Eric of the Windy Hat

views updated

Eric of the Windy Hat

According to Hector of Boêce, Eric (or Henry), an early king of Sweden, was surnamed "the Windy Hat" because it was believed that he could change the wind merely by turning his hat on his head to show his demon which way he wished the wind to blow. The demon obeyed the signal so promptly that the king's hat might have served the people for a weathercock. This story gave rise to the expression "a capful of wind."