Editing Askafroa

The '''Askafroa''' ({{langx|sv|wife of the ash tree}}),{{sfn|Rose|1996}} also known as the Danish '''Askefrue''' and German '''Eschenfrau''' ({{IPA|de|ˈɛʃn̩ˌfʁaʊ|lang}}), is a type of [[legendary creature]] in [[Scandinavian folklore|Scandinavian]] and possibly{{cn|date=December 2024|reason=Is there any primary source proof, or a reliable - preferable scholarly - secondary source, that claims that the Eschenfrau is or was at any point actually an element of German folklore? It seems to simply be a modern (post-1800) translation of the Scandinavian name. There are some unreliable sources that adduce the name Eschenfrau when discussing the Askafroa, but there seems to be not a single iota of proof nor of its existence in German tradition anywhere, nor any reliable scholarship to that effect.}} [[German folklore]], similar to the Greek [[Hamadryad]]s. The Askafroa is the guardian ([[tutelary deity]]) of the [[ash tree]].{{sfn|Rose|1996}} The Askafroa was thought to be a malicious creature that did much damage, and to appease her, it was necessary to make a sacrifice to her on [[Ash Wednesday]].{{sfn|Porteous|2006}}{{sfn|Hyltén-Cavallius|1864}}

The Swedish scholar [[Gunnar Olof Hyltén-Cavallius|Hyltén-Cavallius]] recorded in his ethnographic work ''Wärend och Wirdarne'' a belief of a female creature living in the ash tree, in Ljunit [[Hundred (county division)|Hundred]]. The elders sacrificed to the Askafroa on the morning of [[Ash Wednesday]]. Before the sun had risen, they poured water over the roots of the ash tree. While doing this, they said: "Nu offrar jag, så gör du oss ingen skada", meaning "Now I sacrifice [to you], so that you do us no harm". Hyltén-Cavallius further writes that they believed that if anyone broke branches or twigs from the ash tree, they would become ill.{{sfn|Hyltén-Cavallius|1864}}

==Popular culture==
* The [[MMORPG|online role-playing game]] ''[[Dark Age of Camelot]]'' features enemies in the form of Askefruer/Askafroa.{{citation needed|date=January 2016}}

==See also==
* [[Elder Mother]]
* [[Sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
* {{cite book|author-link=Gunnar Olof Hyltén-Cavallius|last=Hyltén-Cavallius|first=Gunnar Olof|title=Wärend och wirdarne, ett försök i svensk ethnologi. 2 deler|volume=1|date=1864|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cJMIAAAAQAAJ|location= Stockholm|publisher=P. A. Norstedt & Söner|page=310}}
* {{cite book|last=Porteous|first=Alexander|date=2006|title=Forest folklore: Mythology and Romance|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ihWJJupYSocC|location=London|publisher=George Allen & Unwin|isbn=978-1-4286-1254-9|page=93}}
* {{cite book|last=Rose|first=Carol|date=1996|title=Spirits, fairies, leprechauns, and goblins|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hf_hzyMoSW4C|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-87436-811-6|page=22}}

{{Scandinavian folklore}}
{{German folklore}}
[[Category:Scandinavian legendary creatures]]
[[Category:German legendary creatures]]
[[Category:Female legendary creatures]]
[[Category:Forest spirits]]
[[Category:Fraxinus]]
[[Category:Tutelary deities]]
[[Category:Tree goddesses]]
{{legendary-creature-stub}}