a tale from Vadsø on the Varangerfjord, from J. A. Friis, Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856)

Gieddegaš-galgo is a troll-woman thought to live at the edge of the meadows, who knows everything that happens and gives counsel to anyone in trouble; the Njavičan girl and the Haccečædne girl bear names that Friis's glossary gives as those of troll-women, and that people used of a slow, careless girl and of a shameless one. Told in North Sámi at Čáhcesuolu (Vadsø) and printed by Jens Andreas Friis in 1856, in Sámi only, this tale tells how the Haccečædne girl took the place of a king's son's bride by a trick, and how the old woman's counsel brought the true bride back.

Translation

Gieddegaš-galgo was one who knew everything that happened to anyone. She was like God, who knew everything that came to pass anywhere. At first she had a husband, but then the husband died, and she was left alone. After that she lived alone out in the wild land (at the far end of the meadow); she did not want any companion in life for herself. But whenever some trouble comes upon people, they go to take counsel with Gieddegaš-galgo, to hear what she knows about it. And Gieddegaš-galgo thinks the whole matter through and finds the answer.

Njavičan-galgo was also an old widow, like (just like) Gieddegaš-galgo, and she had one daughter. And the king's son began to court the girl, because she was such a gentle girl, not so shameless as the Haccečædne girl. That is why a girl who is lewd and shameless is called, or likened to, the Haccečædne girl of old; and a girl who is not so lewd and shameless, but who is slow to work, and lets slip everything she has in her keeping, is likened to the Njavičan girl.

Then the king's son and the Njavičan girl were married among the people, before they were married before the priest. When the two had married and had already begun to live together in one place, the Haccečædne girl saw it: "Has not the Njavičan girl got the king's son!" And she began to think: "How now am I to manage to part the king's son from the Njavičan girl, so that he might take to marrying me?"

Then she tricked the Njavičan girl and said to her: "You must quickly put on your best clothes, and then you must jump into the water as a golden duck, so that the king's son will like you better." So the Njavičan girl jumped into the water and became a golden duck. Then the Haccečædne girl hastily put on the Njavičan girl's best clothes, and went there herself in the Njavičan girl's place. The king's son knew nothing; he believed that this was the Njavičan girl, since she had put on the Njavičan girl's clothes and made herself just as the Njavičan girl had been.

When it came to bedtime, the king's son told his maid to make up the bed. The maid spread out all the softest pillows, but the Haccečædne girl says: "Oh my, how hard the bed is! I cannot bear to sleep in it; the bed is hard, my back hurts!" Then the maid fetched all the softest down pillows and spread them underneath, but still the Haccečædne girl complains: "Oh, oh, the bed is still hard!" Then the maid says to the Haccečædne girl: "I don't know what I should put under you!" "You must put balls of thread under my pillow, and logs laid crosswise!"

So the maid took them and laid out logs crosswise in the bed under the Haccečædne girl, and balls of thread at the foot of the bed, and old shoe-seams (shoe-welts), which are hard. Then the Haccečædne girl was pleased, and says: "Now it is softer indeed, now it is softer indeed!" Then she and the king's son lay down to sleep in one place. And the king's son knew that it was not the Njavičan girl; and he knew it by this, that she found fault with the soft place and was pleased with the hard one.

Then the Haccečædne girl tried to kiss the king's son. The king's son is afraid, and turns his nose away from the Haccečædne girl, because there is a sharp smell about the Haccečædne girl. Then the Haccečædne girl says: "Why are you afraid of me?" "You have a sharp smell!" "But I am the Njavičan girl! When did you ever find fault with me before, when we two were sleeping?" The king's son answered: "It is not now with us two as it was at first." Then the Haccečædne girl came to hear that the king's son knew she was not the Njavičan girl. After that she did not try to kiss him any more.

Then the two of them woke and dressed. And the king's son began to think: "I shall have to go to Gieddegaš-galgo, to hear how things are now." Then he went to her and asked: "Do you know how it is that I do not have the Njavičan girl for my wife?" And the king's son began to tell her how it had happened. Gieddegaš-galgo listens, and then she tells the king's son: "It is the Haccečædne girl you have for your wife now. The Njavičan girl has gone away." "What do you think to counsel me: how am I to get free of the Haccečædne girl?"

Then Gieddegaš-galgo told him how he was to get free of the Haccečædne girl: "You must set to and make up a great fire out in the outland or in the wilds." And the king's son set to and made up a great fire, and took his bride and went there to play beside the fire. When the two were there, playing by the fire and running round about the fire, the king's son took the Haccečædne girl and pushed her into the fire. Then the Haccečædne girl began to cry out:

"Do not burn
the little breasts you sucked!
Do not burn the one who gave you milk!
I knew it well enough:
behind the holy little fell
you have been!"

And the Haccečædne girl had forbidden the king's son to be behind the holy little fell, with Gieddegaš-galgo. Then the Haccečædne girl pissed on the fire, and almost managed to put it out. The king's son quickly built the fire up better still, and then the fire began to burn strongly again. Then the Haccečædne girl pissed a third time, and the third time she almost managed to put it out altogether; just a little bit of it was still left. Then the king's son built up the fire again from underneath, and then she could piss no more, and so she burned up altogether.

The king's son now went to Gieddegaš-galgo again, once he had managed to burn the Haccečædne girl, and said: "I have managed to burn the Haccečædne girl! What counsel do you know for me now?" Then Gieddegaš-galgo began to tell him: "Your wife, the Njavičan girl, has been tricked into the sea by the Haccečædne girl, to leap in as a golden duck. So now you must make yourself into a sea-duck and swim along the shore through the seaweed and call: 'Ha, sea-duck, do not be afraid, my little sister, come in nearer the shore, ha, sea-duck!'"

When he did so, she heard it and began to come in nearer the shore, and as the two of them now swim side by side, the king's son caught hold of that most golden duck and swam quickly ashore. Then the golden duck became the Njavičan girl again.

Then the king's son went up to Gieddegaš-galgo with the Njavičan girl and said: "I have done just as you bade me." Gieddegaš-galgo says: "It is good that you did so; now she is your wife again." Then the two went off there, to the king's son's place. The Njavičan girl says: "Oh, there is a sharp smell in this place!" Then the king's son told her how it had gone with him there all the while you were away from me.

And when he told her that the Haccečædne girl had put herself in her place, the Njavičan girl said: "Then you must burn all those bedclothes and clothes, and you must cleanse the beds of the room with juniper smoke." He did so, and only then could they begin to live rightly. Then the two went and were married before the priest.

But whenever any trouble befalls the king's son, he goes to Gieddegaš-galgo, because she had charged him: "You must come to me, whatever trouble may befall you."

Colophon

Translated from the North Sámi of Lappiske Sprogprøver: en Samling af lappiske Eventyr, Ordsprog og Gaader, edited by J. A. Friis (Christiania: J. W. Cappelen, 1856), pp. 32–35, from the group told at Čáhcesuolu (Čacce-suolo, Vadsø) on the Varangerfjord. Friis printed it in Sámi only. The text was transcribed from the page images of the New York Public Library copy, and Friis's own corrections were applied (dappatuvvai on p. 32; dola and čuorvogođi on p. 34); his correction of nieida to niejda in the heading on p. 32 is already the reading of this copy. The same misprint nieida, which his list does not mention, is kept as printed on pp. 33 and 34, as is galggo for galgo on p. 35. Words were checked in the Sámi–Norwegian glossary that Friis printed at the back of the same book, and in his larger Ordbog over det lappiske Sprog (1887). Friis glosses gieddegaš-galgo, properly gieddegæčče-galgo, "meadow-end old woman", as the name of a troll-woman thought to live at the outer edge of the tilled field (giedde-gæčest, "at the meadow's end"), and luotto as wild land; Njavičan-niejda as the name of a troll-girl, perhaps from njaval, lazy, and ædne, mother; and haccečædne as both "a kind of midge or insect" and the name of a troll-woman. Roccuj is lewd, "one who talks and laughs lewdly", and roaškaj shameless; hiđes is sluggish at work, nistetet is to let slip from the hands, and værdedet is to compare. To marry olbmui gaskast, "among the people", is a first wedding held at home before the wedding in church. Lajge-oajvatak is a ball of thread; doares galda are unsplit round logs lying crosswise; gama-ræšmus and gama-ruovda both mean the seam or welt of a shoe; juölgeruš is the foot of the bed. Bačča is bitter or sharp. Mæcce is the outland or waste; coggat stuorra dola is to make up a great fire; girdet is to play and leap. In the verse njammam is printed without the accent by which Friis's glossary tells njámmat, to suck, from njammat, to wind; it is read as "sucked", as in his 1887 example njiǯǯek, maid don njámmik, "the breasts that you sucked"; njiǯǯe is a breast, bačče one who gives milk, and basse varaš a holy little fell. Guǯastet is to make water in haste. The hagŋa is glossed "Havel", a sea bird, anas spectabilis, and is called a sea-duck here; dæbbo is seaweed, gaddebuǯǯi a little nearer the shore, and gollamus "most golden". Ređkit is to cleanse clothes or beds with the smoke of juniper, and ravvit to charge or admonish. The cry Ojfoj is in neither dictionary and is given as an exclamation from its place in the sentence. The Haccečædne girl puts out the fire once and then "a third time" (goalmadest), with no second time told, and the English keeps that. Near the end the telling slips from the king's son's account into his own words ("while you were away from me"), and so does the English.

No complete English translation of Friis's collection is known to us.

© 2026 Tianmu Anglican Church. This English translation is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0: you may share and adapt it for non-commercial use with credit to the Good Works Library, tianmu.org. The source text keeps its own terms. For other uses, see Rights and Reuse.

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Source Text: Gieddegaš-galgo, Njavičan-niejda ja Haccečædne-niejda

North Sámi text as printed by Friis (1856), pp. 32–35, in his orthography, with Friis's corrections for pp. 32 and 34 applied; line-end hyphens are joined. Friis's text is divided here into units at the same places as the English, and his verse keeps its lines.

Gieddegaš-galgo læi daggar, gutte buok diđi, mi gæn birra dappatuvvai. Son læi daggar dego Ibmel, gutte buok diđi, mi gost šaddai. Sust læi algost boadnja, mutto de jami boadnja, ja son baci okto. De son dastmaŋŋel asai luođost (giedde-gæčest) okto, i son dattom ovtage äldsis ællem-guojbmen, mutto go olbmuidi mi nu šadda hættën, de si männek Gieddegaš-galgoin arvalet, maid dat dietta dam birra. De gieddegaš-galgo dam birra buok smietta ja hutka.

Njavičan-galgo læi majda boares læska dego (nugo) Gieddegaš-galgo, ja sust læi okta niejda. De gonagas-bardne dasa riemai irgastallat, dainago dat læi daggar lojes niejda, i læm nu roaškaj go Haccečædne-niejda. Damditti goččujuvvu daihe værdeduvvu niejda, gutte læ roccuj ja roaškaj, doluš Haccečædne-niejdan, ja dat, gutte i læk nu roccuj ja roaškaj, mutto gutte hiđes læ bargat, ja buok nistet, mi sust læ duökken, værdeduvvu Njavičan-niejdan.

De najtaleiga gonagas-bardne ja dat Njavičan-nieida olbmui gaskast, oudal go pap oudast. Dego læiga najtalam ja ovta sajest jo læiga ællegoattam, de ojni Haccečædne-niejda: „Igo N.niejda gonagas-bardne oǯǯom!“ De son jurdasišgođi: „Mo dal galgam buktet gaskalduttet N.niejdast eri gonagasbardne, jos muin riemaš najtalet?“

De filli son N.niejda ja celki, atte: „Galgak buörremus biktasid garvodastet bägjeli, ja de galgak njujkit čaccai golle-goalsen, vaj gonagas-bardne buörrebut dunji liko.“ De njujki N. niejda čaccai ja šaddai golle-goalsen. De H. niejda divvoli N. niejda buörremus biktasid bägjelassas, ja manai ješ dokko N. niejda sagjai. Gonagas-bardne i diettam maidege, gadda dam, atte N. niejda dat læ, go dot læi garvodam N. niejda biktasid bägjelassas, ja rakadam ječas nugo N. niejda læi.

Go oađđem-ajge šaddai, de gonagas-bardne gočoi bigas saje lačet. Biga læbbo buok lidnasamus guöddaid, mutto H. niejda cælka: „Ojfoj ban garas sænga, im mon dast gilla oađđet, garas læ sænga, čielge bavčad!“ De dat biga vieǯai buok lidnasamus uvja-guöddaid ja læbboi vuöllai, mutto ajn fuojko H. niejda: „Voj, voj, garas ajn læ dat sænga!“ De dat biga cælka dain H. niejdain: „Im mon dieđe, maid mon galgam du vuöllai bigjat!“ — „Don galgak bigjat mu guöddai vuöllai lajge-oajvatagaid ja doares galdaid!“

De dat biga valdi, bärdi sænga sisa H. niejda vuöllai doares galdaid, ja lajge-oajvatagaid juölgeruš gæččai, ja oabme gama-ræšmusid (ruovdaid), mak garas læk. De likoi H. niejda ja dagja: „Dal gul lidnasäbbo, dal gul lidnasäbbo!“ De nokkaiga gonagas-bardnin ovta sagjai. De gonagas-bardne dovdai, atte i læk N. niejda, ja dam son dovdai, go lidna saje son läjti ja garra sagjai son likoi.

De H. niejda vigga cumestet gonagas-bardne, Gonagas-bardne balla, njunes eri bodnja H. niejda oudast, damditti go bačča hagja læ H.niejdast. De H.niejda dagja: „Manne don must balak?“ — „Bačča hagja læ dust!“ — „Alma mon læm N. niejda; goal don oudal muo läjtik, go moaj oađđemen læime?“ Gonagas-bardne fastedi: „I dal læk nu mo algost læime moaj.“ De bođi gullat H. niejda dam, atte gonagas-bardne dietta, i son læk N. niejda. De æmbo i viggam su cumestet.

De goccaiga ja garvodeiga. De gonagas-bardne jurdašisgođi: „Fertim mon vuölget gieddegaš-galgo lusa gullat, mo dal læ. De vulgi su lusa ja jærai: „Dieđakgo don, mo læ dat, go i læk must N. niejda galgon?“ Ja gonagas-bardne mujtališgođi sunji, mo læ dappatuvvam. Gieddegaš-galgo guldal, ja de sardno gonagas-bardnai, atte: „Dust læ galgon dal H. nieida. N. niejda erit læ mannam.“ — „Maid jurdak rađđën munji, movt mon galgam bæssat H. niejdast eri?“

De mujtal Gieddegaš-galgo sunji moft son galga bæssat H. niejdast erit: „De galgak don valdet ja coggat stuorra dola mæccai daj luttoi.“ De gonagas-bardne valdi ja coggai stuorra dola, ja valdi dam moarses ja manai dokko dam dola bællai girdet. Dego soaj læiga dobbe girdemen dola lut, ja viegadæva dola birra, de valdi gonagas-bardne ja nordasti H. niejda dolli. De H. niejda čuorvogođi:

„Ale boalde
njammam njiǯačidad!
Ale boalde baččad!
Gälle mon jo dittim,
basse varaš duökken
don læk ællam!“

Ja H. niejda læi gieldam gonagas-bardne ællemest basse varaš duökken gieddegaš galgo lut. De H. niejda guǯasti dola, masarak bukta časkadet. Gonagas-bardne divvoli ajn buörrebut dola, ja de dolla buöllegođi oppet sagga. De H. niejda goalmadest guǯasti, ja goalmadašši masarak ajbas bukta časkadet, äjdo bittaš vel læi baccam. De gonagas-bardne fastajn divoi dola vuöllai, de æmbo i buktam guǯastet, ja de buli ajbas.

Gonagas-bardne vulgi dal Gieddegaš-galgo lusa fast, go son læi buktam boaldet H. niejda ja sarnoi: „De buktim boaldet H. niejda! Maid dal dieđak munji rađđën? De Gieddegaš-galgo sunji sarnogođi, atte: „Du galgo N. niejda læ merri fillim H. niejda njujkit golle goalsen. De don dal galgak ječad rakadet hagŋan ja vuojadet gadde guorra dæbboi čađa ja čuorvot: „Ha hagŋa, ale oabbačam bala, boađe gaddebuǯǯi, ha hagŋa!“

Dego son dagai nuft, de dot gulai dam ja lagabui gaddai boattegođi, ja dego soaj dal vuojadæva baldalagai, de gonagas-bardne doppi dam gollamus goalse gidda ja vuogjali gaddai. De šaddai N. niejdan fast dat golle-goalse.

De vulgi gonagas-bardne bajas Gieddegaš-galgo lusa daina N. niejdain ja sarnoi: „De mon nu däkkim, mo don legjik mu goččom.“ Dagja Gieddegaš-galggo: „De buörre læ, go nu däkkik, de dal dunji šadda fast son galgon.“ De vulgiga dokko gonagas-bardne bajkai. Dagja N. niejda: „Voj, bačča hagja læ dam bajkest!“ De gonagas-bardne sunji mujtali, mo læ sunji dast färrim dam bodda go don eri must legjik.

Ja go mujtali sunji, atte H. niejda ječas su sagjai læi divvom, de celki N. niejda: „De don galgak boaldet buok daid gavnid ja biktasid, ja ređkit galgak stovo sængaid.“ Dot nu dagai, ja de æsk buvti ællegoattet riekta. De manaiga ja najtaleiga papa oudast.

Mutto dego mi hættën šadda Gonagas-bardnai, de vuölga Gieddegaš-galgo lusa, dainago dat læi ravvim su, atte: „Mu lusa galgak boattet, mi dunji hættën šaddaš.“

Source Colophon

J. A. Friis (ed.), Lappiske Sprogprøver (Christiania: J. W. Cappelen, 1856), pp. 32–35, with Friis's corrections for pp. 32 and 34 from his list of misprints. Public domain. Transcribed from the page images of the New York Public Library copy, digitized by Google (Internet Archive identifier lappiskesprogpr00friigoog); a former owner's handwritten marks in that copy are not part of the text. Friis's letters are kept as printed, including ä, ö, ë, č, đ, š, ŋ and ǯ, his ʒ with a háček.

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