Uldra

The Little People of Lappland in the far north of Sweden. They live underground but often come up to the surface, especially in winter when their task is to feed sleeping bears and other hibernating animals.

The Lapps are a migratory people, who wander over the vast snowfields in search of the moss which feeds their herds of reindeer. Sometimes, when they pitch their tents of reindeer hide, they hear the Uldra moving about underground and take this as a warning that they must move on, because they are blocking the Little People's access to the surface. If the campers fail to move, the Uldra may punish them either to poisoning the reindeer or be stealing a baby and putting an Uldra baby in its cradle.

Uldra babies have long sharp teeth and faces covered with black hair, and opinions differ as to how an Uldra mother may be persuaded to take her baby back and restore the human child. Some Lapps say the best technique is to beat the baby with a burning tree branch, until its screaming grows so loud that the Uldra mother rushes up to rescue her child. Others belive it is best to treat the little Uldra so kindly that its mother will be grateful and restore the human baby to the cradle.