Pohjankonna

Lore

Pohjankonna is a mythological creature associated with the underworld. The name "Pohjankonna" can be translated as "toad of the underworld," where "pohja" means "bottom" or "underworld," and "konna" means "toad."

The Pohjankonna is depicted as a gigantic mythical creature, often portrayed as an enormous dragon with an unusual appearance. Specifically, this dragon is described as having the body of a bull, the legs of a toad, and a long serpentine tail.

In ancient tales, the following account is found:

"As the elders tell, there once lived a terrifying beast. It appeared from the north, destroying all people and animals over a vast area, and it would perhaps have exterminated all life on earth had people not found a way to defend against it.

The beast had the body of a bull and the legs of a toad—the front legs were short, and the hind legs were long; a serpentine tail, seventy feet in length, trailed behind it. The creature moved like a frog, but with each leap, it covered about two miles. It would stay in one place for two or three years and wouldn't move on until it had devoured everything around it.

Scales completely covered the beast's body and were stronger than stone or iron; nothing could pierce them. It had enormous eyes, and whoever, to their misfortune, happened to see them even from afar would, as if enchanted, walk straight into the beast's mouth. The monster didn't need to move a single step—animals and people themselves became its prey."

Although the Pohjankonna is not the most widely known figure, its image is sometimes used as a symbol of the unknown and dangerous.