The Old Man of Lagga.
Near Lagga Church, in the municipality of Langhundra, is a singularly formed mountain. On the side of it toward the church is an opening, from which, it is said, two paths lead—the one south to a hill near the so called “Meadow Watcher’s Cottage,” the other north to Kashögen, near Kasby estate.
In the mountain lived a giant called Lagge Gubben—old man Lagge—who, when last seen, was at least five hundred years old, and his hair as white as the feathers of a dove.
Early one morning a peasant named Jacob going to the village of Lagga, passed the mountain, when the old mountain man came out and saluted him: “Good morning, Joppe! Will you come in and drink healths with me?”
“No, thank you,” replied Jacob, who had no desire for such companionship. “If you have more than you are able to drink, save it until morning, for there is another day coming.”
“That is good advice,” said Lagga. “Had I known that before, I should have been a richer man, now.”
“It is not yet too late,” replied the peasant.
“Yes it is, for I must leave here in the morning on account of the church bells,” said the giant, shaking his fist at Lagga clock tower. [[193]]
“You will come again, never fear,” said Jacob consolingly.
“Yes, when Lagga Fjord becomes a field and Ostund Lake a meadow,” replied the giant with a sigh, and disappeared into the mountain. [[194]]
The Water Nymph.[1]
About a mile northwest from Järna Church was located, at one time, a water mill, Snöåqvarn, belonging to the parishioners of Näs. [[195]]
One Sunday morning, before the church of Järna had a priest of its own, the chaplain of Näs set out for that place, and had just arrived at the mill, when he saw a water man sitting in the rapids below it, playing on a fiddle a psalm from a psalm book.
“What good do you think your playing will do you?” said the priest. “You need expect no mercy!”
Sadly the figure ceased playing, and broke his fiddle in pieces, whereupon the priest regretted his severe condemnation, and again spoke:
“God knows, maybe, after all.”
“Is that so?” exclaimed the man in joy, “then I’ll pick up my pieces and play better and more charmingly than before.”
To another mill in the same parish, Lindqvarn, near Lindsnäs, a peasant came one time with his grist. Along in the night he thought he would go and see if it was yet ground. He noticed on his arrival that the mill was not running, and opened the wicket to the wheel-house to learn what the matter might be, when he saw, glaring at him from the water below, two eyes “as large as half moons.”
“The devil! what great eyes you have!” cried the peasant, but received no reply.
“Whew! what monstrous eyes you have!” the peasant again cried; again no answer. [[196]]
Then he sprang into the mill, where he stirred up a large fire brand, with which he returned.
“Are your eyes as large now?” he shouted through the wicket.
“Yes!” came in answer from the stream.
Hereupon the peasant ran the stick through a hole in the floor, where the voice seemed to come from, and at once the wheel began to turn again. [[197]]
[1] The water nymphs are noted musicians; their music usually being in a plaintive strain and expressing a longing to be released on the day of [[195]]judgment. Sometimes, but not so often, they appear in the folk-lore as the capricious rulers of the streams which they inhabit. It is believed, in certain regions that one should not grind grain on the night before Christmas, for at that time the nymphs are out in all the streams, and if they find a mill going they stop it, break it, or grind at such a furious rate that the millstones burst. [↑]
Bölsbjörn.[1]
Many generations ago there lived at Bole, in the parish of Ore, a man named Bölsbjörn, noted far and wide for his wonderful strength.
The king, hearing about him, commanded him to come to Stockholm and wrestle with a newly arrived foreign champion named Stenbock, who was said to be so strong that he had never found his superior.
Bölsbjörn hastened to obey the king’s command. Strapping his skates upon him, he set off at such a speed that his dog, which had followed him, gave out and died on the way, and the new-baked bread put into his haversack was yet warm upon his arrival at Stockholm.
He was conducted to the king, and was told that he might name his own reward, however great it might be, if he would vanquish Stenbock.
The struggle was soon begun and suddenly concluded by Bölsbjörn laying his antagonist upon his back with such force that three of his ribs were broken. For his reward, Bölsbjörn demanded as much land as he could skate around in one day, and it was granted him by the king.
When he returned home he had made the circuit of nearly twelve square miles of land, which his descendants to this day occupy. [[198]]
[1] It is believed this comes from an old Icelandic Saga, which has been made a part of the folk-lore of Dalarne. [↑]