a tale from Repfjord in the Hammerfest district, from J. A. Friis, Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856)

The jetanas is the giant of the North Sámi tales. Told at Repvuodna (Repfjord) in the Hammerfest district and printed by Jens Andreas Friis in 1856, in Sámi only, this tale follows a poor little boy who outwits a giant, escapes on a horse he finds in the giant's gallery, past lake, cliff and forest and through forests of copper, silver and gold, and comes to a king's court, where the youngest daughter chooses him and the horse asks him for one last hard thing.

Translation

A poor little boy was herding sheep. Then a Giant came and set about getting him for his serving-boy. The little boy gave his promise. The Giant said: "When you have taken the sheep home, you are to find me here in this same place." When the little boy came there, the Giant came too, and the two of them set off home to the Giant's place.

As the two of them were going along, they began to talk it over: they ought to have wood for the cooking when they came home. Then they found a birch. The Giant reckoned: "Let us take this one now!" But the boy said back: "That one is tiny!"

Then they walked a short way and found a big old birch, such a big old birch as the wind had broken. Then the little boy said: "Let us take this one!" The Giant said: "That one is big!" But the boy said back: "You carry the top end, and I will carry the butt end!"

Then the boy began to whittle himself pegs. The Giant said: "What do you mean to do with those?" The boy said: "Prick holes in your eyes, if you glance behind you!" So when the Giant took the top end and began to drag, the boy sat down on the roots, and the Giant did not dare look behind him.

They walked a short way, and the Giant said: "Oho! It is heavy!" The little boy said that he was not yet the least bit tired. When they began to come near home, the boy said to the Giant: "You must not throw the tree down on the ground before I tell you when you are to throw it." When the boy told him, the Giant threw the tree down on the ground and said: "Oho! That was heavy!"

Then the Giant warned the little boy: "You must not go to that gallery, nor to that shed." But when the Giant went into the house, the little boy ran to the gallery, and in the gallery there was a horse. The horse said: "Do you know what the master will give you for work tomorrow?" "I don't know!" "He will tell you to push out the boat; and you are to say: 'If I go to push it out, it will all fall to pieces.'"

Then morning came. The Giant began to eat his breakfast, and said to his serving-boy: "Go and push out the boat!" The boy said: "If I go to push it out, it will all fall to pieces!" The Giant said: "Then I will push it out myself!" So he pushed it out, and then the two of them were to row out to the deep sea to fish.

The Giant said to his serving-boy: "Start rowing now!" The boy said: "If I start rowing, the oars will all break." The oars were of iron. The Giant said again: "Oh, then I will row myself!" They rowed a little way, and the Giant said: "Here is my haddock ground!" The boy said back: "Have you no better ground than that?"

Then they rowed on again a short way. The Giant said: "Here is my cod ground!" The boy said: "Have you no better ground than that?" Then they rowed on again a short way. Again the Giant said: "Here is my whale ground; start fishing now!"

The boy began to look at the line. The Giant said: "Why are you looking at my tackle?" The boy said: "Is that the tackle you have, then? If I am to start fishing with that, it will all snap!" The Giant said: "Oh, then I will fish myself!" Then the Giant began to fish, and drew up two whales, and rowed to shore.

When they came to shore, the Giant took the two whales, one in each hand, by the tail, tied them together in a pair, and hung them up on the drying-rack. Then he told his serving-boy: "Go and light the fire!" The little boy said: "If I start blowing up the fire, I shall blow the roof off the house!" The Giant said: "Oh, then I will light it myself!"

But when the Giant began to blow up the fire, the boy went flying up there under the roof, and drifted about up there under the roof on the blast. The Giant looked at the little boy, up there under the roof, and asked: "What are you doing up there?" The boy answered: "I am tearing off birch bark for our fire!" The Giant believed that he was a flyer as well. Then he came down again.

Then they cooked their meal, and when they had cooked and eaten, the Giant fell asleep over the food. Then the boy went to the gallery, to the horse.

The horse said: "Go now to the shed and kill the cow, for the Giant's life is in that cow; and slit the heart through the middle, and then walk into the house to see whether the Giant has fallen sick. When you come there, go back again to the cow, and then chop the heart all to pieces, and come back to me, and let me out, and take for the two of us a shotgun and a sword and sulphur and flint and a comb."

Everything the horse said, the boy did, and then he went to the house to see whether the Giant had died. The Giant had died at the very moment he chopped up the heart. Then they set off, and rode far, a whole long way.

Then the Giant came back to life, and when he noticed that the horse was gone, and the serving-boy, he set off after them. The horse said to the little boy: "Do you hear, do you see anything?" The boy answered: "I don't hear, and I don't see anything!" They rode a short way, and the horse asked a second time: "Do you hear, do you see anything?" The boy answered: "It is as if a wind were soughing under the sky."

The horse said: "Throw the sulphur now, and wish for such a lake as the Giant cannot get round or across." And the lake came to be. When the Giant came up to the lake, he wished: "If only my big cup were here, I would drink it off at one go, like nothing!" Then he went to fetch his cup, fetched it, came back to the lake, and drank it all off.

He said to his cup: "Stay here now, until I come back!" A little bird came and said: "Bi, bi! If you leave it here, I will take it and chop it up and carry it off into the wilds!" The Giant answered: "Oh, you little birdie! If I could reach you, I would strike your head off! I will sooner carry my cup back home than let you have it." So he carried his cup back home, and set off after them again.

Then the horse asked the little boy again: "Do you hear, do you see anything?" "I don't hear, and I don't see anything!" They went a short way, and then the horse asked the little boy: "Do you hear, do you see anything?" "It is as if a wind were soughing under the sky!"

The horse said: "Throw the flint now, and wish for such a cliff as the Giant cannot get over or round." When the Giant came up to the cliff, he wished: "If only my big auger were here, I would bore a hole into it like nothing!" Then he went back home to fetch his auger, and when he had fetched it, he bored a hole just far enough to get through.

He said to his auger: "Stay here now, until I come back!" A little bird came and said: "Bi, bi! If you leave it here, I will take it and carry it off into the wilds!" The Giant said: "Oh, you shitting bird! If I could reach you, I would strike your head off! I will sooner carry my auger back home than let you have it." So he carried it back home, and set off after them again.

The horse asked the little boy: "Do you hear, do you see anything?" The boy answered: "I don't hear anything, and I don't see!" They went a short way, and then the horse asked the little boy: "Do you hear, do you see anything?" "It is as if a wind were soughing under the sky!" "Throw the comb now, and wish for such a forest as the Giant cannot get through or round."

Then the Giant came up to the forest and wished: "If only my big axe were here, I would hew it like nothing, as far as would let me through!" Then he went to fetch his axe, came back again to the forest, and hewed his way through, just as far as let him pass.

He said to his axe: "Stay here now, until I come back!" A little bird came and said: "Bi, bi! If you leave it here, I will chop it into little bits and carry it off into the wilds!" "Oh, you shitting bird! If I could reach you, I would strike your head off! I will sooner carry my axe back home than let you have it." So he carried it back home, and set off again.

Now there was a ladder across a cleft in the rock, and if the two of them got over it, they would be away in peace. The Giant ran after the two of them, and ran his hand off against a tree stump. The horse and the boy were just leaping over the ladder.

Then the Giant came and grabbed the horse by the tail, and said: "Oh! If I had both my hands, I would hold on like nothing!" Then the horse tore its tail clean off, and the Giant fell onto the ladder, his head broken in two, and so he died there. So now they were free of that danger.

The horse said to the little boy: "Now a copper forest is coming up before us, and if you break off a single branch there, you will bring trouble on us!" The boy promised: "I don't mean to break any!" Then they went through the forest; just as the last branch was going by, the boy snapped it off.

Then came the Giant whose forest it was, and he had copper armour, and a copper hat on his head, and he asked: "Who is it that goes through my forest and breaks the trees?" The boy answered: "It is the two of us! What do you mean to do to us?" The Giant said: "That you shall see, what I shall do to you two!" Then the horse and the Giant came to grips, and the horse stood its ground and killed the Giant. Then they took the copper hat and the copper armour, and set off again.

Then the horse said again to the little boy: "Now a silver forest is coming; if you break off a branch there now, you will bring trouble on us!" The boy said: "I don't mean to break any!" Then they went through the forest; just as the last branch was coming to an end, the little boy snapped it off.

Then came the Giant whose forest it was, with silver armour and a silver hat on his head, and asked: "Who is it that goes through my forest and breaks the trees?" The boy answered: "It is the two of us! What do you mean to do to us?" The Giant said: "You shall see what I shall do!" Then the horse and the Giant began to wrestle. And the horse won and killed him dead, and then they took the silver armour and the silver hat, and set off again.

Then the horse said to the little boy: "Now a golden forest is coming; if you break off a branch there now, you will bring trouble on us yet again!" The boy promised that he would not; but just as the last branch was going by, the little boy snapped it off.

Then came the Giant whose forest it was, with golden armour and a golden hat on his head, and asked: "Who is it that goes through my forest and breaks the trees?" The boy answered: "It is the two of us! What do you mean to do to us?" The Giant said: "You shall see what I shall do!" Then the horse and the Giant came to grips, and the horse won and killed the Giant, and then they got the golden armour and the golden hat that he had on his head.

So they were free of those dangers, and they began to come toward the king's court, or city. The horse said to the little boy: "Now you must leave me here, and go on yourself to the king's court; only do not forget me," so the horse said. The boy went there as the horse had told him, and came to the king's court and said: "Good day!" The king answered: "God grant it!"

The boy did not take off his cap. The king asked: "Why don't you take off your cap?" The boy answered: "My head is scabby!" for he did not want to show his golden hat to the king. When the king heard that, he did not want it any more. So that day came to an end, and the next morning came. Then the king set the little boy to work.

But the king had three daughters, and the youngest was the most beautiful. While the boy was working in a room there, the king's daughters were in another room there, peeping through the glass. Then the boy scratched his head in such a way that the youngest saw the golden hat; and the girl turned round there to her two sisters and said: "Should not father now find husbands for them (for us)?" The king said: "You know that yourselves!"

Then the youngest said: "I will take that boy who came yesterday." The king answered his daughter: "What will you do with that scabby one?" The girl answered: "He will do well enough for me!" The other two daughters, for their part, took such great gentlemen.

Then the next day the king set his sons-in-law-to-be to go shooting. To the other two sons-in-law he gave such good shotguns, but to the little boy he gave such a rusty shotgun that nothing could be done with it. Then they went off up the hillside; but the boy went first to his horse, and took there his own shotgun, the one the two of them had taken from the Giant, and then he too went up the hillside.

The boy killed two loads of birds, but the other two sons-in-law killed nothing at all. Then they met up there on the hillside, and the two of them saw that the little boy had so very many birds. Then the two of them began to bargain for them. The boy said: "I will sell them, right enough, if I get those betrothal gifts that you two have had from the girls." So they gave them, and got the two loads of birds, a load each, and the boy was left with none.

Then they went home, and the boy shot one more owl, and he came home with that. Then the King said to his youngest daughter: "What do you mean to do with that one? You can see how much those two brought, and this one brought nothing!" The girl answered: "Oh, he will do well enough for me!" Then they began to hold their wedding, and to drink and eat and dance.

And the boy forgot his horse. The horse neighed once; still the boy did not remember. The horse neighed a second time, and then the boy remembered his horse, and ran out to his horse. He came to his horse.

The horse said: "Cut my head off now!" The boy answered: "As if I would cut your head off, when you have done me so many good turns!" The horse answered: "If you will not cut my head off, I will bite your head off!"

So the boy had to cut its head off, and then he threw it over his right shoulder. And it became such a beautiful human being, and went along too with the little boy to the king's court, and got to drink at the wedding as well.

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. 72–78, from the group printed under the heading Hammerfest and told at Repvuodna, which Friis's glossary gives as Repfjord. 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. 76 was applied (gaččai for gačai); slips his list does not mention are kept as printed: čnopai, a turned letter, for čuopai; ojgo for ajgo; matke (matke), where Friis's parenthesis repeats the word before it; a stray comma after one closing quotation mark; and the Giant's first words, which have no closing quotation mark. 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): bardnekuš is a diminutive of bardne, boy, which Friis glosses Stakkels Gut, "poor lad", and the English calls him the poor little boy, then the little boy; a rænga is a serving-boy; soaje, which Friis also gives as coage, is a birch, and ajka, which the 1887 dictionary gives as aika or haikka, is a big old birch; gierrag is the top of a tree and madda its lowest part, the butt; cagge or caje is a peg, and čuggit is to prick; a svala is a gallery along the side of a house, and a skagja a shed; hojgat vådnas is to push a boat out into the water; a mađđe is a fishing ground, found by its landmarks, and jukso is the haddock, dorske the cod and fales the whale; boatkanaddat is to wear through and part, of a line; bæce is the genitive of bæcëk, a fish's tail, so the Giant holds the whales by the tail, one in each hand (valdi guabba bæle gitti, which Friis's glossary itself gives as "he took one in each hand"), and sparrit is to tie fish together in pairs to hang them on the drying-rack (gjelle); ravgat is to go flying off, and girdašet to fly about at ease; bæsse is birch bark and rodnedet to tear it off; bossanas is a blast of breath; hægga is life; rišša is sulphur, didno flint and čokkom a comb; gukse is a drinking cup, and jugestet is to drink off at one go; cicaš is a sparrow or any little bird; mæcce is the wilds; udnot is to grant someone something; bâjka comes from bâjkat, to shit; navar is an auger, bodnjat to twist and bokkat to bore; bavte (the 1887 dictionary's bakte, bavte) is a cliff; rajdelas is a ladder, and bafte-skurčo a cleft in the rock; jalgŋa is the stump of a felled or broken tree; væjke is copper, and harnask armour; bittet is to stand one's ground in a fight; ruobas is scabby-headed; guovlat is to peep; a vivvasasa is a son-in-law-to-be; skuttaruššat is to go shooting; a noađđe is as much as one can carry at once, a load; gilhe are gifts exchanged by the betrothed; igja-lodde, "night-bird", is the owl (the 1887 dictionary: Hornugle); hæjak is a feast, which the 1887 dictionary also gives as a wedding; snjirgadet is to neigh; čuolastet is to hew off at a stroke, and gäsketet to bite. Hæsta guöftes is the horse and one other, "the two", and is given as "the horse and the boy" or "the horse and the Giant". Several readings rest on context. Girde in atte girde dat læ majta is read as "a flyer", from girdet, to fly. Oajves guövdad (guovdad, "through the middle, across") is read as "his head broken in two". In gajkehi hæsta sæjbe rasta (gajkitet, to let tear loose; rasta, "clean across") the horse tears its tail clean off. Dataj is read as dat with aj, "also": "he too". Degos is read from dego, "as if". Skurvahin is read as "that scabby one", after the boy's "My head is scabby". Ruokkad is read as the past of ruokkat, to scratch, and lækje and diettebættet as forms of læt, to be, and diettet, to know, which the dictionaries do not list. When the king's daughter asks for husbands "for them (for us)", Friis prints sigjidi, "for them", and adds migjidi, "for us", in parentheses, and the English keeps both. The little bird's cry, Bi, bi!, is left as it sounds. Where Friis gives a second form of the same word in parentheses (ajgo (ajgok), čugjit (čuggit), guabba bæle gitti (ovta guabbag gitti), oudast (oudi), jujesti (jugesti), bonjastifčim (bokkalifčim)), the English translates it once.

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: Jetanas ja bardnekuš

North Sámi text as printed by Friis (1856), pp. 72–78, in his orthography, with Friis's correction for p. 76 applied; line-end hyphens are joined. Friis's single paragraph is divided here at the same places as the English.

Ofta bardnekuš læi savcaid gæččamen. De bođi Jetanas ja bivdegođi su rængan. Bardnekuš loppedi. Dagja Jetanas: „Go don savcaid læk doalvom ruoktod, de galgak muo gaudnat dast sæmma bajkest. Dego bardnekuš bođi dasa, de Jetanas majd bođi, ja de vulgiga ruoktod Jetanas bajkai.

Gaskan sodno manadedinæsga de arvaladdašgođiga, atte sudnoje galgaše malës-muorak, go siddi boatteba. De gaunaiga ovta soaje (coage). Jetanas arvaladda dam, atte: „Dam moi valde dal!“ Mutto bardne fast dagja dam, atte: „Uccahaš dat læ!“

De vaʒiga oanehaš gaska ja gaunaiga ajka, dakgaraš ajka, maid biegga læi doagjam. De bardnekuš dagja: „Dam moi valde!“ Jetanas dagja: „Stuöres dat læ!“ Mutto bardne fast dajai: „Guödde don gierraga-gjæče, galle mon guöddam madda-gjæče!“

De bardne riemai vuollat aldsis sajid (cagid). Dagja Jetanas: „Maid don dai gujm ajgo (ajgok) dakkat?“ Dagja bardne dam, atte: „Du čalmi rajge čugjit (čuggit), go don maŋŋasa' gjæčastak!“ Dego dal Jetanas valdi giera-gjæččai ja gæssegođi, de bardne čokkani ruottas ala, ige Jetanas duostam maŋŋasis gjæččat.

Vaʒiga oanehaš matke (matke), de Jetanas dagja: „Oho! læ lossad!“ Bardnekuš dagja dam, son i læk vel guđege muddost vajbam. Go boattegođiga lâkkâ siddi, de dagja bardne dam Jetanassi: „Ik galga balkestet muorra ædnami, oudal go mon dieđetam dunji, goas galgak balkestet.“ Go bardne dieđeti, de Jetanas balkesti muorra ædnami ja dajai: „Oho! læi lossad!“

De ravve Jetanas bardnekuǯǯi: „Ik galga dam svali mannat, ikge dam skaja lusa.“ Mutto go Jetanas manai vissui, de bardnekuš viekkali svala lusa, ja svala sist læi hæsta. Dagja hæsta dam, atte: „Dieđakgo, maid ised adda dunji bargon ittën?“ — „Im mon dieđe!“ — „Dat goččo du vâdnasa hojgat; ja don galgak dagjat, atte: „Dego mon dam vuölgam hojgat, de dat bieđgana buokrak.“

De iđđed šaddai. De riemai Jetanas borrat iđđedës mallasa ja dagja rængasis dam, atte: „Vuölge vâdnasa hojgat!“ Dagja bardne: „Dego mon dam vuölgam hojgat, de dat bieđgana buok!“ Dagja Jetanas dam: „Galle mon ješ hojgam!“ De hojgai, ja de galgaiga sukkat favlai oaggot.

Dagja Jetanas rængasis dam: „Riema dal sukkat!“ Dagja bardne: „Go mon riemam sukkat, de ajrok dogjujek buok.“ Ajrok legje ruövdest. Jetanas dagja fast dam: „Oh, galle mon ješ sugam!“ Sugaiga væha matke, de dagja Jetanas: „De bođi muo jukso-mađđe!“ Bardne fast dagja dam, atte: „Igo dust lækje buöreb mađđe go dat?“

De sugaiga fastan on oanehaš matke. Dagja Jetanas: „De bođi muo dorske-mađđe!“ Dagja bardne: „Igo dust lækje buöreb mađđe go dat?“ De sugaiga on oanehaš matke. On dagja Jetanas: „De bođi muo fales-mađđe, riema dal oaggot!“

Bardne gjæččagođi dam vađđoi. Dagja Jetanas: „Maid don gjæčak muo biergasida?“ Dagja bardne: „Læ de jo dat biergasak dust? Go mon daina galgam oaggogoattet, de dat boatkanadda buok!“ Dagja Jetanas dam: „Oh, galle mon ješ oaggom!“ De Jetanas oaggogođi ja gesi guökte falla ja sukkai gaddai.

Dego gaddai bođiga, de valdi Jetanas dam guökte falla guabba bæle gitti (ovta guabbag gitti) bæce duökkën, sparri ja hængasti gjællai. De gočoi rængas: „Mana dola buöllahet!“ Bardnekuš dagja dam: „Go mon algam dola bossot, de mon bossalam viesost dakje erit!“ Dagja Jetanas dam: „Oh, galle mon ješ buöllaham!“

Mutto go Jetanas riemai dola bossot, de ravgai bardne dokko dakje vuöllai ja girdaša dobbe dakje vuölde dam bossanasa mielde. Jetanas gjæčča bardnekuǯa, go dat læ dobbe dakje vuölde ja gača: „Maid don dobbe dagak?“ Bardne vasteda: „Besid mon rodnedam munnoidi dolli!“ Jetanas doajvo dam, atte girde dat læ majta. De bođi fast vulus.

De malastaddaiga, ja dego læiga malastaddam ja borram, de Jetanas nokkai borramušaid ala. De bardne vulgi svala lusa, hæsta lusa.

Dagja hæsta: „Mana dal dokko skaja lusa ja godde dam gusa, dastgo Jetanasast læ hægga dam gusa siste, ja čalest vajmo guövdad, ja de vaʒe vissui gjæččat, jogo læ buoccam Jetanas. Dego dobbe boađak, de mana fastan dam gusa lusa, ja de čuopa dam vajmo buokrak cuovkas, ja boađe fast muo lusa, ja luojte muo olgus, ja valde munnoidi ovta havla-bisso ja miekke ja riša ja didno ja čokko(m).“

Buok maid hæsta dajai, dam bardne dagai, ja de manai vieso lusa gjæččat, jogo læ Jetanas jabmam. Jetanas læi jabmam sæmma ajge, go dam vajmo čuopadi. De vulgiga ja vujiga gukka, obba matke.

De Jetanas ælaski, ja go fuomaši, atte hæsta læi jaukam ja rænga, de vulgi maŋŋai. Dagja hæsta bardnekuǯǯi dam, atte: „Gulakgo, oajnakgo maidege?“ Bardne fastedi: „Im gula, imge oajne maidege!“ Vujiga oanehaš matke, de gačali nubbadašši: „Gulakgo, oajnakgo maidege?“ Bardne fastedi: „Orro dego biegga alme vuölle šuvvame.“

Dagja hæsta: „Balkest dal dam riša ja saval dakgaraš javre, maid Jetanas i galga birra dajhe rasta bæssat.“ De dat javre šaddai. Dego Jetanas bođi dan javre duökkai, de savali: „Vare mu stuorra gukse lifči dast, de mon jugestifčim dam dego dušše!“, De vulgi guvsës vieǯǯat, vieǯai dam, bođi fast dam javre duökkai ja jujesti (jugesti) dam buok.

Dagja guvsinës: „Oro dal dast, dassači go mon ruoktod jorgalam!“ Boatta cicaš ja dagja: „Bi, bi! go don dasa bijak, de mon valdam ja čuopadam ja guöddam mæccai!“ Vastedi Jetanas dam, atte: „Oh don ucca loddaš! Jus mon du olahifčim, de mon časkašim oajve erit! Oudal mon galgam guksam ruoktod guöddet, go dunji udnot.“ De guddi dan guvsës ruoktod ja vulgi fastan maŋŋai.

De gačali hæsta fastan bardnekuǯast: „Gulakgo, oajnakgo maidege?“ — „Im mon gula, imge oajne maidege!“ Manaiga oanehaš matke, de das gača bardnekuǯast hæsta: „Gulakgo, oajnakgo maidege?“ — „Orro dego biegga alme vuölle šuvvame!“

Dagja hæsta: „Balkest dal dam didno ja saval dakgaraš bavte, maid Jetanas i galga bagjel dajhe birra bæssat.“ Dego Jetanas bođi dam bavte duökkai, de savali: „Vare mu stuorra navar lifči dast, de mon bonjastifčim (bokkalifčim) dasa rajge dego dušše!“ De vulgi ruoktod navarës vieǯǯat, ja go læi vieǯǯam dam, de rajgai rajge dam mađe, go čađa bæsai.

Dagja navarinës: „Oro dal dast, dassači go mon ruoktod jorgeham!“ Boatta cicaš ja dagja: „Bi, bi! go don dasa bijak, de mon valdam ja guöddam mæccai!“ Jetanas dagja: „Oh don bâjka lodde! Jus mon olahifčim, časkašim oajve erit! Oudal galgam navaram ruoktod guöddet, go dunji udnot.“ De guddi dan ruoktod ja vulgi fast maŋŋai.

Gača hæsta bardnekuǯast: „Gulakgo, oajnakgo maidege?“ Vastedi bardne: „Im mon gula maidege, imge oajne!“ Manaiga oanehaš gaska, das gača hæsta bardnekuǯast: „Gulakgo, oajnakgo maidege?“ — „Orro dego biegga alme vuölle šuvvame!“ — „Balkest dal dam čokkoma ja saval dakgaraš vuövde, maid Jetanas i galga čađa dajhe birra bæssat.“

De Jetanas bođi dam vuövde duökkai ja savali: „Vare muo stuorra akšo lifči dast, mon časkašim dam dego dušše dam mađe, go čađa bæsašim!“ De vulgi agšos vieǯǯat ja bođi fastan dam vuövde duökkai ja čnopai čađa dam mađe, go bæsai.

Dagja agšoinës: „Oro dal dast, dassači go mon ruoktod jorgeham!“ Boatta cicaš ja dagja: „Bi, bi! jus don dasa bijak, mon čuopadam smavvesën ja guöddam mæccai!“ — „Oh don bâjka lodde! Jus mon olahifčim, mon časkašim oajve erit! Oudal galgam akšom ruoktod guöddet, go dunji galgam udnot.“ De guddi ruoktod ja vulgi fastan.

De læi rajdelas bafte-skurčo rasta, ja go dam bagjel bæssabæva, de bæssabæva rafhest. Jetanas viegaha dam guöfta ja de viegai jalgŋai gieđas erit. De læiga hæsta guöftes äjto njujkime bagjel dam rajdelasa.

De Jetanas boatta ja doppe hæsta sæjbai ja dagja: „Oh! jus must lifči guabbača gieđa, mon dollišim dego dušše!“ De gajkehi hæsta sæjbe rasta, ja Jetanas gaččai oajves guövdad dam rajdelassi, ja de dasa jami. De dal bæsaiga dam vaddost erit.

Dagja hæsta bardnekuǯǯi dam: „De dal boatta væjke-vuövde munno oudast (oudi), ja jus dast doajat ovtage oavse, de dagat munnoidi hæđe!“ Bardne loppeda: „Im mon ajgo doagjet!“ De manaiga čađa dam vuövde; äjto maŋŋemuš oakse læi nokkame, de bardne doajesti dam.

De boatta Jetanas, gæn vuövde dat læi, ja sust læi væjke-harnask ja væjke-hatta oajvest, ja gača: „Gi dat læ, gutte mu vuövde čađa manna ja doagjala muoraid?“ Bardne vasteda: „Moi dat ledne! Maid don munnoidi ajgot dakkat?“ Dagja Jetanas dam: „Ja dam don galgak oajdnet, maid mon dudnuidi dagam!“ De šaddaiga faggai hæsta guöftes Jetanasain, ja hæsta dat biđi ja goddi Jetanasa. De valdiga dam væjke-hatta ja væjke-harnaska ja vulgiga fastan.

De hæsta dagja fast bardnekuǯǯi: „De dal boatta silba-vuövde; jus dal dast doajat oavse, de dagat munnoidi hæđe!“ Bardne dagja: „Im mon ojgo doagjet!“ De manaiga čađa dam vuövde; äjto maŋŋemuš oakse nokkagođi, de bardnekuš doajesti dam.

De boatta Jetanas, gæn vuövde dat læi, ja silba-harnaska ja silba-hatta oajvest, ja gača: „Gi dat læ, gutte mu vuövde čađa manna ja doagjala muoraid?“ Bardne vastedi: „Moi dat ledne! Maid don munnoidi ajgot dakkat?“ Jetanas dagja: „Dam don oajnak, maid mon dagam!“ De riemaiga faggat hæsta guöftes Jetanasain. De hæsta dat vujti ja goddi jamas, ja de valdiga dam silba-harnaska ja silba-hatta ja vulgiga fastan.

De dagja hæsta bardnekuǯǯi: „De dal boatta golle-vuövde; jus dal dast doajat oavse, de dagat munnoidi ajnge hæđe!“ Bardne loppeda, i son ajgo; mutto äjto go maŋŋemuš oakse læi nokkame, de bardnekuš doajesti dam.

De boatta Jetanas, gæn vuövde dat læi, ja golle-harnaska ja golle-hatta oajvest, ja gača: „Gi dat læ, gutte mu vuövde čađa manna ja doagjala muoraid?“ Bardne vastedi: „Moi dat ledne! Maid don munnoidi ajgot dakkat?“ Jetanas dagja: „Dam don oajnak, maid mon dagam!“ De šaddaiga faggai hæsta guöftes Jetanasain, ja hæsta dat vujti ja goddi Jetanasa, ja de oaǯoiga dam golle-harnaska ja golle-hatta, mi sust læi oajvest.

De bæsaiga dain vaddoin erit ja boattegođiga gonagas gardime dajhe gavpuge. Dagja hæsta bardnekuǯain: „De dal oaǯok muo dal dasa guöđđet, ja ješ oaǯok mannat gonagas gardime; ale fal vajaldatte muo“, maid hæsta dagja. Bardne manai dokko, mo hæsta gočoi, ja bođi gonagas gardime ja ravkai: „Buöre bæjve!“ Gonagas vastedi: „Ibmel addë!“

I bardne gapperis valde erit. Gača gonagas: „Mannën gapperad ik valde erit?“ Bardne vastedi: „Ruobas læ oajve!“ go i dattom čajetet golle-hattas gonagassi. Go gonagas dam gulai, de i šat dattom dam æmbo. De nogai dat bæjve, ja šaddai nubbe iđđed. De bijai gonagas bardnekuǯa bargoi.

Mutto gonagasast læi golma niejda, ja nuorramus læi čabbasamus. Dego bardne dobbe bargamen læi lânjâst, de legje gonagas-niejdak dobbe nubbe lânjâst ja guvlëk čađa glasa. De ruokkad oajves bardne nu, atte nuorramus ojni golle-hatta, ja de jorgehi dat niejda dokko oabas guöfta lusa ja dagja: „Igo son ačče dal sigjidi (migjidi) boadnjaid ocaši?“ Gonagas dagja dam: „Ječa diettebættet!“

De dat nuorramus dagja dam, atte: „Mon dam bardne valdam, gutte ifti bođi.“ Gonagas vastedi niejdasis dam, atte: „Maid don daina skurvahin dagak?“ Niejda fast vastedi: „Galle dat munji dokke!“ Dat nubbe niejda guöftes fast valdiga dakgaraš alla hærraid.

De nubbe bæjve de bijai gonagas skuttaruššat vivvasasaides. Dam nubbe vivvasasa gugtui addi dakgaraš burid havla-bissoid, mutto bardnekuǯǯi dat addi dakgaraš ruösta havla-bisso, maina i sate dakkat maidege. De vulge luökkai, mutto bardne manai vuost hæstas lusa ja valdi dobbe ječas havla-bisso, maid Jetanasast læiga valdam, ja de manai luökkai dataj.

Bardne goddi guökte noađe loddid, mutto dat nubbe vivvasasa guöftes æva goddam maidege. De gavnadegje dobbe luökkast ja ojniga dam, atte bardnekuǯast legje loddek nu ædnag. De soaj riemaiga daid oastalet. Bardne dagja: „Galle mon vuövdam, go mon oaǯom daid gilhid, maid doaj niejdain læppe oǯǯom.“ De addiga ja de oaǯoiga dam guökte noađe loddid, noađe guabbai, ja bardne baci nuvta.

De vulge si ruoktod, ja bardne bači vel ovta igja-lodde, ja son daina bođi ruoktod. De Gonagas dagja dam nuorramus niejdasis: „Maid don duojna ajgot dakkat? Galle oajnak, man ædnag duok guöftes buvtiga, ja da i buktam maidege!“ Niejda fast vastedi: „Oh, galle dat munja dokke!“ De ribme hæjaides doallat ja jukkat ja borrat ja dansit.

De bardne vajaldatti hæstas. Hæsta snjirgadi ovta gærde, i vel mujtam bardne. Snjirgadi nubbadašši hæsta, de bardne mujtai hæstas ja viekkali olgus hæstas lusa. Bođi hæstas lusa.

Hæsta dagja dam: „Čuolast dal must oajve erit!“ Bardne fastan vastedi: „Degos mon galgam dust erit oajve čuolastet nu manga buri go don læk munjai dakkam!“ Hæsta vastedi: „Go don ik čuolast mu oajve erit, galle mon galgam du oajve gasketet erit!“

De bardne ferti čuolastet oajve erit, ja de balkesti bagjel olgiš bæle oalge. De dat šaddai dakgar čabba olmuš, ja manai songe dokko gonagas gardime bardnekuǯa mælde, ja oaǯoi songe brulappi jukkat.

Source Colophon

J. A. Friis (ed.), Lappiske Sprogprøver (Christiania: J. W. Cappelen, 1856), pp. 72–78, with Friis's correction for p. 76 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, ä, ö, ë, č, đ, š, ŋ, and both ʒ and ǯ, which he distinguishes.

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