Etiainen

A creature from Finnish and Karelian folklore. Etiäinen was the name of a human ghost in the spirit world.

In Finnish folklore, all places and objects, as well as people, possess haltia (genius, guardian spirit). One of these haltations is called etiainen — an image, a double, or just an impression that goes ahead of a person, doing what that person then does.

For example, people waiting at home may hear a door closing or even see a shadow or silhouette, only to realize that no one has come yet. Or, for example, if there were footsteps on the veranda, but no one was there, but the next day, however, an acquaintance came to visit.

This may also refer to a certain feeling that something is about to happen. Sometimes it could, for example, warn of the onset of a bad year.