Now this was all very well, but they must get rid of the Troll-hag before he would be free. So he got the carpenters to make a trap-door on the bridge which the bridal procession was to cross, for it was the custom there that the bride should ride first in the procession. When the Troll-hag started across the bridge with all her Troll-hag bridesmaids, the planks under them dropped open and they fell through. Then King Valemon and the king’s daughter and all the wedding guests rushed back to the castle, and took as much of the Troll-hag’s gold and money as they could carry, and then rushed off to his country to hold the real wedding. But on the way, King Valemon stopped in and fetched the three little girls, and now she found out why he had taken the children from her — it was so that they could help her find him. So they caroused at the wedding both lustily and long.
“GOOD DAY, FELLOW!” “AXE HANDLE!”
There was once a ferryman who was so deaf that he could neither hear nor make out what anyone said to him. He had an old wife, and two sons and a daughter, and they didn’t trouble themselves about the man, but lived merrily and well, as long as there was anything to live on, and afterwards they bought on credit from the innkeeper, and gave parties and feasts every day.
When no one would give them any more credit, the bailiff was coming to seize their goods to pay for what they had borrowed and wasted. So the old woman and the children went to her kin, and left the deaf man behind alone to receive the bailiff and his man.
The man poked and pottered about the place, and wondered what the bailiff wanted to ask about, and what he should say when he came.
“I can start whittling away at something,” he said to himself. “Then he’ll ask me about it. I’ll start on an axe handle. Then he’ll ask me what that’s going to be, and I’ll say:
‘Axe handle!’
Then he’ll ask me how long it’s going to be, so I’ll say:
‘Up to this knot!’
Then he’ll ask where the ferry is, and I’ll say:
‘I’m going to tar her. She’s lying down on the shore, cracked at both ends!’
Then he’ll ask: ‘Where’s that old grey mare of yours?’ So I’ll say:
‘She’s out in the stall, big with foal!’
Then he’ll ask: ‘Where’s your cattle and your cowshed?’ And I’ll say:
‘That’s not far away. When you get up the hill, you’re there in no time!’ ”
This, he thought, was well and carefully thought out.
After a while the bailiff came. He was certain enough of the way, but his man had taken another road by way of the inn, and was still sitting there drinking.
“Good day, fellow!” said the bailiff.
“Axe handle!” said the ferryman.
“Good day, fellow!” “Axe handle!”
“Ah so —,” said the bailiff. “How far is it to the inn?” he asked.
“Up to this knot!” said the man and pointed a bit up the axe handle.
The bailiff shook his head and stared hard at him.
“Where’s your old woman, fellow?” he said.
“I’m going to tar her,” said the ferryman. “She’s lying down on the shore, cracked at both ends!”
“Where’s your daughter?”
“Oh, she’s out in the stall, big with foal!” He thought he was answering both wisely and well for himself.
“Oh, go to the devil, fool that you are!” said the bailiff.
“Well, that’s not far. Once you get up the hill, you’re there in no time!” said the man.
THE TABBY WHO WAS SUCH A GLUTTON
There was once a man who had a Tabby, and she was so terribly large and such a glutton that he couldn’t keep her any longer. So she was to go to the river with a stone around her neck, but first she was given a good meal. The old woman set a bowl of porridge and a little trough of drippings in front of her. The Tabby gobbled it down, and then jumped out through the window. The man was in the barn threshing.
“Good day to you, man of the house,” said the Tabby.
“Good day to you, Tabby,” said the man. “Have you had any food today?” he said.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m almost fasting,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge and a trough of drippings, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” And then she went and gobbled the man up.
When she had done that, she went into the cowshed; there sat the old woman milking. “Good day to you, old woman in the cowshed,” said the Tabby.
“Good day, is that you, Tabby?” said the old woman. “Have you eaten up your food?” she said.
“Oh, I’ve eaten a little today, but I’m almost fasting,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of drippings, and the man of the house, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” she said, and then she went and gobbled up the old woman.
“Good day to you, cow in the stall,” said the Tabby to the bell-cow.
“Good day to you, Tabby,” said the bell-cow. “Have you had any food today?” she said.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m almost fasting,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of drippings, and the man of the house, and the old woman in the cowshed, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” said the Tabby, and then she went and gobbled up the bell-cow too.
Then she headed for the home pasture. There stood a man chopping leafy branches for fodder.
“Good day to you, fellow in the leafy woods,” said the Tabby.
“Good day to you, Tabby; have you had any food today?” said the branch-chopper.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m almost fasting,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of drippings, and the man of the house, and the old woman in the cowshed, and the bell-cow in the stall, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” she said, and then she went and gobbled up the branch-chopper too.
Then she came to a rock-pile. There stood the stoat, peeping out. “Good day to you, stoat in the rock-pile,” said the Tabby.
“Good day to you, Tabby; have you had any food today?” said the stoat.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m almost fasting,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of drippings, and the man of the house, and the old woman in the cowshed, and the bell-cow in the stall, and the branch-chopper in the home pasture, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” said the Tabby, and then she went and gobbled up the stoat too.
When she had gone a little farther, she came to a hazel bush. There sat the squirrel gathering nuts.
“Good day to you, squirrel in the bush,” said the Tabby.
“Good day to you, Tabby; have you had any food today?” said the squirrel.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m almost fasting today,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of drippings, and the man of the house, and the old woman in the cowshed, and the bell-cow in the stall, and the branch-chopper in the home pasture, and the stoat in the rock-pile, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” said the Tabby, and then she went and gobbled up the squirrel too.
When she had gone a bit farther she met the fox, who was slinking about on the edge of the woods.
“Good day to you, Slypaws,” said the Tabby.
“Good day to you, Tabby; have you had any food today?” said the fox.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m almost fasting,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of drippings, and the man of the house, and the old woman in the cowshed, and the bell-cow in the stall, and the branch-chopper in the home pasture, and the stoat in the rock-pile, and the squirrel in the bush, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” said the Tabby, and then she went and gobbled up the fox too.
When she had gone a little farther, she met a hare.
Then the Tabby went far, and farther than far.
“Good day to you, Hoppity Hare,” said the Tabby.
“Good day t
o you, Tabby; have you had any food today?” said the hare.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m almost fasting,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of drippings, and the man of the house, and the old woman in the cowshed, and the bell-cow in the stall, and the branch-chopper in the home pasture and the stoat in the rock-pile, and the squirrel in the bush, and Slypaws the Fox, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” said the Tabby, and then she went and gobbled up the hare too.
When she had gone a bit farther she met a wolf.
“Good day to you, Glutton Greylegs,” said the Tabby.
“Good day to you, Tabby, have you had any food today?” said the wolf.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m almost fasting,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of drippings, and the man of the house, and the old woman in the cowshed, and the bell-cow in the stall, and the branch-chopper in the home pasture, and the stoat in the rock-pile, and the squirrel in the bush, and Slypaws the Fox, and Hoppity Hare, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” said the Tabby, and then she went and gobbled up the wolf too.
Then she went to the forest, and when she had gone far, and farther than far, over hill and deep dale, she met a bear-cub.
“Good day to you, Frisky Bear,” said the Tabby.
“Good day to you, Tabby; have you had any food today?” said the bear-cub.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m almost fasting,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of drippings, and the man of the house, and the old woman in the cowshed, and the bell-cow in the stall, and the branch-chopper in the home pasture, and the stoat in the rock-pile, and the squirrel in the bush, and Slypaws the Fox, and Hoppity Hare, and Glutton Greylegs, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” said the Tabby, and then she went and gobbled up the bear-cub too.
When the Tabby had gone a bit farther, she met the she-bear who was clawing at the tree stumps until the splinters flew, so angry was she at losing her cub.
“Good day to you, Snappish She-bear,” said the Tabby.
“Good day to you, Tabby; have you had any food today?” said the she-bear.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m almost fasting,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of drippings, and the man of the house, and the old woman in the cowshed, and the bell-cow in the stall, and the branch-chopper in the home pasture, and the stoat in the rock-pile and the squirrel in the bush, and Slypaws the Fox, and Hoppity Hare, and Glutton Greylegs, and Frisky Bear, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” said the Tabby, and then she went and gobbled up the she-bear too.
When the Tabby had gone a little farther, she met the he-bear himself.
“Good day to you, Bruin Fine-Fellow,” said the Tabby.
“Good day to you, Tabby; have you had any food today?” said the bear.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m almost fasting,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of drippings, and the man of the house, and the old woman in the cowshed, and the bell-cow in the stall, and the branch-chopper in the home pasture, and the stoat in the rock-pile, and the squirrel in the bush, and Slypaws the Fox, and Hoppity Hare, and Glutton Greylegs, and Frisky Bear, and Snappish She-bear, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” said the Tabby, and then she went and gobbled up the he-bear too.
Then the Tabby went far, and farther than far, until she came to a settled neighborhood again; there she met a bridal procession on the road.
“Good day to you, bridal procession on the road,” said the Tabby.
“Good day to you, Tabby; have you had any food today?” said the bridal procession.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m almost fasting,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of drippings, and the man of the house, and the old woman in the cowshed, and the bell-cow in the stall, and the branch-chopper in the home pasture, and the stoat in the rock-pile, and the squirrel in the bush, and Slypaws the Fox, and Hoppity Hare, and Glutton Greylegs, and Frisky Bear, and Snappish She-bear, and Bruin Fine-Fellow, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” said the Tabby, and then she flew at them, and gobbled up both bride and bridegroom, and the whole procession, with master of revels, and fiddler, and horses, and every last one of them.
When she had gone a bit farther, she came to the church. There she met a funeral procession.
“Good day to you, funeral procession by the church,” said the Tabby.
“Good day to you, Tabby; have you had any food today?” said the funeral procession.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m almost fasting,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of drippings, and the man of the house, and the old woman in the cowshed, and the bell-cow in the stall, and the branch-chopper in the home pasture, and the stoat in the rock-pile, and the squirrel in the bush, and Slypaws the Fox, and Hoppity Hare, and Glutton Greylegs, and Frisky Bear, and Snappish She-bear, and Bruin Fine-Fellow, and the bridal procession on the road, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” said the Tabby, and then she turned on the funeral procession and gobbled them up, mourners and all.
When the Tabby had put an end to them, she made her way up to the heavens, and when she had gone far, and farther than far, she met the Moon in the sky.
“Good day to you, Moon in the sky,” said the Tabby.
“Good day to you, Tabby; have you had any food today?” said the Moon.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m almost fasting,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of drippings, and the man of the house, and the old woman in the cowshed, and the bell-cow in the stall, and the branch-chopper in the home pasture, and the stoat in the rock-pile, and the squirrel in the bush, and Slypaws the Fox, and Hoppity Hare, and Glutton Greylegs, and Frisky Bear, and Snappish She-bear, and Bruin Fine-Fellow, and the bridal procession on the road, and the funeral procession by the church, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” said the Tabby, and then she turned on the Moon and gobbled her up, both wax and wane.
Then the Tabby went far, and farther than far, until she met the Sun.
“Good day to you, Sun in the heavens,” said the Tabby.
“Good day to you, Tabby; have you had any food today?” said the Sun.
“Oh, I’ve had a little,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of drippings, and the man of the house, and the old woman in the cowshed, and the bell-cow in the stall, and the branch-chopper in the home pasture, and the stoat in the rock-pile, and the squirrel in the bush, and Slypaws the Fox, and Hoppity Hare, and Glutton Greylegs, and Frisky Bear, and Snappish She-bear, and Bruin Fine-Fellow, and the bridal procession on the road, and the funeral procession by the church, and the Moon in the sky, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” said the Tabby, and then she turned on the Sun in the heavens and gobbled him up.
Then the Tabby went far, and farther than far, until she came to a bridge. There she met a great big Billy-goat.
“Good day to you, Billy on the bridge so broad,” said the Tabby.
“Good day to you, Tabby; have you had any food today?” said the Billy-goat.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m almost fasting,” said the Tabby. “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of drippings, and the man of the house, and the old woman in the cowshed, and the bell-cow in the stall, and the branch-chopper in the home pasture, and the stoat in the rock-pile, and the squirrel in the bush, and Slypaws the Fox, and Hoppity Hare, and Glutton Greylegs, and Frisky Bear, and Snappish She-bear, and Bruin Fine-Fellow, and the bridal procession on the road, and the funeral procession by the church, and the Moon in the sky, and the Sun in the heavens, and hey-hey if I don’t take you too!” said the Tabby.
“You’ll have to fight me first!” said the Billy-goat, and butted the Tabby so hard that she flew off the bridge and into the river, and there she burst.
Then out they crept, and home they flew, and were just as good as before, everyone the Tabby had eaten: the man of the house, and the old woman in the cowshed, and the bell-cow in the stall, and the branch-chopper in the home pasture, and the stoat in the rock-pile, and the squirrel in the bush, and Slypaws the Fox, and Hoppity Hare, and Glutton Greylegs, and Frisky Bear, and Snappish She-bear, and Bruin Fine-Fellow, and the bridal procession on the road, and the funeral procession by the church, and the Moon in the sky, and the Sun in the heavens.
THE DEVIL AND THE BAILIFF
There was once a bailiff who was a fleecer of the worst sort. One day the Devil came to fetch him.
“Never do I hear people say anything,” he said, “but, ‘Devil take that bailiff!’ So now you’ll have to come along with me. And, indeed, so bad are you that I don’t believe you could be any wickeder or worse if you tried!”
“Well, if you will pay attention to all the things folk chatter about, then you have more to fly after than you can manage!” said the bailiff. “But, if you’re such a kind man that you do everything folk ask you to, then I ought to be let off this time, too!” he said.
Indeed, the bailiff spoke up well for himself, and as the Devil was rather good-natured, they agreed at last to join company for a while. And the first person they met who bade the Devil take someone, him the Devil should take, and the bailiff should be set free.
“But it must come from the heart!” said the Devil.
First they came to a cottage. There stood the old woman churning butter, but when she saw strangers, she had to have a peek at them. In the meantime, along came her little pet pig, rooting and snuffing in every corner, and stuck its snout in the churn. Over it went, and the pig started gobbling up the cream.
“Was there ever a worse plague than a pig like that?” screamed the old woman. “Devil take you!” she said.
Norwegian Folktales Page 16