Brainstorm types of mythical creatures and unusual environments

8. Thule

This place comes from Norse mythology and is an island that was said to be between Scandinavia and Iceland, around 6 days’ north of Great Britain. As you can imagine, it was fairly cold and they had months without sunlight due to the extreme north latitude, and yet Thule has still taken on the guise of an idyllic place, with a Greek commentator of the 4th century describing it thus: “the people (of Thule) live on millet and other herbs, and on fruits and roots; and where there are grain and honey, the people get their beverage, also, from them”. This land of fruit and honey in the frozen Arctic has continued to fascinate people, with some devoting hours of time to pinpointing exactly where Thule is. Others dismiss it as just an ancient name for Norway. But who knows? The blue-painted people of Thule could be out on their island farming their fruit right now….and we just haven’t found them yet.