Icelandic sheep for the first night of the Yule Lads
© John Porter LRPS/Alam
On the lookout for Sheep-Cote Clod
You're looking at one of the oldest breeds of sheep in the world. Icelandic sheep descended from short-tailed sheep brought to the island from Norway in the 9th and 10th century with the first wave of settlers. These sheep, with their dual-layer wooly coats, thrive in this harsh environment, outnumbering people in Iceland by more than a factor of two. But on December 12, these sheep, especially the ewes, will have to contend with something more invasive than the wind chill factor. Sheep-Cote Clod, the first of the 13 Yule Lads, is due to visit. Who's that? Well, Christmas folklore in Iceland is a little different from other places in the world, were one Santa visits children. In Iceland, it is 13 ‘Yule Lads’, mythical mountain-dwelling beings who take up the responsibility of various Christmas duties.
Related Images
Female moose, Denali National Park, Alaska, USA
Male white rhinoceroses, Lake Nakuru, Kenya
Masai giraffes, Amboseli National Park, Kenya
Two lion cubs at sunrise, South Africa
Red deer stag in Caledonian Forest, Glen Affric, Scottish Highlands
California sea lion in a forest of giant kelp, Baja California, Mexico
Vancouver Coastal Sea wolves in Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia, Canada
American bison in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
Today on Bing
Red poinsettias
Poinsettia plants
Wicker fields in Cañamares, Spain
Poinsettia leaf close-up
