Tales of the Aurora Borealis

Who knew a solar storm could be so beautiful? Purples, reds, and greens shimmering in our skies like dancing ribbons. Hypnotic and enchanting, the Northern Lights have had us humans in complete awe for centuries. Which got me thinking, what did our ancestors think of the Aurora Borealis?

Are there enchanting stories associated with this magical geometric solar storm? Is there culturally significant gods or myths that helped explained what stargazers were witnessing? Or was it seen as a bad omen for battles and wars to come?

A Celebration

Turns out, the ancient Greeks coined the term Aurora Borealis, which means Sunrise Wind. In Greco-Roman mythology, Aurora is the personification of the dawn (Northern Dawn in new Latin). They believed Aurora was the sister t0 the sun and the moon. Racing across the sky in her chariot alerting her brother and sister to the breaking of the new day.

According to Finnish mythology, a beautiful artic fox creates the Aurora. Known as revontulet, which translated is fire fox. They believed the fox would run through the sky so fast that when their large, furry tails brushed against the mountains, they created sparks that lit up the sky.

While the Danes believed swans competed to see who could fly further north. According to legend, some swans became trapped in the ice and, as they tried to escape, they flapped their wings, creating flurries of light in the sky.

Another nordic take comes from Swedish Fishermen who believed an aurora sighting brought good fortune that would lead them the way to a hefty catch.

Similarly their ancestors, some vikings celebrated the lights, believing it to be the very presence of Odin. They believed the Northern Lights were the reflections of the Valkyries’ armour as they led the warriors to Odin.

Other Nordic legends claim the aurora was the breath of brave soldiers who died in combat, believing it to be the Bifrost Bridge, a glowing, pulsing arch which led fallen warriors to their final resting place in Valhalla.

Coincidence or a Warning?

Not all saw the lights as something to be celebrated in fact, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 793AD a few months before the famous Viking raid at Lindisfarne, scholars report seeing the Northern Lights, and believed it was a bad omen for war and death.

And again in In the weeks before the monarchy was overthrown in France, a bright red aurora was seen in England and Scotland. Locals reported hearing huge armies battling in the skies. Believing it foretold of impending war and death.

Bad Omens, Spirits and Superstitions

Well, for the Säami, the indigenous people of Scandinavia, they were to be feared and respected. Thought to be the souls of the dead, you shouldn’t talk about the Northern Lights. The belief was that if you caught their attention, the lights could reach down and carry you up into the sky, or worse.

Some Native American tales claim the Northern Lights were the restless spirits of their slain enemies attempting to rise again for revenge–and were an omen of pestilence and war.

Other Native American tales believe it is the spirits of those who have passed and can use the aurora to commune with them and when dogs barked at the lights, it was because they recognised their lost companions.

Another tale comes from Greenland, where it was believed that it was spirits experimenting with a walrus skull, however other Inuit communities believe it is a walrus playing with a human skull.

No matter how you view the Aurora Borealis and what you believe it to be, it is a wonderful spectacle.

I enjoyed driving into this, and was curious to know if you may have your own beliefs, premonitions, or prophecies. My favourite tale is the fire fox, it paints a lovely image, and I LOVE the idea of the Valkyries armour shining on their way to Valhalla, oh and the Bifrost bridge of course!

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