The Frozen Queen of Arendelle Was Based on a Real Tragedy

Records from 17th-century Norway describe an entire village trapped under ice for nearly a decade. Locals blamed “Elska the Cold,” a young woman who could “draw frost from her hands.” Scientists now believe a volcanic event caused unnatural weather, but diaries from the period tell another story — one of fear, guilt, and impossible survival.

One account reads:

“The ice spoke with her voice. It called my name until my heart slowed.”

When explorers found the site centuries later, they uncovered a single house perfectly preserved — the inside untouched, candles still upright. On the window, frozen in the frost, were words carved from within: Let it go.