Fern Flower
Published on October 18, 2019

Biera

  • Nesun
  • Milk hare
  • The Witching Hare
  • The Witchy cat
  • The Witchcraft Tangle

Regions of expansion

Norway 1 Sweden 1 Finland 1
Sweden
Finland
Norway

Description

Bjera (bjära, mjölkhare, trollhare, pukhare, puken, trollkatten, baran, bärarn, trollnøste, trollnøa — nesun, milk hare, witchy hare/cat/tangle — shv., fin., norv.) - a common name for all spirits-getters stealing neighbor's milk for their master in the South-the western regions of Sweden. ​‌​​​‌ ​​‌​‌‌ ​​

The witch's familiar in Scandinavian folklore. In the form of a cat, a hare or a ball of yarn, she sucks milk from cows and spits it into the witches' milk containers, and also goes home and licks cream. 

The existence of a magical cat, apparently, is due to the fact that foreign objects (such as wool) were noticed in the belching of cattle, and slime molds and foam produced by insects were taken for its excrement.

Biera in popular culture