The Kraken is a legendary sea monster of enormous size that is said to appear in the sea between Norway and Iceland. It is usually depicted as an aggressive cephalopod-like creature capable of destroying entire ships and dragging sailors to their doom. The earliest writings about the Kraken come from King Sverre of Norway around the year 1180, and it was said to be the size of an island and patrol the waters between Norway, Iceland, and Greenland. The Kraken was described as a many-headed and clawed creature by Egede (1741), who stated it was equivalent to the Icelanders hafgufa, but the latter is commonly treated as a fabulous whale. Erik Pontoppidan (1753), who popularized the Kraken to the world, noted that it was multiple-armed according to lore, and conjectured it to be a giant sea-crab, starfish, or a polypus (octopus) .

It is believed that the earliest legends of the Kraken, and similar creatures from other parts of the world, were inspired by sightings of real animals, particularly the giant squid and giant octopus, occasionally glimpsed by oceanic explorers. Additionally, partially eaten or decomposed remains of cephalopods were occasionally seen floating in the water or washed up on shore.

In summary, the Kraken is a legendary sea monster that has been part of Scandinavian folklore for centuries. While it is not a real creature, it is believed to have been inspired by sightings of real animals, particularly the giant squid and giant octopus.