A lot of people have tried to explain the mystery of the magnificent natural phenomenon, which is called Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights, through myths and tales. Before the scientific explanation, when technology wasn't as common or developed as nowadays people created stories of magic. In some legends, they claim the Aurora was the breath of brave soldiers who died in combat fighting. There are some other stories, in which was believed to be the ‘Bifrost Bridge’, a glowing and pulsing bridge through fallen warriors were led to their final place in Valhalla, for eternal resting.
For the Sámi, the indigenous Finno-Ugric people, the Northern lights weren't about heroism or war battles; instead, the appearance of the Northern Lights was a bad omen worth of fear and respect. More detailed the Sámi believed that you shouldn't even talk about the Northern Lights. It was also dangerous to tease them by waving or singing under them, as this would alert the lights to pay attention. If you caught their attention, the lights could reach down and take you up into the sky.
In Finland, natives call it evontulet, literally translated as ‘fire fox’. The name comes from the rather beautiful myth that Arctic foxes produced the Aurora. These fire foxes would run through the sky so fast that when their large, furry tails brushed against the mountains, they created sparks that lit up the sky.
Also, in Iceland, they believed the Northern Lights helped to ease the pain of childbirth, but pregnant women should not look directly at them otherwise their child would be cross-eyed while in Norway, the Northern Lights were believed to be the souls of old maids dancing in the heavens and waving at those below.
Besides all these native myths and tales, which are trying to give a purpose and an explanation to this phenomenon, they can't disagree that is one of the most amazing and thrilling spectacle until our recent days. Maybe the myths are trying to capture your opinion but at the end the Northern Lights were assigned great significance by the peoples of ancient Nordic territories.
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