Di sma undar jordi, or simply di sma, are legendary vættir-like creatures found in folklore from the island of Gotland, Sweden. The name can roughly be translated as "the small ones underground". Di sma are said to take care of farms and the people and animals that live there, as long as one does not anger them. The most classical example of doing so is to mindlessly scald them when disposing hot water outdoors. According to Gotlandic tales, di sma can only be seen by looking through a hole in a sheet of paper.[1][2][3]
The Swedish rauk'n'roll[4] band Di sma undar jårdi, active in the 1980s, was named after these creatures.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Enderborg, Bernt. "Di sma unda jordi". www.guteinfo.com. Guteinfo. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
- ^ Wahldén, Wahldén (2012). Sorkspolingen. Stockholm: Rabén & Sjögren. ISBN 978-91-29-68379-0. SELIBR 12756520.
- ^ Egerkrans, Johan (2013). Nordiska väsen. Stockholm: B. Wahlström. ISBN 9789132161438. SELIBR 14010166.
- ^ A Gutnish pun. The stacks found all over Gotland are called rauk in Gutnish.
- ^ Svensson, Ulrika (17 July 2002). "Ledin skrev "Snabbköps- kassörskan"" [Ledin wrote "The Supermarket cashier"]. www.aftonbladet.se. Aftonbladet. Retrieved 22 June 2016.