Swedish Folk Tales

[Marzipan]

Part V


"But I still have to ask him all sorts of questions. " He told the maiden of his adventure through the kingdoms, and when he spoke of the king who lost his daughter seven years ago, she exclaimed, "oh, just imagine if that's my father! I'll help you all I can, and perhaps we'll be lucky to escape."

She pointed to a golden sword hanging on the wall. "See if you can lift it, "she said. The boy tried to lift the sword but couldn't manage, it was too heavy.

"Drink from this bottle, "she said. He did so and could now take the sword down from the wall. "Now, drink more,"she said to the boy, and he did so. He could now lift the sword into the air. Once finished with the bottle he could lift and swing te sword as it was a willow branch.

"Crawl under the bed and cover yourself with the bearskin, so the giant can't smell you,"she instructed. The boy did as he was told and crawled under the bed and pulled the bearskin over himself.

As the boy finished pulling the bearskin over himself the giant came stomping in. He panted,"I smell the blood of a Christian. "

"Yes, I'm sure you do. Your hawk came back a while ago with a big bone in its beak. It's probably a human bone if it makes your nose tingle," said the princess.

"This is not a smell of one bone," said the giant.

"No, you're right. I have mistaken, I now recall there were two bones,"said the princess.

"I suppose that explains the strong smell, "said the giant. He sat down and told the princess of his exploits and the many humans he had eaten that day. Then they went to bed, and as soon as the lay down the giant fell asleep instantly.

Suddenly, the princess woke up tossing around and screaming, "oh!"

"What's a matter? "asked the giant.

"I had a strange dream!" said the princess.

The giant asked, "what was it?"

"I dreamed that someone named Master Pär asked me why things always went wrong for him."

"That's because he doesn't want the son-in-law he's supposed to have, "said the giant, then fell asleep and snored so loud the mountain shook.

[Marzipan]

Part VI

The princess started screaming again, " Oh!Oh!"

The giant was irritated,"what's wrong now?" he said.

"I had a strange dream! " explained the princess.

The giant pretended to be interested and asked, "what did you dream?"

And the princess continued, "I dreamed a king had an apple tree, whose apples were red on one side and white on the other. How is this possible? "

"What a question! It is so because all the gold and silver that is buried under the tree. It was buried there when all kings in the world were at war with each other," explained the giant. He turned toward the wall and began to snore and the mountain rumbled.

The princess was not done and jumped, "Oh! Oh! Oh!"

"Now what's wrong? " yelled the giant.

"My dream, it was so strange!" said the princess.

The giant was starting to surpass annoyance but asked, "what did you dream?"

"I dreamed of a king who had lovely spring with the clearest, nicest water in the world,"said the princess. "And now it's but muddy puddle, why did this happen? "

"What a question!"said the giant. "There's an old crow buried beneath the spring. Once it's dug out the spring will be lovely again. Now, no more dreams!" He turned toward the wall again and shook the mountain with his snoring.

But the princess wasn't quite done, "Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!"

The giant screamed, "what's the matter now!"

"I had such a strange dream," said the princess.

The giant was now infuriated and shouted, "what did you dream this time?"

"I dreamed of a king asking me what's become of his daughter," said the princess. " She was lost seven years ago, and wonder what's become of them. Do you know of this king and his daughter?"

"What a question, " said the giant."This king is your father, and all he can do is wonder. No more dreams! " And again he turned to the wall and shook the mountain with his snoring.

The princess sprung up from bed,"Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!

The giant was vicious and snapped,"what's wrong now?"

"Darling, sweet, dear Papa," said the princess. "It was such a strange dream."

"This is unusual, you don't dream like this, "said the giant. "What did you dream this time? "

" I dreamed a ferry woman by the river," said the princess to the giant. "She asked me how long she had to sit there."

"What a question! " said the giant. "She must jump ashore first when she ferries someone across and say, 'Sit there as long as I have, ' then she will be replaced and be free. Next time you wake me with one of your dreams I'll chop your head!" He took the golden sword from the wall and placed it next to him in bed. He snored and shook the mountain more violently than before.

[Marzipan]

Part VII (End)



The princess was done and had the answers to all her questions. She slipped out of bed and the boy came up from underneath and picked up the golden sword. The boy swung the sword and chopped the giant's head off. The giant's blood began to pour and cover the floor as quickly as they fled.

When they came to the ferry woman, she asked the boy if he had the answer to her question from the giant. The boy said, "first help us across, then I'll tell you." The old woman ferried them across and the boy and the princess jumped ashore first then the boy said, "next time you ferry someone across, make sure to jump ashore first and say: 'sit there as long as I have.' Then you'll be free, and he will have to sit and ferry instead."

When they arrived at the castle where the princess's father lived, the boy was welcomed as if he were a king himself. The king insisted the boy to marry his daughter, become his son in law and king after his reign. The princess also insisted and pleaded but she along with her father did not convince him. He told them he must go to Master Pär with the answer to his question for someone was waiting for him there. So the king gave him beautiful clothes, horses, and a carriage so the boy could continue on.

The boy arrived at the second castle where the spring was a muddy puddle. The old crow was dug out and the spring had the most wonderful, nicest water once again. The boy, again, was thanked with many great gifts.

When he arrived to the third castle, the king had both sides of the apple tree dug. There he found all the kings gold and silver. The boy received half as a gift before parting from the kingdom.

Rag Jan's boy was now a real gentleman, and Master Pär was sure to be impressed and doff his hat when he sees the boy wearing beautiful clothes, carriage, and gifts. The boy arrived and at first Master Pär thought it could've been the king himself making an appearance but when he saw it was not and it was Rag Jan's boy, his eyes were ready to fall out of his skull. When Master Pär heard the answer to his question he made arrangements for a grand feast.

Master Pär's sister, the old Finn crone, Rag Jan and his wife along with their children were there. Among the rest of the guests were seven parsons, seven sextons, and seven cooks from Karlstad, and so many others it was as though the whole kingdom was there. They danced, drank, and ate as if was the king's castle; the feast was a complete success, Master Pär had outdone himself.

Rag Jan's boy was a gentleman and Master Pär couldn't have a better son in law but Master Pär was still not willing to accept him. He was also displeased that the boy was now richer than him.

One day, he thought of all the giant's treasure the boy left behind and decided to retrieve it for himself. Without telling a soul, he got into his wagon and headed towards the end of the world.

When he reached the river, he stepped into the old woman's ferry. The old woman told him to sit down, and when he did, she quickly came ashore and said, "Sit there as long as I have," and so it was as the giant said and Master Pär was obliged to sit in the ferry. And he probably sits there still, staring at the gold shinning through the giant's open door.

But his daughter and Rag Jan's boy are well; and so is the one who told me this story.

[Harkonnen]

If I remember correctly there existed in the eighteen hundreds Swedish folk tales which warned Swedish women to marry Finnish blokes. Usually these tales ended by the Swedish bride being stabbed to death LMAO