ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Fragments of Lappish Mythology

Okay kiddo, imagine you are in a cold, snowy place called Lapland, where people have been living for a very, very long time. They have their own stories, just like your favorite bedtime stories, but these stories are a little different. They call them "Lappish mythology."

Now imagine these stories are like pieces of a big puzzle. Some people have found some pieces and they want to share them with others. These pieces are called "fragments."

You know how in some stories, there are gods and goddesses who control different things like the sun and the moon? Well, in Lappish mythology, there are some special beings too. They call them "spirits," and they are a little like fairies or angels. There are many different kinds of spirits, and they have different jobs.

One spirit is called "Ukko," and he is like the king of all the spirits. He controls the weather and the thunder. There's another spirit called "Tiera," and he lives in the water. He can shape shift into a fish or a bird whenever he wants.

Some of the stories are about the spirits helping people, like when they help them find food or protect them from danger. Other stories are about how the spirits were created, and how they interact with humans.

Overall, Lappish mythology is a collection of stories that tell us about the spirit world and how it connects to the world we live in. These stories are important to the people who live in Lapland because they help them understand their history and their relationship with the natural world around them.