Murdered Children: The Returning Spirits

legend · Sweden · Sami

A dark Sámi legend from Emilie Demant Hatt's By the Fire collection about murdered babies who come back to haunt their parents. This reflects the Sámi belief that improperly buried souls become restless spirits (eahpáraš). They can cause illness, misfortune, or wail in the wilderness. The only remedy is to perform proper burial rites, even after death.

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