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.”