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Gryla is an ogress that appears in the Season 2 episode "Chapter 10: The Yule Lads", as well as the tie-in novel "Hilda and the Time Worm".

Appearance[]

Gryla is a gigantic, hunchbacked ogress, with a body covered in thick fur. She has sharp spines on her back and antlers on top of her head. Her face is covered by a mask to protect her ancient skin against the moonlight.[1] The mask is broken around her left eye. She is clothes in rags.

Behaviour[]

According to legend, Gryla has the ability to sniff out naughty children, and feeds on them by making a stew out of them. She sleeps most of the year, but awakens around the time of the Trolberg Winter Festival to feed.

Biography[]

Gryla is at least several centuries old. Very few have ever seen her. At some point in the past, 13 of the children she abducted came to work for her as the Yule Lads. She keeps them in line with the threat to eat them if they don't find her any other naughty children to eat.

In "Chapter 10: The Yule Lads"/"Hilda and the Time Worm", she is seen slowly making her way to Trolberg. Along the way, she frightens even Baba and Baba's mom. Somehow, she manages to get into the city unnoticed. By the time she gets there, the Yule Lads have been convinced by Hilda to give her the Sparrow Scouts' vegetable broth as a substitute for humans. Fortunately, Gryla accepts the alternative and leaves again.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • A difference between the novelization and the animated series is that, in the novel, Hilda twice spots Gryla as she is on her way to Trolberg; once while riding in the zeppelin of the Safey Patrol, and once after she and the Keeper of the Bell have sabotaged Erik Ahlberg's mechanical bellringers. In the series, Hilda doesn't get to see Gryla until she actually arrives in Trolberg.
  • Gryla is based on a gigantess from Icelandic folklore. The oldest poems in which she appears describe her as a parasitic beggar who walks around asking parents to give her their disobedient children. Her plans can be thwarted by giving her food or by chasing her away. In the mythology, she has a husband named Leppaludi, and the Yule Lads are their sons.
  • It is unknown if whether there are other ogres besides Gryla. Hilda's Book of Beasts and Spirits only mentions Gryla, rather than having an article about Ogres as a whole. This implies she is the only member of her kind.

References


ve Characters
Main characters HildaJohannaFridaDavidAlfur AldricTwig
Humans
Sparrow Scouts Raven LeaderWillyLouiseJacobHarry
Trolberg Safety Patrol Erik AhlbergGerda GustavKeeper of the BellSelby
Witches KaisaMatilda PilqvistThe Committee of Three
Vikings Torgund's clan (TorgundOlafBjarnsenElofUliSolveig) • Knudsen clan (KnudsenGunnhildFergurdsenRedsdottirErrolHrothgar)
Other kids TrevorTrevor's friends (KellyBagsyAnders) • Halvor
Other adults AndersBearded sailorDavid's dadDavid's momEdmund AhlbergEmil GammelplassenFrida's dadFrida's momFarmerEnid HallgrimLinn JacobsenLloydPeter OstenfeldPrincipal MagnussonKelly's momPeg legged sailorVictoria Van GaleTrevor's momMulch ManagerSigrid SpenstigUnnamed ladyGil JonesWandaThe PolecatGuntherGarthHead of Marketing of JortsWhite haired sailorother
Creatures
Elves AdelineAldric FamilyAloysiusBarchBragga Family (Agnes BraggaBartell Bragga) • Elf KingElf Prime MinisterElf mayorGertrudePrime Minister's cavalryRupertTomasJester elfUlrikUnnamed Elves
Giants: Forest Giant (Hoarder Forest Giant) • JorgenIllusSigmundFjällmarrBjörgValfreyjaAldinnHárHalldórMyrkrKaldDribHeimskrThe KnolemIce ManBliðaBrekkus the ThunderwurmEinarrGertlJaðarrokk
Trolls AmmaBabaTryllaBaby trollFemale trollMale TrollTrundleTrundle's brotherTwo-Headed TrollMattress Collecting TrollCamera-wearing trollTroll in the castle ruinsother
Nisse Tontu (alpha)Tontu (beta)Victoria Van Gale's nisseDavid's houseFrida's house
Spirits: Water Spirits (books#1#2) • Weather Spirits (Baby Weather SpiritAngry weather spiritUnnamed Spirit)
Marra David's MarraKelly
Ghosts Abigail's dadCraigie WilliamsEngilbjort WilliamsGhost refereeDraugen (AbigailNicholasDraugen Captain) • Shoe-stealing ghost
Yule Lads KertasnikirPvorusleikirKetkrokurStekkjarsaurGluggagaegir
Vittra GeorgieYoung vittraUnnamed vittraList
Fairies AstridPhiniumLydiaThe Fairy Entity
Other creatures CedricDeer-foxes (Deer-Fox HerdTwig's parents) • Barghest (Jellybean) • GrylaThe House in the WoodsKrakenNittens (AngelinaPeppercorn) • Rat KingRock-Chewing SlugSwamp Men (Sigurd) • Salt-LionThunderbird (The Great Raven) • Tide MiceWalking Land Creatures (Loam) • Woffs (White WoffsBaby woffFemale wofflist) • Wood Folk (Wood Man) • LindwormTriffidEldridVoid of No ReturnTildy's monstersTime WormRed wolfStolen GoatEugeneThe Pookaother
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