The Ulfgryt Stones.
In the peak of Mount Garphytte, one of the many mountain tops that raise themselves over Kilseberger, dwelt, in former days, a giant named Rise.
One morning, as he went from his grotto out into [[151]]the day, a strange sound, which caused him to pause, greeted his ear. He listened for some time, then returned into the mountain and called his wife.
“Put the smallest of those stones that lie upon the peak into your garter and sling it at that gray cow that goes tinkling along down there by Hjelmaren!” said he, meaning the new church just completed at Orebro, whose bells were that morning ringing for the first time in the service of the Lord.
The giantess, as she was commanded, took a stone as large as a house and threw it at the church, some eight or ten miles distant.
“That was a poor throw,” said the giant, when the stone fell down on the plain of Rumbo. “Bring here the band; you shall see a throw that will do its work,” whereupon he adjusted a monstrous stone in his wife’s garter, and, swinging it a few times through the air, let it go with all his power toward the new church.
“Great in command, but little in power,” said the giant woman, when the stone fell upon the one she had thrown, and was broken into a thousand pieces.
At the same time the bell rung out with wonderful clearness. Furious with rage, he tore up two large stones, took one under each arm, and set out for Orebro. Intelligence having reached the residents of Orebro that the giant was coming, consternation was general and good advice dear.
Finally, an old man undertook to save the church. In great haste he gathered up all the worn-out shoes he could find, put them in a sack, and set out to meet [[152]]the giant. At Ulfgryt, in Toby, he met the giant, who was anything but gentle in appearance.
“How far is it to Orebro?” asked Rise.
“I can’t say exactly,” answered the old man, in an innocent manner, “but it is long a way, you will find, for it is seven years since I left there, and I have worn out all these shoes on the way.”
“Then let him who will, go there, but I will not,” said the giant, and threw the stones from him to the ground with such force that they rang as they struck it.
The stones lie there by the roadside even to-day, but the most remarkable circumstance is that they turn over whenever the church bells in Orebro are rung. [[153]]
Rugga Bridge.[1]
In the last years of the fourteenth century there lived in Strengnäs, the well-known bishop, Konrad Rugga, or Bishop Cort, as he was called by the people. Holding his office at a time when the glory of Papacy was at its height, it is natural that his power was great and influence unusual. Yet tradition has not been content with this, but has magnified his endowments to the almost supernatural.
In order to maintain discipline and order in his bishopric he was wont to travel from place to place in his diocese, always visiting in these journeys the convent of Riseberga.
During one of these official tours he purchased in Tangerosa, three small farms, and made of them a large domain, which he improved and called Trystorp—three farms—but from Riseberga to Trystorp it is a long distance, and as the Bishop was not unskilled in constructing underground ways—he having already completed one such under the Mälar from Strengnäs to his residence, Tynnelsö—he tunneled a passage from the monastery to Trystorp under Logsjö. For the [[154]]public he built a road above ground, which is the same that now leads to Trystorp around the north shore of Logsjö.
Over a stream, or at that time a little river, which, just below Riseberga, runs from the south in a northerly course, he built a substantial bridge of sandstone. The bridge is even to-day called Rugga’s bridge or more commonly Ruggebro.
Not long after the death of Bishop Cort the Papal power was forced to yield in Sweden to the doctrines of Luther and Riseberga to share the fate of other convents in the land.
It was now determined to move one of the bells of the convent to Edsberg, where it was to call the people together to hear the new message of truth. But the Bishop’s powerful spirit seemed even now to be present on earth, for when they who bore the bell reached the middle of Ruggebro, the burden was overthrown by an unseen hand into the creek, where it disappeared.
Many have since seen the bell, and one and another have even succeeded in raising it half way out of the water, but it has always escaped and sunk back into the creek bed, scoffing at the weakness of the covetous laborers. [[155]]
[1] Bishop Konrad Rugga, who plays a part in this story, belonged to the old Kyle family and was born in Stockholm. After he had studied in foreign high schools, he was, upon his return to Sweden, first canon, and later archdeacon in Uppsala Cathedral. In the year 1480 he was chosen bishop of Strengnäs, which office he entered upon on the 3d of April, 1501. In the Cathedral of Strengnäs, even now, a small cell is shown, which is said to have been his treasure vault, and where his prayer-book, shoes and other relics may still be seen. [↑]
