For a long time, the Scandinavians were considered excellent sailors and navigators. Sometimes, while traveling, they had to deal with unusual phenomena and unknown sea monsters. For example, with the Kraken.
The sailors described the Kraken as a huge squid or octopus-like creature with long tentacles and eyes the size of a dinner plate.
These creatures were so large that they could be mistaken for an island.
But the grief was for the ship that swam close to the Kraken. The sea monster made a whirlpool or wrapped its tentacles around the ship, after which it dragged it under the water.
Written references to the Kraken
In general, the Kraken has firmly established itself in Scandinavian folklore. There are many drawings left that depict how he attacks ships.
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As for the written sources, the first time a creature that fully fits the description of the Kraken was mentioned in the 13th century Icelandic work "Orvar-Oddr". True, there this sea creature appeared under the name of Khafguf.
Another work from 1250 describes the Kraken in detail and even talks about its unusual way of eating. The author claims that the Kraken spewed food particles from its mouth into the sea in order to attract fish. As soon as she swam close enough, the monster swallowed the whole flock in one fell swoop.
Closer to our time, the Swedish botanist and zoologist Karl Linnaeus mentioned the Kraken. In his 1735 work Systema Naturae, there is a record of the Kraken, which he named Microcosmus marinus. However, from the subsequent printed versions of this work, the record about the Kraken was excluded. In another work, Linnaeus noted that the Kraken was "a unique monster living in the seas of Norway, but I have not seen this animal."
Do Krakens exist?
Based on ancient descriptions of the Kraken, many biologists believe that ancient sailors described nothing more than giant squids. These elusive creatures still live in the depths of the ocean, and their body length can reach 15 meters.
However, scientists still know little about these creatures. Their corpses are extremely rarely thrown ashore, and it is even less common to notice or photograph them on film.
It seems that since the days of the Viking raids, the Krakens have become more shy and out of touch.
But if they really exist, then perhaps other mythical creatures once inhabited our planet?