I think the Swedes believe this has really happened. I asked once a Swede why they are so cold, and he answered me with a long story on how in the old times, if you would welcome any foreigner in your society, and they would steal all your food, the whole society would starve to death in the middle of the winter. Which is something that wouldn't happen in a warm country where you can find food in the winter. I think that's the time when they had this meeting :D