Storsjöodjuret

Storsjöodjuret

"The Great-Lake Monster"
Grouping	Cryptid
Sub grouping	Lake monster
Other name(s)	Hydogiganta Monstruidae Jemtlandicum, Storsie (English)
Country	Sweden
Region	Storsjön, Jämtland
Habitat	Water

Storsjöodjuret (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈstuːʂøːuˈjʉːrɛ], literally "The Great-Lake Monster") is a lake monster reported to live in the 90-metre-deep (300 ft) lake Storsjön in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. The lake monster was first reported in 1635. When the only city located by Storsjön, Östersund, celebrated its 200-year anniversary in 1986 Storsjöodjuret along with its offspring and nest became protected by law, a law which was revoked in 2005.

Storsjöodjuret is described as a serpentine or aquatic reptile with fins across its back and the head of a dog. It is reported to measure approximately six meters long, and some accounts describe it as having several humps.

The first description of a sea creature in Storsjön was made in a folklorist tale by vicar Morgens Pedersen in 1635.

"A long, long time ago two trolls, Jata and Kata, stood on the shores of the Great-Lake brewing a concoction in their cauldrons. They brewed and mixed and added to the liquid for days and weeks and years. They knew not what would result from their brew but they wondered about it a great deal. One evening there was heard a strange sound from one of their cauldrons. There was a wailing, a groaning and a crying, then suddenly came a loud bang. A strange animal with a black serpentine body and a cat-like head jumped out of the cauldron and disappeared into the lake. The monster enjoyed living in the lake, grew unbelievably larger and awakened terror among the people whenever it appeared. Finally, it extended all the way round the island of Frösön, and could even bite its own tail. Ketil Runske bound the mighty monster with a strong spell which was carved on a stone and raised on the island of Frösön. The serpent was pictured on the stone. Thus was the spell to be tied till the day someone came who could read and understand the inscription on the stone."

Another legend was written down by the prolocutor Andreas Plantin in an inquiry in 1685.