By now, undoubtedly, you’ve seen my post last Tuesday with an overview of the Icelandic tradition of the Yule Lads. If you haven’t, go back and read that first so this will make more sense. According to folklore, today — December 23 — is the day when the twelfth Yule Lad arrives.
The twelfth Yule Lad’s name is Ketkrókur, which translates as Meat-Hook. His particular brand of mischief is using a hook to steal meat.
Here’s how he’s described in the 1932 Icelandic poem, “Yule Lads,” by Jóhannes úr Kötlum:
Meat Hook, the twelfth one,
his talent would display
as soon as he arrived
on Saint Thorlak’s Day.
He snagged himself a morsel
of meat of any sort,
although his hook at times was
a tiny bit short.
Meat-Hook arrives each year on December 23, and leaves again on January 5.
And here’s a more thorough explanation, from Iceland24:
Meat Hooker, the twelfth one,
Knew a thing or two.
-He marched into the country
On St. Thorlak’s Day.He hooked a bit of meat
Whenever he could.
But often a little short
was at times his staff.
Another Yule Lad, another story of gluttony. Oh boy, aren’t these dudes a little repetitive? This time is Ketkrókur’s (Meat Hook) turn. He comes down from the mountains on December 23, Saint Thorlak’s Day.
Ketkrókur is cunning and resourceful, even for the Lads’ already high standards of cunning and resourcefulness. What Ketkrókur does better than any other is “fishing” the traditional smoked lamb with a hooked pole.
He’s the tallest of the brothers. That cross of troll, elf and human ancestry gave him a very long and rather stiff pair of legs. Legend says he walks as though they were made of wood, and he has to use a long walking stick to be able to walk properly.
His favorite strategy consists in lowering his hook through the kitchen chimney. He can steal heaps of this Icelandic delicacy using this peculiar technique. If you have no chimney is your festive dinner safe then, you’ll ask? I don’t honestly know.
The 13 Yule Lads, Mom, Dad and Cat:
