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Writer's pictureKarl Roe

Crater of the Day: Nakki


Location: Southwest Callisto

Diameter: 37 miles

Etymology: Finnish


The crater called Nakki is named for a particular Finnish water spirit. But there appears to be many variations of this character in several northern European mythologies. The Finnish näkki is a terrifying demon that lives in the deep water of lakes, and is made entirely of seaweed. It lures children into the water so that it can capture them and pull them under. When the bodies of drowning victims are retrieved they sometimes show black spots. These are said to be fingerprints of the näkki.


A 1904 painting of a Norwegian nøkken, by Theodor Kittelsen.


The Swedish and Norwegian version of this creature, called the näkk and nøkk, respectively, is usually described as a handsome man who tries to trick or lure women into the water. He can also shapeshift into a horse. Unfortunate youths that touch this horse find their hands stuck fast, after which they are (you guessed it) dragged into the water. The nøkk appeared prominently in the movie Frozen II, in which he was "broken" by Queen Elsa following a long fight in which Elsa nearly drowns.


There are näkki women as well. A "neck" or a "nix", the English and German versions of the näkki, respectively, can be either male or female. In The Nixie of the Mill-Pond, a tale told by the Brothers Grimm, multiple generations of a poor miller's family are ruined by the schemes and treachery of a beautiful young nixe that lives in the water by their cottage. Richard Wagner's Ring operas feature three nixes named Woglinde, Wellgunde, and Flosshilde, also known as the Rhinemaidens. They are tasked with guarding gold at the bottom of the Rhine River (das Rheingold). The opera begins with a scene where the nixes take turns flirting with and mocking a dwarf named Alberich. Finally Alberich cottons to the fact that they are toying with him. Frustrated, he decides to renounce love, which allows him to steal the gold and flee from the nixes, who realize their mistake too late.



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