Askefroa (Wife of the Ash) — an Evil Female Spirit
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AskefroaAskefroa ("wife of the ash") is an evil female spirit from Germanic-Scandinavian folklore, most often mentioned in the province of Skåne (southern Sweden). Askefroa was the guardian of an ash tree, and like the Greek hamadryads, she perished if the tree withered or was cut down. Because of this, the people of the region believed that harming the tree would bring the spirit's wrath — sickness upon the offender, or even death.
The ash was considered a magical tree: its bark could stop bleeding, and its sap was said to cure snakebites. To appease the spirit, on Ash Wednesday, before sunrise, village elders would make an offering and pour water over the roots of the ash, saying as they did: "We bring you this offering today, so that you will do us no harm."
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