Tuesday, November 3, 2026 · 天火 · tianmu.org
Friis — Sami Tales, Proverbs and Riddles
North Sámi folk tales from J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (Christiania, 1856), translated from the Sámi, each printed with its Sámi text.
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Texts
01 — The Giant's LifeA North Sámi tale from Utsjoki: the Giant tells an old woman that his life lies in an egg, in a hen, in a sheep, in a barrel, on an island beyond a burning sea, and her son crosses that sea with a bear, a wolf, a hawk and a diver to find it and burn it. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.02 — The Fox and the Bear, from UtsjokiA North Sámi tale from Utsjoki: a fox plays dead to steal a sledge of fish, gets the bear's tail frozen fast and then burns the bear in a pit, sells its bones to a man for his reindeer, and at last borrows the aspen's eyes, telling along the way how the marks in a reindeer carcass got their names. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.03 — The Bad Wife and the DevilA North Sámi tale from Utsjoki: a man tips his unbearable wife into a hole in the earth, hauls up the Devil who is fleeing from her, and goes into business with him among three rich merchants. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.04 — The Thief Who Stole Everything There WasA North Sámi master-thief tale from Tana: the brother who went to thieving school steals a king's ox, his horse and his money-chest, kisses his queen, and sends the royal baker to the block in his place. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.05 — About the RaugaA North Sámi sea-ghost story from Nesseby on the Varangerfjord: a man hides in his own boat to catch the rauga that will not leave it in peace, and strikes it with his fish-gaff. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.06 — The Gufitar FolkA North Sámi tale from Nesseby on the Varangerfjord about the gufitar, the people who live under the earth: a man who moves his hut off their dwelling hears them joik his praises, loses a share of salmon to them, and is repaid in silver. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.07 — The MermaidA North Sámi tale from Nesseby on the Varangerfjord: of two boys watching for foxes on the shore, the one who would not let his brother shoot a mermaid is carried down to her father's house beneath the sea and comes home rich. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.08 — The Gufitar Under the WaterA North Sámi tale from Nesseby on the Varangerfjord: a boy rows out into the fog with an old man and comes to a town beneath the sea, where the fish of the upper world are goats, and the fishermen's lines hang down from the clouds. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.09 — Stallo and the Mountain ManA North Sámi Stallo tale from Nesseby on the Varangerfjord: the ogre Stallo carries off a reindeer man's wife, children and herd, and the wife wins their escape by sewing his clothes together and burning them over the embers. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.10 — The Gufitar GirlA North Sámi tale from Nesseby on the Varangerfjord: a boy catches a gufitar girl in his room at night, the priest baptizes and marries them, and her brothers from under the earth bring the couple a house and a herd, on one condition. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.11 — Wooing Customs of the Eastern SámiHow the Eastern Sámi of the Varanger borderlands wooed and wed: noses pressed in greeting, the binding drams of Russian wine, the guests sent out into the snow, and the bride brought home under a veil. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.12 — Gieddegaš-galgo, the Njavičan Girl and the Haccečædne GirlA North Sámi tale from Vadsø on the Varangerfjord: the shameless Haccečædne girl tricks the Njavičan girl into the water as a golden duck and takes her place beside the king's son, until Gieddegaš-galgo, the all-knowing old woman at the meadow's edge, shows him how to be rid of the false bride and win back the true one. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.13 — The Giant and His Serving-BoyA North Sámi tale from western Tana: a boy taken into a giant's service beats him by cunning at butting, shouting and throwing, lives through two nights of the giant's attempts on his life, and gets away with his wages, while the giant's household comes to its end at a lake. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.14 — The Three Flying MaidensA North Sámi tale from western Tana: Ruöbba, the youngest of three brothers, catches one of three white geese that are the Pope-King's daughters, loses her through his own king's tasks, and goes beyond the moonlight, with a hat, boots and a staff taken from giant boys, to win her again. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.15 — The Bailiff of Vadsø Who Made Himself a StalloA North Sámi tale from western Tana: a Sámi named Andras Bæjve beats the bailiff of Vadsø at jumping over a freshly tarred boat, and the bailiff makes himself into a Stallo to pay him back, but is outrun, tricked at a lake and shot. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.16 — The Fox and the BearA North Sámi animal tale from Karasjok: a fox caught by a bear talks him into being speckled like a woodpecker and burns him on a rack, trades the burnt bones to a mountain Sámi for reindeer as if they were gold and silver, and tricks the other beasts out of the meat, which is why the stoat's tail is black at the tip. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.17 — The Poor Boy, the Devil and the Golden CityA North Sámi tale from Karasjok: a poor fisherman promises his unborn son to the devil, the boy escapes him with a letter from the priest and drifts to a golden city, wins and loses its mistress, and wins her back with a giant's pair of shoes and a garment that makes him unseen. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.18 — The Ulta GirlsA North Sámi tale from Karasjok: two finely dressed girls come by night into the turf hut of a man fishing at a lake in autumn, and each insists that the other is the richer, while he lies pretending to sleep. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.19 — The Salmon and the PerchA North Sámi fable from Karasjok: on his way down to the sea after spawning, the salmon turns back a halibut and a small cod that are bound for fresh water, and then loses a race up a waterfall to a perch that holds on to his tail. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.20 — The Girls Who Came from the SeaA North Sámi tale from the Laksefjord: a farmer's son hides the clothes of a daughter of the king of the water-people while she bathes and so wins her as his wife, and when years later she finds her sea-garment and goes home through the sea, he wins her back by the counsel of Gieddegaš-galgo. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.21 — The Boy and the Old ManA North Sámi tale from Kautokeino: the eldest of three poor brothers passes forests running with silver and with gold, goes on alone to an old man in a bog who gives him a tablecloth that spreads a feast, scissors, a sword and swift shoes, and comes home to a feast of his own, until the teller himself is fired out of a cannon. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.22 — Rolmannë and the Haljo BoyA North Sámi tale from Kautokeino: a strong serving-boy sent down beneath a stone keeps the three things he finds there, wins a manor and a king's daughter with a flask of oil that makes thoughts come true, loses both when the flask is sold behind his back, and is carried back over the sea by a great bird. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.23 — The Poor Lad and the FishA North Sámi tale from Kautokeino: a poor lad lets go a fish that grants him whatever he thinks of, loses the gift by telling the king and is forgiven once, and, grown rich and proud, turns away a poor man who begs him for light, until he remembers the fish's warning. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.24 — The North Grandfather, the South Grandmother, the West Boy and the East GirlA North Sámi tale from Kautokeino: a boy who longs for the land of the immortals tricks three brothers out of a magic coat, boots and gun, carries off a girl and her dog from that land, fights its people with the help of the North Old Man, who is also the north wind, and his household, and with a dancing cudgel wins back the gifts a merchant swapped away from him. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.25 — The Giant and the Poor Little BoyA North Sámi tale from Repfjord in the Hammerfest district: a poor little boy outwits a giant, flees with the giant's horse while sulphur, flint and a comb raise a lake, a cliff and a forest behind them, takes the armour of three more giants whom the horse kills, and marries a king's youngest daughter; then the horse asks one last thing of him. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.26 — The Boy Who Saved the Life of the Giant's SonA North Sámi tale from Langfjord in Alta: a boy saves a giant's son from a troll in the shape of a cat, chooses the scabby gifts over the golden ones, and with a wishing-box wins a king's daughter, loses a town to the sea and gets it back. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.27 — Njavičædne and HaccečædneA short North Sámi tale from Langfjord in Alta: the troll-woman Haccečædne wins Njavičædne's son from her by cheating at berry-picking, until the boy, out hunting, overhears the truth through a smoke-hole. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.28 — The Ulta GirlA North Sámi tale from Langfjord in Alta: a young man left alone on a fishing island by his rival wins an ulta girl for his wife, their house and byre are built for them by night, and when he looks back on the road home half her parents' cattle turn away. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.29 — Jallaš and the Russian ChudesA North Sámi tale from Langfjord in Alta: the foolish Jallaš chops off a Stallo's wife's leg over a bowl of milk soup, drops her from a spruce to frighten a band of Russian Chudes away from their supper, and passes her off as his old mother until a king promises him a hundred dalers for her. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.30 — The Priest and His WifeA North Sámi legend from Burfjord in Skjervøy: a priest tells his childless wife that she can no more be saved than grass can grow on his marble table, and puts her out; years later she comes home to die, and in the morning grass has grown on the table. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.31 — The Accečan GirlA North Sámi tale from Skjervøy: on the way to the king's house the Accečan tricks an orphaned young mother into the sea as a golden duck and takes her place, until her brother wins her back. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.32 — Cut TobaccoA North Sámi tale from Ullsfjord in Karlsøy: a stingy fisherman nicknamed Cut Tobacco lies hidden in the stern of his boat while a draug mimics its crew, then strikes it on the back and sends it off to sea. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.33 — The Strong Husband and the StallosA North Sámi Stallo tale from the Ullsfjord in Karlsøy: a husband who can carry under his arm a barrel that a Stallo cannot lift wrestles and kills that Stallo, then wrestles his two brothers in turn, the last only with his wife's help. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.34 — The RaugaA short North Sámi tale from the Ulfsfjord in Karlsøy: a boat coming home hears talking, a bell, weeping and laughter, a snow-white bird comes aboard, and the Rauga holds the boat back until the skipper strikes fire and burns sulphur. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.35 — Ruöbba, the Giant and NævreA North Sámi wonder tale from Kåfjord in Lyngen: Ruöbba, the youngest of three brothers, feeds the hungry tools his brothers turned away, tricks the Giant and Nævre out of the one eye they share, and wins the king's daughter with a ship that travels over land and the help of two strange companions. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.36 — The Boy, the Mermaid and the KnightA North Sámi tale from Lyngen: a boy promised to a mermaid before his birth flees her with the shapes of a lion, a bear and a bumblebee, wins a king's daughter, and escapes the sea when she plays her fiddle on the shore. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.37 — The Giant's Life (Tromsø Version)The Utsjoki tale of the Giant's life, turned into the North Sámi of Tromsø: a son learns that the Giant who killed his father keeps his life in an egg beyond the burning sea, and goes after it with a bear, a wolf, a hawk and a diver. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.38 — Stallo's BrideA North Sámi tale from Ibestad in Troms: a Sámi who dares not refuse Stallo his daughter dresses a log in her clothes and flees with his household, and Stallo, after cooking, eating and making the bed for his silent bride, runs after them through the snow. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.39 — The Boy, the Lamp and the RingA North Sámi tale from Ibestad, a telling of the lamp and the ring best known from Aladdin: a boy left in a hole in the earth by a man who calls himself his uncle is saved by the servants of the ring, gets a king's town from the lamp, loses it all when the lamp is traded away, and wins it back. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.40 — Stallo's WeddingA North Sámi tale from Ofoten: Stallo makes a Christian man promise his daughter to Stallo's son, and at the wedding the Christians are rid of the son by a kettle of hot broth, of Stallo by a game of blind man's buff on the lake ice, and of his wife by her own iron tube. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.41 — The Giant's Life (Vefsn Version)A Sámi tale from Vefsn in Helgeland: the Giant kills an old man to take his wife, and her son, learning where the Giant keeps his life, crosses a burning sea with a bear, a wolf, a hawk and a loon to reach it. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.42 — The Poor Lad and His LuckA tale Friis printed under the heading ‘the Eastern language’, that is Skolt Sámi: a poor man skis into the forest, beats his sleeping luck awake, and is given a stone that makes money, and then a bag that gives wits with a beating. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.43 — Sámi Proverbs and RiddlesTwenty North Sámi proverbs and thirty riddles with their answers, from a raven's nest and a squirrel's claw to smoke, a comb, a river and a person's heart. From J. A. Friis's Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856), translated from the Sámi.