót in a panic. There the worm continued to grow, but wizards chained its head and tail to the bottom of the lake.

History of Alleged Sightings

Places of alleged sightings of the Lagarfljót worm

Sightings of the worm were first recorded in 1345, and in 1589 by the then Bishop Oddur Einarsson . Over the centuries, the worm has been described, among other things, as a giant monster that destroys boats or even houses, or as a harbinger of coming misfortune.

Even in the 20th century, the worm was supposedly seen in various places in and around the water. In February 2012, a farmer filmed a large floating object in a river flowing into the Lagarfljót. The video gained notoriety on the internet and in international media after it was broadcast on Icelandic TV station Ríkisútvarpið (RUV).

Possible explanations

Since gas escapes at some points at the bottom of the lake, unusual movements could occur on the surface. Another theory is movements caused by currents and tributaries of the lake.

Honors

Until a few years ago, the excursion boat Lagarfljótsormurinn , which is named after the worm, operated on the Lagarfljót .

literature

  • East Iceland - The official Tourist Guide , Markadsstofa Austurlands, Icelandic Tourist Board

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ ABC report from June 8, 2012 ( YouTube video)
  2. ↑ Article dated February 8, 2012 on dailymail.co.uk
  3. ↑ Video on RUV
  4. ^ River Lagarfljot. Nordic Adventure Travel, accessed on October 2, 2014 (English).
  5. ^ Sveinn Birkir Björnsson: Chasing Monsters in East Iceland. In: The Reykjavík Grapevine. May 9, 2008, accessed October 2, 2014 .