Vette

Vette or Vette (et al.-skand. Vættr, German. Wicht) is the spirit of nature in Germano-Scandinavian mythology.

In a broad sense, to the vettiras (al.-skand. vættir — plural of vette) refers to all supernatural beings: aces, Vanes, Alves and Turs. One of the varieties of vette (vettirov, et al.-skand. Vættir) are landvettir — guardian spirits of a locality or an entire country.

Vættr means "being, supernatural being, spirit", although it originally meant only "something" and was probably used to refer to supernatural beings (including patron spirits, which the deceased became), the pronunciation of whose names was taboo.

The Vettiri were described as invisible to humans, but very beautiful creatures, wearing gray clothes and capable of turning into animals (preferably frogs) and causing accidents and diseases or causing livestock deaths.

After the adoption of Christianity, legends began to spread among the population that the shrunken vettiras began to kidnap unbaptized babies and leave changelings in their cradles (or they themselves lay down in the place of the child). The Catholic Church recognized all Vettir as evil demonic beings who were expelled through chants, prayers or holy water.

However, the belief in the Vette is still widespread in the territory of the current Norway, Sweden, Denmark, as well as the Faroe Islands, and later Scandinavian folklore combined them with "hidden people" and nixes.