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

Told in North Sámi at Guovdageaidnu (Kautokeino) and printed by Jens Andreas Friis in 1856, in Sámi only, this tale follows the eldest of three poor brothers, who will not stop at forests running with silver and with gold but goes on alone in search of riches ready-made, and gets from an old man in a bog a tablecloth, a pair of scissors, a sword and a pair of shoes. The teller ends it by telling how he himself came away from the feast.

Translation

This is a story about three boys who were brothers, and they were all poor. With one accord they all began to think it over: "We ought to try now to set out somewhere in search of fortune, in case we might have the luck to find something that would be of use to us, and with which we could revive ourselves." So all three brothers came to the one mind, to set out, just as they had decided about the journey. And they set out and went a very long way, several days' journeys from their homes, in no set direction.

Then they came to a dense forest, and in that forest silver flowed from every tree, very abundantly. Then the youngest brother said to both his elder brothers: "Then I will go no further. I will stay here in this beautiful forest, and you two would not need to go any further either, for it seems to me there is wealth enough here, as much as we can manage to carry."

But the two elder brothers answered him: "Since we two have come so far already, we will not stop now, until we find proper, good wealth." So the two of them set off walking again, walked exceedingly far, and came again to a dense forest, in which gold flowed from every tree, very abundantly.

Then the younger brother said to the elder: "This is a pleasant enough place, for here there are such trees that gold flows from every one of them. I would like the two of us to stay here now and take gold from here, as much as we two can carry, for there are riches enough here." But the elder brother answered him: "Since I have come so far, I will not stop now, until I find proper, good riches, both ready and whole, without anyone's having to make them."

Then he set off again, all alone by himself, and went a very long way through such strange lands that he did not so much as know the names of the high mountains he went past. Many great rivers in flood lay before him, and he did not know their fords; but even so he still got across, and went on and on in one direction. Neither did the strange lands hold him back, nor the rivers in flood: he went where he was going.

But as he was going along, he came within sight of a bog, and he noticed a smoke, as it rose beside a tussock there. He went up to it and saw that there was an old man there. But when he came near, the old man cried out to him: "Oh, oh, how I long to die!" The boy was a little frightened; he did not know what he ought to answer him.

Then he came nearer still. Again the old man cried: "I would so like to die!" But the boy said to him: "What will you give me as wages, if I kill you?" Then the old man said: "I have nothing else but that little sack; if you take that now, I have nothing else at all." The boy said: "And what am I to do with that?"

The old man told him: "I do have three things in the sack: a tablecloth, a pair of scissors and a sword; and if you are still not content with these, then I have the shoes on my feet as well." Then the boy asked: "What is each of these three things good for, that are in the sack?"

Then the old man told him: "The tablecloth that is in the sack is good for this: when you put it on a table, food comes upon it so remarkably plentiful and sweet that there is none like it to be found anywhere." The boy asked: "Well, and what are the scissors good for?" The old man said: "When you cut out clothes with them, you get such good clothes that there are none like them, not to be had in any kingdom, nor to be found."

The boy asked: "Well, and what is the sword good for?" The old man said: "It is good in time of war: when you show it to an army, they die of themselves, and then you need not kill them." The boy asked further: "What are the shoes good for?" The old man said: "When you put them on your feet and set off walking, you stride as far as a dog's bark carries, all at one go."

When the boy had heard it all, what each of the things was good for, he took the sword and showed it to the old man, and the old man died at once, without his killing him. The boy put the shoes on his feet, set off walking, and came home very soon.

But first he did not go to his own house, but to his elder brother's house, and he did not let it be known that he had found anything. When he came there, his brother was angry with him for having gone so far, for not heeding him and staying where he himself had stayed and take wealth from there, where it was to be had. And for that reason he did not give him so much as a bite to eat, but he had to stay in the dirty corner by the door until morning.

In the morning he set off for his own house, and when he came to his house, he spread the tablecloth over the table. At once food appeared on it, as much as they needed. When they had eaten their fill, he took the tablecloth off the table, and not a scrap was left on it. And when they had eaten, he took the scissors in his hand and cut out a little garment, and they got clothes so plentiful and so beautiful that there are none like them to be had anywhere.

When they had made these up, he also made his houses beautiful; and when he had made his houses beautiful, he invited gentlemen to his house, and guests of every kind, and sat them down around the table in the middle of the floor, and began to put it to them: "Now it would be time to start eating!" But nothing was yet to be seen in the way of food. The guests laughed among themselves: "What is there to eat, then, when nothing is to be seen?" Then he laid the tablecloth on the table. At once food came upon it, so remarkably plentiful and so sweet that they had never tasted the like before.

Such were the gifts this man had got from his long seeking, for he had sought so long.

Then they began to make merry there and to fire off cannons, as their way of making merry has long been; and then some joker tricked me into going inside a cannon, and when I had gone in there, it went off, and I came flying here, and I don't know any more how things may have gone there after that.

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. 59–62, from the group headed Goudogæjno (Kautokeino). 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 correction for p. 61 was applied (vielljas for viellja); slips his list does not mention are kept as printed. 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): boadnje, which Friis gives as husband (1887 also "man"), is here an old man living alone, and the English says "old man"; okti rađi is "with one accord"; soajtat is to have the luck to do something, and arvosmattet to revive or refresh; čabo guvlui is "in no set direction, at random"; a bæjves is a day's journey; sukkis is dense; valljogasat and valljet are "abundantly"; æppege is "nor you two"; mihalaš is "rather", and havske (printed hauskës) pleasant; daver is money or riches; falmas is ready, alma … kætta "without", and rakadussa the making ready of a thing; dulve is a flood, and gallam a ford; dokko dokko is "further and further on"; jægge is a bog, ojdnusi "into sight", and a bovna (printed bouna) a tussock; borgestet is to give off smoke; suorganet is to take fright; hallo is longing, desire, and man "how"; i gojt is "not at all"; a bævde-lidne is a tablecloth, skarrek a pair of scissors, miekke a sword and gama a shoe; duttat is to be content; njalgis is sweet; vajadet is to cut out, as clothes with scissors; soatte is war, and a joavko a host; lavkit is to stride, and ovta manost "at one go, without stopping"; bænagullam, which Friis gives as a mile, is properly "as far as one can hear a dog"; coggat gabmagid juölgasis is to put on one's shoes; almostattet is to reveal; suttat is to grow angry, and jægadet to obey; a rippa-čiekka is the dirty corner by the door; lebbit is to spread out, as a cloth on a table; ittet is to appear; gallanet is to eat one's fill, and ragjamuš leftovers; arvaladdat is to deliberate or give one's opinion; riebmat is to begin; boagostet is to laugh; muosatet is to taste; addaldak is a gift; ilodet is to rejoice, and bačalet to shoot often; a bilkar is a mocker or joker, and fillit to fool; ravgat is to rush or be flung along; dappatuvvat is to happen. Several readings rest on context. The old man's second cry is printed ballo, which the glossary gives as "fear"; the English follows a conjectural emendation to hallo, "longing", the word of his first cry (Friis's list of misprints does not have it), since what follows is a bargain over his death. Dak ječa jabmëk is read from context as "they die of themselves"; the glossary gives ječča only as "another". Gođđëhætta, printed with two crossed d's, is read as goddëhætta, "without killing" (goddet, to kill), since gođđat is to spawn. Vu viesoidës is read as su viesoidës, "his houses", as on the line before. Bivtas-biktača is read as bivtas, clothing, joined to a diminutive of the same word, "a little garment"; neither dictionary has the second word. Læǯǯaj is read as a form of læt, "be": "may have". When he comes home, the boy goes first to "his elder brother's" house, though he is himself the elder of the two who went on to the golden forest; the Sámi says so, and so does the English. At the end the teller speaks of himself as "I".

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: Bardnë ja boarës boadnje

North Sámi text as printed by Friis (1856), pp. 59–62, in his orthography, with Friis's correction for p. 61 applied; line-end hyphens are joined, except in rippa-čiegast, which the glossary prints with its hyphen. Friis's three paragraphs are divided here at the same places as the English.

Okta mujtalus golma bardnë birra, mak legje vielljačak, ja si legje buokak vajvašak. De arvališgotte si buokak okti rađi, atte: „Mi galgap dal gæččalët vuölgët muttom guvlui obmudaga occam varas, jos mi soajtašeimëk gaudnat maidege, mi migjide læ aukalaš ja maina mi mattep ječaidæmëk arvosmattët.“ De oǯǯu si buok golbma vielljačak dam oufta miela atte vuölgët, nuftgo si arvalam legje dam vuölgëma birra. De vulge si ja manne gukkasrak, moadde bæjvasa sin daloinæsëk erit čabo guvlui.

De botte si oufta sukkis vuovdai, ja dam vuovdëst golgai silba juökkje muorast šiega valljogasat. Dat nuorramus viellja celki dalle su boarraseb vielljas gugtui, atte: „De im mon mana šat gukkjebui, de mon bissanam dasa dam čabba vuovdai, ja æppëge darbašifči doajge mannat dađë gukkjebui, dastgo dast orro læmë (orro læt) muo mielast obmudak galle, dam mađë go mi nagadæp guöddët.“

Mutto dak boarraseb vielljak vastedeiga sudnji: „Go moaj jo na gukkas ledne mannam de æm moaj galle bissan šat, oudal go moaj gaudne rieftës buörrë obmudaga.“ De soaj vulgiga on vaʒʒët, vaʒiga oallë gukkas ja bođiga on oufta sukkis vuovdai, mast golgai gollë juökkje muorast šiega valljët.

Dat nuorab viellja dajai dalle dam boarrasabboi: „Dat læ mihalaš hauskës bajkë, dastgo dast læk dakgaraš muorak, main golga gollë juökkje muorast. Mon siđašim dal, atte moaj galgašeime dasa bissanët ja valdët dast gollë nu galle go moaj nagadædne guöddët, dastgo dast læ davër galle.“ Mutto boarraseb viellja vastëdi sudnji: „Go mon na gukkas læm mannam, de mon im galle bissan šat, oudal go mon gaunam rieftës buörrë davvëra, mi læ sikke falmas ja ollës alma guđege rakadusa kætta.“

De son vulgi ajn okto iješ ja manai jura gukkasrak dakgar âmâs ædnami čađa, atte i son diettam galle dai alla vari namaid, mai guora son manai mæddel. Su oudi botte manga stuorra dulvë-joga, main son i diettam galle gallamid (gallagid), mutto almake bæsai son ajn rasta ja manai dokko dokko oufta guvlui, æi doallam âmâs ædnamak, æige dulvë-jogak, manai son, gosa læi manname.

Mutto gaskan su manadedinës bođi son oufta jækgë ojdnusi, ja fuomaši son oufta suova, go dat borgësti muttim bouna guorast. Son manai dam lusa ja ojni, dast læi okta boarës boadnje. Mutto go son bođi lâkkâ, de boarës boadnje čurvi sudnji: „Voj, voj, man hallo must læ jabmët!“ Bardnë væhaš suorgani, i son diettam, maid son galgai sudnji vastëdët.

De bođi son vela lâgâbui. Fastajn čurvi boarës boadnje: „Must lifči nu ballo jabmët!“ Mutto dat bardnë celki sudnji: „Maid don adtak munji balkan, jos mon du godtam?“ De celki boarës boadnje: „I must læk mikkege ječa go duot ucca sækaš, jos dal dam valdečak, de i must læk gojt ječa.“ Bardnë celki: „Maid baj mon daina dagam?“

Boarës boadnje mujtali: „Læk must galle sæka siste golbma dinka: bævdë-lidnë, skarrëk ja miekkë; jos daita vel ik dođa (daidi vel ik duđa), de læk vela must gabmagak juölgëst.“ De jærai bardnë: „Masa dak læk buörëk ješ gutteg dam golma dinkast, mak sæka sist læk?“

De mujtali boarës boadnje: „Dat bævdë-lidnë, mi læ sæka sist, dat læ dasa buörrë, go don bijak dam bævdë ala, de dasa šadda borramuš nuft erinoamaš valljogasat ja njalgak, atte æi gostege dakgarak læk gaudnamëst.“ Jærai bardnë: „No, masa baj dak skarrëk læk buörëk?“ Dajai boarës boadnje: „Go don dai gujm vajadak biktasid, de don oaǯok nuft burid biktasid, atte æi dakgarak læk, æi guđege rikast oaǯǯomëst, æige gaudnamëst.“

Jærai bardnë: „No, masa baj dat miekkë læ buörrë?“ Dajai boarës boadnje: „Dat læ buörrë soađë ajgë; go don čajehak dam soattë-jovkoi, de dak ječa jabmëk, ik don darbaš dasto sin goddët.“ Jærai bardnë vela: „Masa dak gabmagak læk buörëk?“ Celki boarës boadnje: „Go don bijak daid juölgasad ja vuölgak vaʒʒët, de don laukik bænagullama oufta manost.“

Go bardnë buok daid gulai, masa si buörëk legje ješgutteg dinka, de son valdi miekkë, čajehi dam boarës boadnjai, ja de boarës boadnje jami dallanaga alma su gođđëhætta. Bardnë coggai juölgasis daid gabmagid, vulgi vaʒʒët ja bođi ajve farga su siddasis.

Mutto vuočan (vuostačin) i mannam son su ječas dalloi mutto su boarraseb vielljas dalloi, ige almostattam, atte son læi gaudnam maidege. Go bođi dokko, de su viellja suttai sudnji, go manai nu gukkas, go i jægadam bissanët dasa, gosa son, ja valdët obmodaga dast, gost læi oaǯǯomëst. De damditti i son addam sudnji borratge, mutto ferti orrot rippa-čiegast iđđëda ragjai.

Iđđëdëst vulgi son dallosis, ja go bođi su dallosis, de lebbi son bævdë-linë bævdë ala. Dallanaga dasa iđi borramuš nu ollo go si darbašëgje. Go gallanam si legje, de valdi son dam bævdë-linë bævdë ald erit, ja dasa i baccam šat mikkege ragjamušaid. Ja go si borram legje, de valdi son skarrid giettasis ja vajadi bivtas-biktača, ja si oǯǯu biktasid nu valljogasat ja nu čabbaid, atte æi gostege dakgarak læk oaǯǯomëst.

Go si dal daid rakadam legje, de rakadi vela su viesoidës čabbahën, ja go rakadam læi čabbahën vu viesoidës, de bovdi son hærraid lusas ja buoklagaš gusid ja čokkihi sin gasko lattë birra bævdë ja arvaladdagođi: „Borrat dal lifči riebmat!“ Mutto i mikkege borramuššan vel ojdnum. Guösek boagostëgje gaskanæsëk, atte: „Maid dast galga vel borratgis, go i mikkege ojdnu?“ De bijai son dam bævdë-linë bævd'ala. Dallanaga borramuš dasa šadtai nuft erinoamaš valljogasat ja nu njalgak, atte æi si læm oudal dakgarid muosaham.

De dakgaraš adtaldagaid læi dat olmaj oǯǯom dam gukkës occamëstës, go son nuft gukka occam læi.

De ribme dobbe ilodët ja bačalët kanonai gujm, nuftgo sin ilodam-lakkë jo oudalnaj læ læmaš, ja de filli mu muttim bilkar mannat kanona sisa, ja go mon dokko mannim, de bači son, ja mon ravgim deki, imge šat dieđe, moft dobbe læǯǯaj dappahuvvam vidasebbut.

Source Colophon

J. A. Friis (ed.), Lappiske Sprogprøver (Christiania: J. W. Cappelen, 1856), pp. 59–62, with Friis's correction for p. 61 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 â, ö, ë, č, đ, š, and both ʒ and ǯ, which he distinguishes.

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