Tonight Kertasníkir, the 13th and final Yule Lad, comes to town – the favorite among Icelanders. To hear about the other Yule Lads that have already arrived and an overview of this Icelandic Christmas series, check out Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12 and Day 13.
Below is the Icelandic and English version of the poem about Kertasníkir by Jóhannes úr Kötlum.
Icelandic version of the poem about Kertasníkir
Þrettándi var Kertasníkir,
-þá var tíðin köld,
ef ekki kom hann síðastur
á aðfangadagskvöld.
Hann elti litlu börnin,
sem brostu glöð og fín,
og trítluðu um bæinn
með tólgarkertin sín.
English version of the poem about Kertasníkir
The thirteenth was Candle Beggar –
´twas cold, I believe,
if he was not the last
of the lot on Christmas Eve.
He trailed after the little ones
who, like happy sprites,
ran about the farm with
their fine tallow lights.
Icelandic Christmas tradition
The 23rd of December in Iceland is Saint Þorlákur’s Day in Iceland,
Thorlak Thorhallsson is the patron saint of Iceland. He was bishop of Skálholt from 1178 until his death on December 23rd, 1193.
The holiday calls for a special meal which many eat only once a year: fermented or putrefied skate (a type of ray).
