Chapter
Ash Tree Wife
In Hamrånge grew the largest ash I ever beheld in these latitudes. It stood on the outskirts of the parish, surrounded by dilapidated dwellings. I wondered why no man, woman, or child would look at it, or go anywhere near its roots. It took me much of the day to learn the answer: the Ash Tree Wife.
— Carl Linnaeus, May 16th, 1732
Some ash trees are inhabited by an ash tree wife – a terrifying female vaesen that is bound to the tree, demanding offerings from the people at certain times of the year. She can haunt those who damage the tree, spread diseases, and twist people's minds. The ash tree wife resembles a human woman combined with certain features of the tree – long green hair, bark-like skin, and horns like branches. She controls the tree and all the greenery in its surrounding area.