Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 20, 1909.djvu/382

 328 Collectanea.

owned her this year." These words were spoken by a woman, the boy's mother, and she foretold misfortune in marriage for Marit. From that time she was left in peace by the huldre, but she became cross-eyed from that night, that is to say she squinted back over her shoulder as she threw the book after the boy.

The Jmldres prophecy about her marriage was fulfilled. She was wedded into the farm of Sanden, but her first husband was overwhelmed by the sea in quite calm weather ; her other husband cut himself to death with a scythe whilst he was mowing grass in a flat field, and her third and last husband also met with an accidental death. Another account tells that she was born at Hoi, and married into the farm of Tbfte with a man who was called "Raging" Ola, who cut himself to death whilst chopping down branches in the spring. His name fitted him well, and it is said that every morning before going out "he kept a sinful house," and that he promised to "give the cow-bell a yet stronger ring " on his return. By this husband she had a child, who was also named Marit, and who afterwards married into the farm of Upper Loken. Then the widow was wedded into the farm of Sanden, and lost her husband in the way related above. Finally, she was wedded to Kristen Valset at Ulvundeidet, who was over- whelmed by the sea. Thereupon she is supposed to have become very poor, and in her old days she had to remove to her daughter's at Loken, where she was cared for.

5. The Millers and the Millstone Nixies. — In the long murky winter nights, especially just before Yule, when Yule malt and Yule rye must be ground, the millers at the mills at Tr^edaP* were often hideously plagued by WatertroUs and Millstone Nixies, who in the midst of the work got angry and took hold of the water-wheel, so that the millstone stopped. The millers pushed, struck with the poles, and with sticks searched into all possible and impossible causes, but without profiting a grain. At last they thought of reading the three Religious Articles (the Creed), or the last part of Our Father, backwards, and, behold ! the mill wheel turned itself round as though it were greased.

6. The Bob^^ of Yulevolds. — On the southern side of the river,

^Trsedal is the same as Lilledal.

-'' Bob is the local name for o.Jutul or giant.