>>7
Characteristics
Physical Description
The earliest descriptions of the Kraken don’t give away too much information. They dwell on the creature’s size, claiming that he is “the hugest monster in the sea.” He is so large that he can swallow ships and whales. So large that his body can be mistaken for land, his mouth for a sound, and his teeth for boulders. So large that his movement can create whirlpools.
Despite the lack of detail about his appearance, the Kraken’s size was enough to secure him a place in Nordic legend. Over time, his appearance was fleshed out, giving people a complete image of this monstrous being.
He has a flat body, which tends to emerge from the water in humps like small islands, and dozens of long, flexible arms (sometimes called horns), which he can lift out of the water to the height of a ship’s mast. Giant circular waves and swarms of frightened fish usually appear in front of him. Today, he is generally imagined as a giant octopus, a giant crab, or some combination of the two.