Keeper of the Kiln

In light of the spring/summer season, I've whipped up this short story inspired by a creature of Scandinavian folklore called a huldra. The huldra were beautiful, nymph-like women of the forest who had the tail of either a cow or a fox, depending on the region, and hollowed out or bark-covered backs like the trunk of a tree. In spite of their beauty, huldra could also be very dangerous and were said to sometimes lure men to their deaths by means of seduction if angered. Their spell of seduction could only be broken by seeing their hollowed out backs and animal tails. However, huldra were thought to have a particularly good relationship with people who worked as charcoal burners, helping them to watch over their kilns in exchange for provisions that would be left out for them. I hope you all enjoy and as always, keep the feedback coming!