Horse or Nykur?
Monsters of Iceland
Part 1. Nykur
In addition to the interesting creatures we have blogged about, there are monsters of all sizes and shapes, sharing the island with us
One of those mysterious monsters is the Nykur, It dwells in lakes around Iceland, it is a horse-like animal that acts extremely friendly and will walk right up to you, and behave like it wants you on its back. If you find yourself in that situation pay attention to the hooves and ears of the “Horse” If they are turning backward it's a Nykur, if you can't resist the temptation and mount the animal, it will take you into the lake and you will end your life there.
Folklore has it that there is an easy way to get rid of a Nykur when you encounter them, you have to say their name and call out Nykur! then they will run away
On a lighter note, I love how friendly our real horses are, whenever I see them on our tours I can't resist stopping by the fence and saying hello. They always seem curious and hopeful, hoping for a tasty treat like old rye bread. It´s such a delightful interaction.
Friendly Icelandic Horses
Here is one of our guests checking if it is a horse or a Nykur
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