scytheandserpent

From ancient times, the northern lights have a been part of most fascinating mystery. People have tried to explain them with theories and stories. Old Finnish myth told a story of a Fire Fox, who lit up the night skies in northern Finland and Lapland. In Northern Finland, Fire Foxes were a lucky find for hunters. It was said that when a Fire Fox was hunted down, the hunter got wealthy and famous. Other names for these majestic beings in the Finnish language are:

Tulikettu, Tulirepo or Tulikko.

In the myth by the older folk, it was static electricity that allowed Fire Foxes to spark and be able to paint the skies with vibrant green, pink, red and shades of magenta. The colors also had meanings. Green was associated with spirits and the afterlife while the pink, magenta and red were associated with war, horrors of the war and bloodshed. It's also said that Fire Fox's sounds are awful. It echoed around during the night and kept humans in their houses. It was believed to be due to hunting reasons, to gain sheep for a meal and see where they were hiding.

Fire Foxes live far far in the forests and only a few have caught a glimpse of them. During day time they are black in color but during the night, they get the fiery coloring of the Northern Lights. But these flames in the skies were believed to bring bad news or straight up Death, same as ancient world's shooting stars. It was told that shooting stars brought famine, war, Disease or straight up Death.

There was no logical explanation for Northern Lights back in the ancient world, so there was a lot of supernatural explanations with beings or even gods. These lights are seen even as Dead souls dancing in the skies or as gates to the beyond. In other stories even apocalypse. There was a belief that you shouldn't whistle or sing during Auroras, because it brings attention of "The evil". Though beliefs are different depending on the tribes and people.

Some people say they hear odd humming or snapping when watching the Auroras. According to NASA, that can't come from the Auroras... But maybe it is? What if it is? But an Aalto university acoustic scientist has concluded that the Auroras, indeed make different sounds such as pops, booms, sharp snaps and just buzzing. In the Scandinavia it was believed that Auroras were lights of dead women, especially dead virgins.

And also the belief that Northern lights are due to merbeasts and whales, But that's a story for another day!

I have memories of being hunted. A hunter, an older man, caught me off guard, landed a shot on my left hip and I fell from the skies which I was running around while painting. My last view was snowy ground coming faster and faster and the Auroras I drew disappeared, faded with my sight... Ursa Major above me when I fell down. I am a Fire Fox therian. So I know these stories... I know a lot. But I am curious to hear what you know!