Bysen

Bysen (Swedish pronunciation: [byːsɛn]) is a legendary gnome-like creature that haunts the woods of the island of Gotland, Sweden. He carries an axe. He is said to have committed a crime, and condemned to walk the Earth forever. He attracts people, making them get lost. Often he meddles with woodsmen, delays their transports, and tips loads of timber over. He often interferes with men in other ways and is accused of all sorts of mischief. The Bys often appears as a stump or an insignificant, little, grey man. Sometimes he wears a red, woven cap and an axe, because one of his tasks is to cut down Gotland's forest. This goes slowly however and sometimes only one tree per century is felled. It's said the Bys is a humanoid who has done some crime within his lifetime, and is therefore sentenced to wander the earth forever. The Bys is also the ward of the forest and nature.