"Fjøsnisse" and Yule Logs
(The Norwegian Nisse)

Fjøsnisse is a short, stocky fellow with a long, grey beard and a red knitted cap. He wears dark knickers, a shirt and vest, or a sweater. He brings children yuletide gifts, and is the protector of the family farm.

He likes people although he does pull tricks on them every now and then. On the farm he helps with the work in mysterious ways. His trickery can contribute to crop failure and sickness for both animals and humans. When he is being very naughty he frightens the dogs, and then they bark!

Fjøsnisse expects being served a large wooden bowl-full of hot sour cream porridge, with a big "eye of butter," in the centre during the winter solstice. Sometimes he prefers rice porridge. When the people on the farm awaken the next morning the dishes would be licked clean, and Fjøsnisse would be full and content!

You are listening to "På låven Sitter Nissen" (The Nissen In The Barn). The Nisse is trying to eat his porridge, but the rats are annoying him with all their dancing. At last the Nisse says he will go fetch the cat, and the rats scurry away!

The Yule log is originally an entire tree, carefully chosen, and brought into the house with great ceremony. The butt end is placed into the hearth while the rest of the tree sticks out into the room. The tree will be slowly fed into the fire and carefully timed to last the entire Yuletide ("the turning of the sun") season; also called winter solstice.