ESMERALDA’S SONG.
“Shula gang shaugh gig a magala,
I’ll set me down on yonders hill,
And there I’ll cry my fill;
And every tear shall turn a mill,
Shula a gang shaugh gig a magala
To my Uskadina slawn slawn.
Shula gang shaugh gig a magala;
I’ll buy me a petticoat, and dye it red,
And round this world I’ll beg my bread.
The lad I love is far away,
Shula gang shaugh gig a magala
To my Uskadina slawn slawn.
Shul, shul gang along with me,
Gang along with me, I’ll gang along with you;
I’ll buy you a petticoat, and dye it in the blue;
Sweet William shall kiss you in the rue,
Shula gang shaugh gig a magala
To my Uskadina slawn slawn.”
We passed “Brœndhaugen,” having the Jetta Fjeld on our left and St. Kaven and Vesle Fjeld on our right. Two very civil peasants at length joined our party. The clouds seemed very wild and dark over the mountains of the Dovre Fjeld. At length we crossed a bridge near Dovre. The loose blocks of water-washed stones on our road towards the bridge added to the wildness of the evening scene. After some failures, we made the men understand that we wanted to find a shop to buy bread. When we had passed the bridge a lame boy came to solicit alms, and we gave him two shillings. As we approached the village of Dovre a close carriage drove up, and the donkeys were halted for it to pass. The traveller also pulled up and began leisurely to inspect the donkeys through the carriage window. Our time was pressing. Noah was indignant that we should be expected to wait to satisfy the curiosity of every traveller. If they had been ladies the case might have been different, but now our party moved on without delay.
The road we had followed during the day was at one time as high as 1800 feet above the level of the sea. Now we had descended to about 1500 feet. A gentleman drove past in his four-wheeled carriage, having apparently some of his family with him. Stopping his carriage, he seemed much interested with our party. Some hay was given to the donkeys from the stock he had for his own use. There was something so friendly in his manner, that if he had wished to gaze on the donkeys all night they would probably have remained where they were. Comfortable houses were scattered here and there, and we noticed posts and rails set up in the fields, which seemed to us to have no sort of use as fences. At first we thought they must be somehow connected with the winter’s snows, as drift barriers, but we afterwards found that the grass when cut is placed on them to dry, and in many places we observed the same method of making hay.
The village landhandelri, or shop, stood near the church. Noah was sent with money to buy bread, whilst we went down a short steep descent of the road beyond the churchyard and halted. In a very short time a number of boys and children collected around us; a dog began to bark at the donkeys, and a man immediately hit the dog and took him away. We afterwards gave the man some tobacco. We could not help remarking the kind and orderly conduct of the peasant children.
The church, of wood, is roofed with large slates surmounted by a steeple painted green. Though not in accordance with our idea of architectural taste, it was immeasurably superior to the green pagoda we once saw on the top of the old church of Guérande, in Brittany. Noah was very successful, and bought nineteen loves of bread for three marks nine skillings. As we left Dovre, Zachariah was sent back for eggs, and he joined us soon after with twenty-one eggs in a handkerchief, for which he had given one mark nineteen skillings.
Our way continued along a very pleasant road to Toftemoen. A number of peasant boys followed us, who were, no doubt, anxious to see us camp. The station of Toftemoen stands from the road, with a large open space before it. A great number of Norwegian ponies were loose near the station. The house seems very comfortable, with ample accommodation. It is the residence of Herr Tofte, a descendant of Harold Haarfager (the Fair-haired). Harold Haarfager died in 933, and was succeeded by his son, Hako the Good, so that Herr Tofte has a splendid and royal ancestry. It is stated they never marry out of their own family.
In Mr. Bennett’s hand-book it is noted that the king dined here on his way to be crowned at Throndjhem, in 1860, and Herr Tofte had sufficient silver plate for the use of his Majesty and all his retinue.