Since time immemorial, folk-tales and legends have played an important role in people’s lives. Stories of the creation and stories with a moral have provided explanations to real life, giving security and a sense of community. Most legends have a link to real places and local countryside and culture also play an important role in the stories. Legends were a way of explaining many of the mysteries of everyday life, e.g. how illnesses arose and why accidents sometimes happened. They could also be used as a warning or deterrent which meant that in the olden days, these legends served as rules of conduct. In the past, life was often hard and the legends were spiced up in order to keep the people of the community on the right track. This should be kept in mind when reading the folk-tales and legends for children as it makes it easier to answer any questions the children might have about the texts.
The Mermaid
A fisherman from the island of Vega off the Helgeland coast used to go fishing at Hysvær together with his son. One day they happened to catch a mermaid with their fishing hook. It had fastened in the corner of her mouth and the boy asked his father to get it out carefully and then put her back in the sea again. The fisherman did as his son asked. That night the boy dreamt the mermaid came to give him a present as a thank you for asking his father to let her go. The present was two fine rams which the boy would get the next day. And indeed, when he woke up the next morning, there were two fine rams standing outside the cottage just as the mermaid had promised. But the boy was afraid that someone else owned the sheep so he did not dare look after them. The next night the boy had another dream about the mermaid…
Based on a folk-tale from northern Norway
Näcken, the water spirit
In Helgeland, as in the whole of Scandinavia, being able to play the fiddle is associated with the underworld. This was because not just anyone could become a skilled fiddler and it was thought that those who did become good had been helped by supernatural beings. The male water spirit Näcken was one such creature. He was a masterly musician and when he played the fiddle everyone started to dance – whether or not they wanted to. In the winter he played for the mermaids and their daughters and when spring came, he went inland to play by rivers and streams. Then people could hear his lovely music and now and again see elves on the mire dancing to the music. Näcken could also teach others how to play the fiddle. Youngsters who wanted to learn how to play could go to the mill house by the stream on Christmas Eve or stand in a crossroad and wait for him to pass by. They had to bring a dried and salted shoulder of lamb which would be used. In Vefsn many people learnt how to play the fiddle thanks to Näcken. Long ago, there was a shepherd boy from Forsmo called Anders …
Based on a folk-tale from northern Norway
The Stalos
A Stalo is a loathsome robber, a reindeer thief and a cannibal. No one is safe when there’s a Stalo about. Those who know him know that there is only one thing to do: finish him off, at any cost! Long, long ago, the Stalos were invisible but they caused a lot of trouble just the same. They were noisy and they knocked down anything that came in their way; they whistled and played the flute. If they got angry, they could knock down huge trees. You will have realized by now that the Stalos were a part of the wind and stormy weather. Sami children were strictly forbidden to whistle because by doing so they attracted the Stalos. But the Stalos were also stupid and easy to fool so the Sami people became experts at fooling them, like in this story when a Stalo married a log of wood. Once upon a time, there was a Stalo who lived in a big forest. One day the Stalo said to his oldest son: “If you like, we can go to the Sami people and propose to one of their daughters so you can get yourself a wife.” The son thought that was a good idea so off they went…
By Kirsti Birkeland, Sami folk-tales: 25 South Sami folk-tales
Mara
If you have had nightmares one night, you may have been ridden by a Mara. She gets in through tiny little holes in the walls of houses and sits on our chests when we sleep, giving us terrible dreams. Only women can be turned into a Mara, a shaggy creature that disturbs our dreams. In the olden days, people believed that one of the daughters of a mother of seven girls would be turned into a Mara but no one knew for sure. There once was a man who was ridden by a Mara every night. He began to wonder how she got into his house and one night he found a hole in the wall which he blocked up. When the man woke the next morning, a naked woman was crawling around on the floor. He bought her clothes and because she was a very fine-looking woman, he decided to marry her. They lived together for many years until one night…
Based on a folk-tale from northern Norway
A wife from the underworld
Erik was on his way to the neighbouring village to do an errand. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. How many languishing looks from admiring girls hadn’t this youngster received? Well, so many that he had already become somewhat haughty. Erik wasn’t interested in just any old girl. Whoever was going to be his wife would be chosen with great care. One day he was so absorbed in his daydreams so he did not notice a woman with a white cow walking in front of him on the path. They were moving quite slowly and it was not until he was right next to them that he noticed them. Erik was startled and he stopped. Wasn’t that a goblin woman with a cow from the underworld? Yes, it must be, Erik thought, and decided not to miss the opportunity of becoming the owner of a supernatural cow, a cow that could fill any size of milk pail. Erik put his hand to his side and could feel his sheath knife hanging in its normal place. Quickly, he pulled out the knife and threw it ahead of him. But the knife, instead of flying over the cow as intended, flew over the woman, and the steel flashed before the knife fell to the ground. Erik stood speechless and saw how the woman suddenly turned round and walked over to him. She stopped right in front of him, looked him in the eye and said: “Here I am! I am now completely in your power and I am prepared to be your wedded wife. For you threw the steel over me.” The woman then joined Erik and he was dumbfounded…
By Margareta Nyberg, True stories, legends and tall stories from the villages along Sagavägen in the municipality of Örnsköldsvik.
Footnote
“Folk-tales about goblins and other legends told along Sagavägen” has been compiled and published, with the permission of the authors, as part of the project “The Sagavägen Region – the route linking two world heritage sites”
Text processing: Britt Hansen, Lena Burman, Olav Skårdalsmo, Johanna Suders, Pia Gustavsen, Gunn K. Johansen.
Translation: Britt Hansen, Johanna Suders, Pia Gustavsen.
Translation of this text:Janet French.
Photography of illustrations: Merete Gustavsen Tvenning.
Picture processing: Merete Gustavsen Tvenning, Grafiska Verksta´n.
Graphic design: Inger Bodin Adamsson.
Print: BLIKK Sentraltrykkeriet AS, Bodø, 2006
