Nätra · Norrbyn, Ulföhamn

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Parish: Nätra
Village: Norrbyn, Ulföhamn
Collector: Levi Johansson
Informant: A. Norgren
Record no.: LMV-M5070

English translation

I have just started looking at my newspaper, which I see that the editorial staff is interested in hearing about personal experiences and old legends about spookiness and such. I was 5 years old when my parents moved out to an island named Mjältön. It lies outside Vibygerå parish in Västernorrland county, to pursue fishing, which went quite well. They built fishing shacks and dwelling houses. In the autumn, some of the catch was unsold. Now they had to decide to stay through the winter, which went quite well. We continued out there winter and summer for 10 years. In the autumn, two old seal hunters from Vibygerå used to be out there, catching and shooting seals. In the evenings, they talked about how it was and had been the main station for spookiness. It had been an old fishing harbor. Now there was only one fishing cottage left and the foundation of fishing shacks. The cove had silted up, so the fishermen had to quit. It had been a seal hunting spot for all time. After the strömming (Baltic herring) fishing season was over, they had moved back to the mainland with their families. It was the seal hunters' custom to stay until late autumn, but as it was told, in the autumn the spookiness would move in. It happened one nasty autumn evening that only one of the old men, named Gederbom, was left. He was very absorbed in his ledger. The spook wanted to be there too. The door opened again and again, and a mighty presence was heard out there. But old man Geder had a little cold blood in his veins. He glared at the door, roared 'You damn devil, do you think I'm scared?' and sprang up, brandishing his knife wildly at the door, but without hitting anything. He continued his absorbed reading. The spook seemed to become more discouraged. He renewed his fire in the stove. He lay down to sleep with his seal rifle by his side. The cottage filled with the spook; the burning logs rolled wildly in the stove. Gederbom, in his anger, reached for his gun, cocked the hammer, and shot a burning log. Groaning and complaining, the spook disappeared towards the high mountain that lies close by. 'He's shot Father Devil!' 'No, it's Mother Devil!' Now Gederbom was left undisturbed that night -------------------- if this is to be printed, please fill in the words that I have carelessly omitted

Original transcription (Swedish)

jag Komer just att titta i min tidning Wilket jag ser att redacksjon intresar sig att Höra om Egna erfarenheter ock gamla Segner om skräck å Dyliktjag Var vid 5 års ålder Då mina föreldrar flytade utt till en Ö såm har namnet mjältön Den liger utanför Wibygerå Soken i Wesernårlands len för att bedriva fisket såm gick ret bra De uppförde fiskebodar ock Boningshus Hösten kåm en del af fångsten var osålt nu måste de besluta sig att övervara vintren som gick rett bra Wi fortsate der ute vinter å såmar i 10 år På höstarna brukade två gamla säljegare från vibyrerå wara der ute ock fånga & sjuta säl på Kvelarna talade om att dett var ock hade varit Huvudstatsjon för Skråck Dett hade varit en gamal fiskehamn. nu var det blåt en fiske stuga kvar och grunden till fiskebodar Wiken hade grunat op fiskarna måste derför sluta. Dett hade varit en sälfångst plats i alla tider ner strömings fisket för Sesången var afslutat hade de flytat in till landet med sina familjer Säljegarna var deras bruk att stana kvar till sena hösten men så beretas på Hösten skule skrock flyta in Dett Hende e n ruskig höstkvel att endast en af gubarna vid namn Gederbom var kvar. han var myket ifrig i sin trålbok Skråk ville even vara med Dören öpnades gång på gång ock ett veldikt Väsende hördes der ute Men gubben Geder hade en liter kalt blod i sina ådrar. Blengde mot dörren röt till o verd satan tror du att jag er räd sprang up hög sin knif vilt mot dörrren. men utan att trefa nogot. fortsate sin infriga lesning skråket syntes såm bli mera nergående. förnyade sin brasa i spisen. lade sig för att såva med sin Sälstutsare vid sidan. Stugan fyldes af skråket eldbrannarna rullade vilt i spisen. Gederbom i sit vreda rykte till sig bösan med spendhana skåtett brand af gemrande ock klagande försvan skrok mot det höga berg såm liger tett in til han har sjutit farsfan nej det är morsfan. nu fik gederbom liga ostörd dena nat--------------------om det införes i tryket var god i fyl de ord såm jag slarvat bårt

Source: Murberget Länsmuseet Västernorrland, folk memory collection. These records were written down in the first half of the 1900s; the collectors' language and values are of their own time.