Aðakölkunina
aðakölkunina is an Icelandic folk legend that describes a mythical creature famous for its insatiable appetite. The term is derived from Old Norse words that signify "hunger" and "devil," and it has been used colloquially to denote an extreme craving. While no physical entity has been described in contemporary scientific literature, the legend is preserved in oral traditions and written folklore collected in the early twentieth century.
First documented by the Icelandic folklorist Jónas G. in 1912, the tale of aðakölkunina appears in several
The legend has influenced several works of Icelandic literature. In the 1970s, the author Halldóra signed a
Scholars interpret aðakölkunina as an allegorical image of hunger and excess that warns against environmental neglect.