Wed, 10 Nov 2004

Ghosts stop barn demolition

Well, in defense of the owner, he didn't exactly say "ghosts" - I can't find the article in Norwegian (and my knowledge of Old Norse probably wouldn't help much anyway) but as the farmer described it:

"There are underworld creatures living in that barn," the man wrote. "My entire family knows about this."

Knowing a bit about Nordic folklore, I would wager that the translation of "ghosts" and "underworld creatures" really means what modern heathens (in English speaking countries) call the landwights - some older words would be tomte or nisse.

Sometimes we Heathens must not seem too "enlightened" to our friends, given our predilection for this kind of lore. But look at it this way: is it a literal "creature" that bedevils the barn, or a lack of respect for the land? Obviously the barn is in disrepair. The message is clear to me, literal "boogie man" or not. Just fix the barn up rather than trying to tear it down, and maybe leave out a bit of porridge and beer every once in a while (to be eaten by the barn cats and other critters), and you won't have to worry about going into your own barn! A little respect goes a long way, in any direction.

Officials in the northern Norwegian city of Tromsų have withdrawn their order that a local farmer tear down an old barn on his property. They accepted his argument that demolishing the barn will anger the ghosts living under it.

(link) [Aftenposten]

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