Firefox (mythology)

Firefox (tulikettu or tulirepo or tulikko) is a mythical creature in the folklore of northern and eastern Finland. It is a fox whose tail twinkles fire.[1]

According to folk stories, the Firefox lives far away in hideouts in the woods, or in the north, and very few are said to have seen it. Firefox is black during days but twinkles fire during nights. When Firefox's skin is brushed in a right manner it glitters strange light.[2] According to stories, the leather of a Firefox has been used to illuminate powder storages at nights instead of dangerous open fire.[2][3] The leather of a Firefox has been considered as immensely valuable. Hunters dream of the Firefox, since it has been said that catching it makes the hunter rich for the rest of his life.[2]

Firefox has given its name for northern lights which are called "fox fires" (revontulet)[4] in Finnish language. In Lapland it has been told that the Firefox causes the northern lights with its tail which flings sparks when it touches low hanging branches or bushes while the fox is running.[2]

  1. ^ Tulikettutarinoita Ilmatieteenlaitos
  2. ^ a b c d Ojanen, Eero & Linnea, Sirkku (2019). Suomen myyttiset eläimet. Minerva. pp. 44–46. ISBN 978-952-312-799-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ Facta 2001, WSOY 1985, 17. osa, palsta 65
  4. ^ While "revontulet" is the standard word for northern lights in the modern Finnish, "repo" itself (genetive: "revon") is an archaic word. Nowadays "kettu" is a standard word for fox.