a tale from Laksefjord, from J. A. Friis, Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856)

Told in North Sámi on the Laksefjord, which Friis calls Lagesvuodna, and printed by Jens Andreas Friis in 1856, in Sámi only, this tale begins with three women who come up out of the sea to bathe. A farmer's son hides the clothes of one of them, the daughter of the king of the water-people, and she has to promise to become his wife; years later their little son leads her to where her sea-garment is kept, and she goes back to the sea. Gieddegaš-galgo, a troll-woman of the field's edge, tells the husband how to win her home again.

Translation

There was a farmer who had a son. The son set off wandering, and came out above a sandy cove. That cove was shallow. Then he saw three women coming, as if out of the sea, to the shore; and they walked up onto the land and took off their clothes, and two of them laid their clothes in one place, but one laid hers in a place apart.

Then they went back into the sea to bathe, and they bathed there in every direction, played, and splashed there with their hands. When they had finished there, they went to the shore and dressed again in their clothes, and went back into the sea and vanished again, to where they had come from. Then the farmer's son went home again.

The next day he meant to go there again, in case he might see the same people whom he had seen the day before. When he came there, he put himself in a place where he would see those same people, but they would not see him. When he had been in that place a while, he saw the same three women coming up out of the sea. They waded to the shore, walked up onto the land and took their clothes off, and the two laid theirs in one place, and the one in a place apart.

Then they went into the sea to bathe, and they bathed that day until they left off. Then they went to the shore again and put those clothes of theirs back on, the clothes in which they had come ashore, and then they set off into the sea again. Then the farmer's son went home again.

The third day came, and the farmer's son thought that if he came now to see them yet again, he would quickly hide the clothes that the one laid apart. So he went there, to the same place where he had watched them before. And he saw the same three women coming up out of the sea, and they waded to the shore and walked up onto the land. Then the two laid their clothes in one place, and the one laid hers apart.

Then, while they were bathing, the farmer's son went to look at the clothes. And he saw that the clothes were very beautiful; and he took with him the clothes that the one had laid apart, and hid them. When the women had finished bathing, they set off for the shore again, and the two found their clothes, which they had already laid in one place. The two of them dressed and went off toward the sea.

But the third, who was the daughter of the king of the water-people, did not find her clothes. Then she grew frightened and full of sorrow, and ran this way and that, and cried out, weeping: "If you are a boy, and if you have hidden my clothes, then I mean to win over a bride for you, after your own heart. If you are a girl, and if you have hidden my clothes, then I will win over a bridegroom for you, just after your own heart."

Then the farmer's son called out: "You will not get your clothes until you have promised yourself to me as my wife." Then the girl grew sorrowful, and spoke again to the farmer's son: "How can that be? For I cannot live here, where I did not grow up, nor can you get on there, where I have come here from." The farmer's son answered: "Have no fear of that; you shall suffer no hardship at all!" Then she had to give way and give her promise to the farmer's son, and so the two of them came to an agreement; but it was in sorrow that she gave her consent to it.

When he now came home together with the sea-woman, he had her baptized and christened, and a name given her. Then the two were married before the priest, and lived some years together. And a boy was born to them; and when the boy had grown old enough to walk, one day he ran after his father to an outbuilding.

Then his father wanted to take out of a certain vessel a thing that he meant to use. First he took out a garment that lay on top, and laid it apart, outside the vessel. Then the little boy saw that it was a beautiful thing, and asked his father what it was. His father did not tell him what it was, but put the garment back in the vessel where it had been before, and then the two of them went back inside.

Some days after that, the farmer's son went off into the wilds. Then the little boy told his mother that he had seen something beautiful, like a garment, in a certain vessel in that house. The mother bade him take her there, to the house where the garment was. When she came there and opened the vessel, she saw that it was the same garment in which she went through the sea. She took it, and when she came to her own house she put it on, and she went away to where she had come from before.

When the farmer's son came home and did not see his wife anywhere, he asked his son: "Where is your mother?" And the boy said: "She went into the sea!" Then the father understood that she had found the garment he had put away, and he grew sorrowful. So he had to go to Gieddegaš-galgo, and he told her how things had gone with him.

Gieddegaš-galgo said: "Don't worry! She will surely come again; three times she will come and stay a while in your house. But when she has stayed in your house the third time, she will come no more once she goes. She will come tonight; and when you go to bed to sleep, you must make as if you are asleep when you hear her coming. Then she will be with her son a little while, fondling him. The second night she will come in the same way.

"When the third evening begins to draw on, make yourself a place to hide by the door, and make up your bed just as if someone were lying asleep in the bed under the bedclothes; and you yourself must go there by the door, into hiding. When she comes in the third time she will linger longest; but when she then begins to go out, you must seize hold of her, and hold her fast with all your strength, and talk her gently round; and when she stops struggling to get away from between your hands, then set about leading her toward the bed, and lie down together, the two of you.

"But as soon as sleep comes over her and she begins to sleep heavily, leave her sleeping, and go out and look for the garment in which she came from the sea. That garment is behind the corner of the house; bring it to me. I will put the garment away, so that it shall never be seen again." And it happened just as Gieddegaš-galgo had said.

When the mother had come twice to stay by her son, and the third evening came, the husband did as Gieddegaš-galgo had bidden him. A light was burning; then he heard her coming; then she opened the door and came in, and walked softly along the floor right up to where the boy lay sleeping, and then she fondled her little son.

When she now began to go out again and had come to the middle of the floor, the farmer's son caught hold of his wife and held her fast and talked her round, until she grew gentle toward him. Then he quickly led her toward the bed, and they lay down together. Then his wife fell into a heavy sleep, and he left his wife there sleeping; and he himself went out, and searched, and found the garment that his wife had left outside.

He took it to Gieddegaš-galgo, and Gieddegaš-galgo said to him: "This garment I will keep put away, so that neither of you two shall ever see it again." Then he went back to his wife, and he too fell asleep. And the two of them lived happily in the world, and they prospered in herds and riches from both sides, both the man's side and the woman's; and the sea-people brought them every good thing out of the sea.

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. 56–59, from the group printed under the heading and running head Lagesvuodna, which Friis's glossary gives as the Laxefjord (Laksefjord). Friis printed it in Sámi only. The text was transcribed from the page images of the New York Public Library copy; Friis's list of misprints has no corrections for these pages. 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): a saddo-goppe is a sandy cove (saddo, sand; goppe, a bay or cove), and soagës is shallow; nuollat is to take off one's clothes, and garvodet to dress; galašet is to wade or bathe at one's ease, læjkašet to play, and speǯǯot to strike again and again with the flat of the hand; čacce-olbmui gonagas niejda is "the daughter of the king of the water-people"; sarnotet is to persuade, or to get something for someone by persuading, so the girl offers to "win over" a bride or a bridegroom; læǯak, "if you are", is the conjunctive of læt, "be", given in the grammar of the 1887 dictionary as læǯam, læǯak; moarse is a bride and irge a bridegroom; ajga boattet is to get on, to manage; heđid is from hætte, need or distress; miettat is to give way; okti sagai boattet is to come to an agreement, and šiettavašvuotta is consent; a litte is a vessel or container (Friis's glossary quotes this tale's valdi dam litte ravas, "opened the vessel"), and oabme a thing or a piece of property; mæcce is the outlying wild land; ællet is to come and stay a short while in a place; buörranaddat is to keep fondling; agjanet is to linger; čiekko, which Friis glosses in the text with čiekkosi, "into hiding", is a hiding-place; lačet is to make up a bed, and oađđadak are bedclothes; appe is strength; nakkar is sleep, and lossadet "heavily"; nova is the outer corner of a house; ravvit is to bid or instruct; likse is a lamp or light; lækastet is to open; suolga is softly; logjot is to grow calm or gentle (the 1887 dictionary: mansuescere, to grow tame); æppe … guabbage is "neither of you two"; likkolaš is happy, fortunate, and likkostuvvat to prosper; ællo is a herd, or goods and means. Gieddegaš-galgo is, as Friis's glossary explains, the name of a troll-woman who was thought to live at the edge of the cultivated field (giedde-gæčest); the English keeps the name. Several readings rest on context. Ačče sust is read as "his father"; vællanække as "lie down, the two of you", an imperative of vællanet, to lie down to rest; mon vurkim in the last speech as "I will keep put away"; and fastan as "again" (the glossary has fastajn, fast, fasten). Sunja is read as "to her", beside the usual sunji, sudnji. At the end of p. 56 the last letter of gæččat, "to look", lies under a former owner's ink blot; it rises and curls at the foot as Friis's t does, and the infinitive is the usual construction after manai. Where the Sámi slips into the present tense (ajgo, "he means"; oajdna, "he sees"), the English keeps to the past.

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: Mærast boattam niejdak

North Sámi text as printed by Friis (1856), pp. 56–59, in his orthography; Friis's list of misprints has no corrections for these pages; line-end hyphens are joined. Friis's single paragraph is divided here at the same places as the English.

Ovta boanda-olmast læi bardne. De vulgi dat vagjolet ja bođi ovta saddo-goppe baja-bællai. Dat læi soagës dat goppe. De ojni boattemen golbma nisson nugo mærast gaddai, ja si vaʒʒe ædnam ala ja nulle biktasidesek, ja guöftes bijaiga biktasidesge ovta sagjai, mutto okt bijai sierra sagjai.

De si manne fast merri galašet, ja si galašegje dobbe juökke guvlui, læjkašegje ja gieđai gujm si dobbe speǯǯu. Dalle go si gerge dobbe, de si manne gaddai ja garvodegje fast sin biktasidesek ja manne fastajn merri ja javke fast, gost si legje boattam. De manai boanda-bardne fast ruoktod.

Nubbe bæjve de ajgo son fastajn vuölget dokko, jus son boatta oajdnet daid sæbma olbmuid, gæid son jifti oajdnam læi. Go bođi dokko, de bijai ječas dagar sagjai, gost son galga oajdnet daid sæbma olbmuid, mutto su æi galga oajdnet. Go son oroi dam bajkest muttom boddo, de ojni son boattemen daid sæbma golbma nisson mærast bajas. Si galle gaddai, vaʒʒe ædnam ala ja nulle sin biktasidesek bagjelistesek erit, ja guöftes bijaiga ovta sagjai, ja dat okta sierra sagjai.

De si manne merri galašet ja galašegje dam bæjve, dassači go si hejte. De manne fastajn si gaddai ja garvodegje daid sin biktasidesek fast bagjelassesek, mai gujm si gaddai boattam legje, ja de vulge si fast merri. De manai boanda-bardne fast ruoktod.

Šaddai goalmad bæjve, de jurdašei boanda-bardne, jus son dal boatta vel oajdnet, de son galga čiekkalet daid biktasid, maid dat okta bijai sierra. De manai son dokko sæbma bajkai, gost son oudal gæččamen læi daid. De oajdna son boattemen daid sæbma golbma nisson mærast bajas, ja galle gaddai ja vaʒʒe ædnam ala. De bijaiga ovta sagjai dak guöftes biktasidesge, ja dat okta bijai sierra.

De manai dam boddo, go dak galašæmen legje, dat boanda-bardne gæččat daid biktasid. De ojni, dak biktasak legje huj čabbak, ja de valdi daid biktasid mieldes, maid dat okta bijai sierra, ja čiegai daid. Go dak nissonak gærgam legje galašæmest, de si vulge gaddai fast, ja dok guöftes gavnaiga biktasidesge, maid soi læiga jo bigjam ovta sagjai. De soi garvodeiga biktasidesge ja manaiga mæra guvlui.

Mutto dat goalmad, gutte læ čacce-olbmui gonagas niejda, i gavdnam biktasides. De son balloi šaddai ja morrašei ja viegai duokko deki ja čuorvoi čierodedin: „Go læǯak bardne ja go læǯak čiekkam muo biktasid, de ajgom mon dudnji sarnotet moarse-niejda du ječad miela mæld. Go niejda læǯak ja go muo biktasid čiekkam læǯak, de mon dudnji sarnotam irge-olbma äjdo du ječad miela mæld.“

De čurvi boanda-bardne: „Ik oudal oaǯo biktasidad, oudal go munji læk loppedam ječad akkan.“ De šaddai niejda morrašei ja celki fastan boanda-bardnai: „Mo matta dat šaddat, dastgo im mate mon dabe ællet, gost im læk šaddam, ikge don mate ajga boattet dobbe, gost mon læm boattam deki?“ Vastedi boanda-bardne: „Ale dast bala, i dust galga læt mikkege heđid!“ De son ferti miettat ja addet loppadusas boanda-bardnai, ja de soaj bođiga okti sagai, mutto morrašin son äddi šiettavašvuođa dam ala.

Go son dal bođi ruoktod oktanaga dain mærra-nissonin, de son äddi gastašuvvut ja ristašuvvut ja nama sunja. De najtaleiga papa oudast ja eliga soames jagid ovtast. De šaddai bardne sudnust, ja go dat bardne šaddai dam muddoi boares, go vaʒʒa, de muttom bæjve de viekkali ačes mæld muttom olgo-vistai.

De ačče sust muttom litte sist datoi valdet oame, maid son adnet ajgoi. De valdi son vuost biktas, mi bajeld læi, ja bijai dam dasa olgo-bællai sierra. De ojni dat ucca barnaš, čabba oabme dat læ, ja gačai ačestës, mi dat læ. Ačče i sunji cælkam, mi dat læ, mutto bijai son dam biktas dam litte sisa, gost oudal læi, ja de manaiga soi sisa fast.

Soames bæjvek dast maŋŋel de manai boanda-bardne mæccai. De mujtali dat ucca barnaš ædnasas, son ojni čabba dego biftas dam viesost muttom litte sist. Gočoi ædne ječas doalvvot dokko dam vissui, gost dat biftas læi. Go son dokko bođi ja valdi dam litte ravas, de bođi son oajdnet, atte dat læ sæbma biftas, main son mæra čađa manna. De son valdi dam, ja go son bođi vissusas, de garvodi son bagjelassas, ja son manai dokko, gost boattam læi oudal.

Go boanda-bardne bođi siddi, ige oajdnam akas gostege, de gačai barnestës: „Gost ædnat læ?“ De sarnoi bardne: „Merri manai!“ De fuömaši ačče, atte gavdnam læi dam biktas, maid son læi vurkim, ja šaddai son morrašei. De ferti son mannat Gieddegaš-galgo lusa, ja de mujtali sunji, mo sunji læ dappatuvvam.

De celki Gieddegaš-galgo: „Ale fuola! Son boatta galle fast, golma gærde son ælla du viesost. Mutto go goalmad gærde ælla du viesost, æmbo i boađe šat, go manna. De son dal boatta odne ija, ja go sengi manak oađđat, de galgak ječad oađđen dakkat, go gulak boattemen. De son læ oanekässi bardnes lute sunji buörranaddemen. Nubbe ija boatta son sæmma lakkai.

Go goalmad ækked-boddo šaddagoatta, de rakad äldsid saje uvsa gæččai čiekko (čiekkosi) ja lače sængad äjdo nugo olmuš sæŋgast oađđemen lifči oađđadagaides vuold, ja ješ galgak dokko uvsa gæččai mannat čiekkosi. Dego son goalmadäšši boatta sisa, de agjana gukkjemus, mutto go de olgus vuölgališgoatta, de galgak su fattit gidda, ja doala su nannoset buok apidad gujm, ja sarnot su burist, ja go son hæjta viggamest du gieđai gaskast erit, de barga su doalvomen sænga guvlui, ja vællanække ovta sagjai.

Mutto dallan go sudnji bottëk nakkarak ja son oađđagoatta lossadet, de guöđe su oađđet ja mana olgus ja oca dam biktas, main son bođi mærast. Dat biftas læ vieso nova duökken, ja buvte mu lusa, mon vurkit galgam dam biktas, atte i galga æmbo ojdnut goassege.“ De šaddai äjdo nugo Gieddegaš-galgo læi cælkam.

Go ædne læi ællam guöft gærde bardnes lute, ja go goalmad ækked-boddo šaddai, de dagai boadnja nugo Gieddegaš-galgo læi rävvim. Likse buöllemen læi, de gulai son boattemen, de lækasti uvsa ja bođi sisa ja vaʒi suolga guölbe mield gidda dam ragjai, goggo bardne læi oađđemen, ja de son buörranaddai bardnasas.

Dego dal fast vuölgegođi olgus ja bođi gaska-ragjai guölbe, de fatti boanda-bardne su akas ja doalai su nannoset ja sarnoti su, dassači go son lojui su vuöstai. De doalvoli su sænga guvlui ja vællaneiga ovta sagjai. Dalla oađđai su akka lossadet ja de guđi son akas dasa oađđet, ja ješ son manai olgus ja ocai ja gavnai dam biktas, maid su akka olgo-bællai guođđam læi.

Dam son doalvoi Gieddegaš-galgo lusa, ja celki Gieddegaš-galgo sudnji: „Dam biktas mon vurkim, nugo æppe galga æmbo oajdnet guabbage.“ De son manai fast akas lusa, ja oađđai son majda. De likkolaǯǯan eliga majlmest, ja likkostuvai sudnoidi ællo ja riggesvuotta gugtui bælest, sikke olbma ja nisson bælest, ja mærra-olbmuk bukte sigjidi buok buörre omid mærast.

Source Colophon

J. A. Friis (ed.), Lappiske Sprogprøver (Christiania: J. W. Cappelen, 1856), pp. 56–59; Friis's list of misprints has no corrections for these pages. 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 both ʒ and ǯ, which he distinguishes.

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