a tale from Kåfjord in Lyngen, from J. A. Friis, Lappiske Sprogprøver (1856)

Ruöbba is a nickname for a boy with a scabby head, which Friis glosses with the Norwegian "Askefis", the ash-lad. Told in North Sámi at Kåfjord in Lyngen and printed by Jens Andreas Friis in 1856, in Sámi only, this tale tells how Ruöbba, the youngest of three brothers, feeds the hungry tools that 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 of the four strange companions he gathers on the way.

Translation

There was once an old man who had three sons. The eldest went off to take service; he took food for the road with him, and off he went. He went on for as long as he went, and then he began to eat. While he was eating, planes, axes, augers and all the tools came begging, for they were hungry. He gave none of them anything.

Then he went on, and came to the king's house, and offered himself to the king as a serving-boy. The king took him and said: "If you can keep watch over a tree of mine for one night, a tree on which golden leaves grow, then you shall have my daughter and half the kingdom." So just at evening he went to the tree, and when he came to the tree, he sat down there to watch how the golden leaves grow. And as they began to grow full, sleep came over him, and he fell asleep. When he woke again, the golden leaves had vanished, every one.

Then in the morning he came to the king. The king asked: "Well, were you able to keep watch?" "I was not!" Then the king ordered that his life be taken from him.

Then the second son wanted to go off as a serving-boy. His father did not want to let him go, but he went all the same, and took food for the road with him. He went on for as long as he went, and then he sat down to eat. Then planes, augers, axes and all the tools came begging, for they were hungry. He gave none of them anything to eat.

Then he went on and came to the king. The king asked: "Where are you going?" "I have set out to be a serving-boy, for whoever will take me." The king said: "Come to me as a serving-boy! I have a tree on which golden leaves grow, and if you can keep watch over it for one night, you shall have my daughter and half the kingdom." "I can try."

So in the evening he went to the tree, and sat down there and watched how the golden leaves grow. And as they began to grow full, sleep came over him, and he fell asleep. When he woke again, they had all vanished. Then in the morning he came to the king, and the king asked: "Well, were you able to keep watch?" "I was not." Then the king ordered his life to be taken from him.

Then the third son, Ruöbba, wanted to go. His father did not want to let him go. He kept on wanting it, and so his father had to let him go. He gave him a little bit of food; he did not give him much for the road. Then Ruöbba took a glove in his hand, and off he went.

He went on for as long as he went, and then he sat down to eat. Then the tools came and begged of the boy, for they were hungry: augers, planes, axes, all the tools. The boy gave every one of them something to eat, and then he went on and came to the king's house.

The king asked: "Where are you going?" "I have set out for whoever will take me as a serving-boy." The king said: "Come and be my serving-boy!" The boy said: "But what could I do as your serving-boy?" The king said: "I have a tree on which golden leaves grow, and if you can keep watch over it for one night, then you shall have my daughter and half the kingdom." The boy said: "I can try."

Evening came, and they took the boy to the tree, and even lifted him up onto the trunk of the tree. And now the boy sat there and watched how the golden leaves grow. As they began to grow full, sleep began to come. But the boy did not fall asleep yet. Then the boy heard a rumbling, and he started in fright, and the sleep was gone.

Then he saw two coming: it was the Giant and Nævre; and the two of them had no more than one eye between them. The Giant said to Nævre: "Oh, we'll take them all right, as far as those watchmen go; we have taken them before too! Go on, you go up into the tree!" Nævre said to the Giant: "Go on, you go! I'll give you the eye, never fear."

So the Giant set off to climb up into the tree. Then he said: "Give me the eye, then!" And Nævre held out the eye. Then the boy snatched that eye and stuffed it into his glove. The Giant said: "Give me the eye, then!" Nævre said: "But you took the eye just now!" The Giant grew angry and leapt down to the ground, and the two of them began to fight. They fought until both of them burst.

Then morning came, and the boy went to the king. The king asked: "Well, were you able to keep watch?" The boy said: "I was indeed." The king sent to see whether he had been able to keep watch. He had indeed.

The boy said: "Well, do I get your daughter now?" The king said: "Not yet." The boy said: "What more must I do, since I don't get her?" The king said: "If you now make a ship in one night and bring it before my door, then you shall have her!" The boy said: "That is impossible! How can I make a ship in one night and bring it before your door! I can surely try."

So in the evening the boy went off into the forest, and took an axe with him besides, and came into the forest. Then he struck his axe once into a tree and shouted: "Now, you tools that I have fed, come now and make a ship ready by morning, and carry it before the king's door by daybreak!" Then the whole forest began to crack and crash. The boy himself sat down. And now he saw the ship begin to grow, and it grew till it was whole. The boy went into the ship, and the ship set off travelling over the land.

Then the boy saw a man who was gnawing bones. When he came up to him, the boy said: "What are you doing there, man?" And the man answered: "I have gnawed bones my whole life long, and I am not full yet!" The boy said: "Come into my ship!" So he came, and the boy had got himself a companion.

Then the boy again saw a man, who was biting ice. When he came up to him, the boy said: "What are you doing there, man?" And the man answered: "I have bitten ice my whole life long, and my thirst is not quenched yet!" The boy said: "Come into my ship!" So he came, and the boy had got a second man.

He travelled on, and he saw a man who lifted his foot and let it drop again; over and over he did so, and never took a step. When he came up to him, the boy said: "What are you doing there, man?" And the man answered: "I have tried for a step my whole life long, but I have not yet managed to take one!" The boy said: "Come into my ship!" So he came, and the boy got a third man.

He travelled on again, and he saw a man who kept taking aim, but never shot. When he came up to him, he said: "What are you doing there, man?" And the man answered: "I have taken aim my whole life long, but I have not yet got to shoot!" The boy said: "Come into my ship!" So he came, and the boy got a fourth man.

Then he set off travelling again. He reached the king's door by morning, and went to the king. The king said: "Well, were you able to make a ship?" "I was indeed!" The king went to look. There was the ship before the door.

The boy said to the king: "Do I get your daughter now?" "Not yet!" "What more must I do, then?" "If you now fetch the other king's golden tankard in one night, and bring it here onto my table by morning, then you shall have my daughter." The boy said: "That is impossible for me to do! In one night I am to go there and get back home again by morning! I can surely try;" and the boy went out.

Then evening came. The boy called the stepper and said to the stepper: "Now, stepper, if you have never got to take a step before, step now, and go quickly to fetch that king's golden tankard, and bring it to me by morning!" So off he went. Then the dawn of morning began to come, and still the stepper had not come.

The boy said to the aimer: "Now shoot the stepper in the sole of his foot, so that he remembers to come." The stepper had been lingering with a maiden. So the aimer shot, and the stepper remembered, and he set off, and arrived by morning, and brought the golden tankard to the boy. Then the boy brought it onto the king's table and said: "Do I get your daughter now?" "Now you must have her!" Then we began to hold the wedding feast, and then I came away.

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. 92–95, from the group printed under the heading Ivgo (Lyngen) and the subheading Kajvuodna (Kåfjord). 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. 94 was applied (bævde nala, "onto the table", printed with a hyphen). 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 ruöbba is scurf, or one who has scurf on his head, which Friis glosses with the Norwegian Askefis, the ash-lad of the folk tales; nævre is "bad, wretched", and as a noun "the Evil One"; both are kept as names, as Friis capitalizes them, and Jetanas is the Giant. Muttom gallast is read from galës, "an old man": "a certain old man had three sons". The hungry visitors are hævalak, planes, akšok, axes, and nabarak, augers, all of them duögje-nævok, tools; nælgai anodet is to beg for hunger. A lasta is a leaf, so the king's tree grows golden leaves; faktit is to guard, and a favta a watchman. Hægga is life, so the king has the brothers' lives taken. A gista is a glove, which Ruöbba takes in his hand (valti gista allases gietti), and coggalet to stuff something in quickly. Madda is the stem or lowest part of a tree, and nala is ala, "onto". Dulvu, which neither dictionary lists in this form, is read as a past form of doalvot, "to take, bring", for "they", beside bajedegje, "they lifted". Dabmat is to drone or rumble, and suorganet to take fright. The Giant's words daid favtaid diette are read with diette as the glossary's postposition ditti, "for the sake of" (Norwegian for — Skyld), taken here as "as far as those watchmen go"; this is the least certain reading in the tale. Galle is "surely, indeed", and vuot "again". The short 'l and 'al after the commands mana, "go", and adde, "give", are in neither dictionary; they are read as a particle that urges the command on, "go on", "then". Gejgit is to hold out, doppit to seize, njulčit to leap, and bodne the bottom or ground. Luoddanet is to crack or burst, so the two fight until both burst; guačagak is "both". Mađohæbme is "impossible". Čuolastet is to strike once with an axe; ruošket is to crash or crack, "as ice breaks or a branch snaps", and Friis's own parenthesis gives a second form of the same word, ruočat, which the English does not repeat. Fivridet is to carry, and ædnam the land. Gāsket is to bite or gnaw, and the glossary quotes this tale's own words under akke, "lifetime": jo akkam læm davtid gaskam, "my whole lifetime I have gnawed bones". Goikko is thirst and časkat to be quenched. A lavke is a step, and dade "continually"; siktit is to aim and bačet to shoot. A gadno is a tankard or jug. Juölge-vuođđo is the sole of the foot. Agjanet is to linger or pass the time, and huobmat to remember. Hæjak is a feast; it is given as "the wedding feast", which the story's end requires. The tale closes with the teller's own words, "and then I came away".

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: Ruöbba, Jetanas ja Nævre

North Sámi text as printed by Friis (1856), pp. 92–95, in his orthography, with Friis's correction for p. 94 applied; line-end hyphens are joined. Friis's single paragraph is divided here at the same places as the English.

De legje muttom gallast golbma barne. De vulgi boarrasamus balvalussi ja valdi allasas nieste ja de vulgi. Manai dan ajge, maid manai, de riemai borrat. Go borramen læi, de botte nælgai anodët hævalak, akšok, nabarak ja gajt duögje-nævok. I son adtam aktige.

De vulgi ejn ja bođi gonagasa dalloi ja falai ječas gonagassi rængan. Gonagas valdi ja dagja: „Jus don satak ovta ija must ovta muora faktit, masa golle-lastak šaddëk, de don oaǯok muo niejda ja rikast bælë.“ De vulgi æjto ækkedëst muora lusa, ja go muora lusa bođi, de čokkedi dasa gæččat, go golle-lastak šaddëk. De dak šaddagotte ollesën, de botte nakkarak, de nokkai. De morreda fastan, de læi javkam gajtën dak golle-lastak.

De bođi iđđedëst gonagasa lusa. Jærra gonagas: „No, satikgo faktit?“ — „Im sattam!“ De gonagas gočoi hægga valdët dast erit.

De viggagođi nubbe bardne vuölgët rængan. J ačče siđa lujtët, mutto vulgi dat gojt ejnak ja valdi allasas nieste. De manai dan ajge, maid manai, ja de čokkedi borrat. De botte nælgai anodët hævalak, nabarak, akšok ja gajt duögje-nævok. I adtam aktige borrat.

De vulgi ejn ja bođi gonagasa lusa. Jærra gonagas: „Gosa don vulgik?“ — „Vulgim rængan, gutte valda.“ Dagja gonagas: „Boađe muo lusa rængan! Must læ akta muorra, masa golle-lastak šaddëk, ja jus don ovt ija sate faktit, oaǯok muo niejda ja rikast bælë.“ — „Oaǯom mon gæččalët.“

De manai ækkedëst muora lusa ja čokkedi dokko ja gæčča, dego golle-lastak šaddëk. De dak šaddagotte ollesën, de botte nakkarak, de nokkai. De morreda fast, de læi javkam gajtën. De bođi iđđedëst gonagasa lusa, de jærra gonagas: „No, satikgo faktit?“ — „Im sattam.“ De gonagas gočoi hægga sust erit valdët.

De viggagođi goalmad bardne, Ruöbba, vuölgët. Ačče i siđa lujtët. Vigga ejnak, ja de ferti dal lujtët. Adti dasa bittaš borramuša, i adtam ollo nieste. De valti gista allases gietti, ja de vulgi.

De manai dan ajge, maid manai, de čokkedi borrat. De botte duögje-nævok ja anodëk barnest nælgai, nabarak, hævalak, akšok, gajt duögje-nævok. Bardne adti gajtinæide borrat, ja de vulgi ejn ja bođi gonagasa dalloi.

Jærra gonagas: „Gosa don vulgik?“ — „Vulgim, gutte valda muo rængan.“ Dagja gonagas: „Boađe munji rængan!“ Dagja bardne: „Maid be mon satečam dunji rængot?“ Dagja gonagas: „Must læ akta muorra, masa golle-lastak šaddëk, ja jus don dan satak faktit ovta ija, de oaǯok mu niejda ja rikast bælë.“ Dagja bardne: „Oaǯom mon gæččalët.“

Šadtai ækkëd, de dulvu bardne muora lusa, bajedegje vel muora madda' nala. De bardne čokka dal dast ja gæčča, go dak golle-lastak šaddëk. Dego dak šaddagotte ollesën, de nakkarak boattegotte. I bardne vel nokkam. De gulla bardne, go dabma, de suörgani, de nakkarak javke.

De oajdna, go boatteb guövtës, de læi Jetanas ja Nævre; ige dam guövtost læk æneb go akta čalbme. Dagja Jetanas Nevrin: „Oh, galle moi daid favtaid diette valde, valdam moi ledne oudalak! Mana'l don murri!“ Dagja Nævre Jetanasain: „Mana'l don! Galle mon čalme adtam dunji.“

De Jetanas vulgi goargŋot murri. De dagja: „Adt'al čalme!“ De Nævre gejgi čalme. De bardne duppi dan čalme ja coggali gista sisa. Dagja Jetanas: „Adt'al čalme!“ Dagja Nævre: „Jo dal jo valdik čalme!“ Jetanas harbmodi ja njulči bodnai, ja de riemaiga doarrot. Doarroiga dassačin go luöddaneiga guačagak.

De šadtai iđđëd, ja de bardne vulgi gonagasa lusa. Jærra gonagas: „No, satikgo faktit.“ Dagja bardne: „Sattim galle.“ Gonagas bijai gæččat, læigo sattam faktit. Læi galle.

Dagja bardne: „No, jogo dal oaǯom du niejda?“ Dagja gonagas: „Ik vel oaǯo.“ Dagja bardne: „Maid vel galgam dakkat, go im oaǯo?“ Dagja gonogas: „Jus dal skipa dagak ovt ijast ja buvtak muo uvse oudi, de oaǯok!“ Dagja bardne: „Mađohæbme dat læ! Govt mon matam ovt ijast dakkat skipa ja buktët dun uvse oudi! Oaǯom mon gæččalët galle.“

De vulgi bardne mæccai ækkedëst, valdi vela akšo, ja de bođi mæccai. De čuolasti murri ja čurvi: „No, di duögje-nævok, maita mon læm borataddam, boatte dal ja dakke dal skipa iđđedessi valmasën ja fivridætte gonagasa uvse oudi iđđedes ragjai!“ De riemai ruoškët (ruočat) obba mæcce. Bardne ješ čokkedi. De dal oajdna, de skipa riemai dal šaddat ja šadtai ollesën. Bardne manai skipa sisa, ja de skipa vulgi jottët ædnam mielde.

De oajdna bardne ovt olbma, mi dal davtid gaska. Dego bođi dan ragjai, de dagja bardne: „Maid, olmaj, dast dagak?“ De dat olmaj vastedi: „Jo akkam læm davtid gaskam, im vel læk gallanam!“ Dagja bardne: „Boađe mu skippi!“ De dat bođi, ja de bardne oaǯoi guojme allases.

De bardne oajdna ovt olbma vuot, mi isaid gaska. Dego bođi dan ragjai, de bardne dagja: „Maid, olmaj, dast dagak?“ De olmaj vastedi: „Jo læm akkam isaid gaskam, i vel læk gojko časkam!“ Dagja bardne: „Boađe mu skippi!“ De dat bođi, ja de bardne oaǯoi nubbe olbma.

De jotta ejn, de oajdna ovt olbma, mi juölge bajeda ja lujta, dade dat dakka nuvt, ige dat lavke. Dego bođi dan ragjai, de bardne dagja: „Maid, olmaj, dast dagak?“ De olmaj vastedi: „Jo læm akkam lavke bivdam, mutto im vel læk bæssam lavkit!“ Dagja bardne: „Boađe mu skippi!“ De dat bođi, ja de goalmad olbma oaǯoi bardne.

De ejn jotta, ja de oajdna ovt olbma, mi dat sikte, ige dat bače. Dego bođi dan ragjai, de dagja: „Maid, olmaj, dast dagak?“ De dat olmaj vastedi: „Jo læm akkam siktim, mutto im vel læk bæssam bačët!“ Dagja bardne: „Boađe mu skippi!“ De dat bođi, de njælljad olbma oaǯoi bardne.

De ejn vulgi jottët. De oli gonagasa uvse oudi iđđedessi, ja de manai gonagasa lusa. Dagja gonagas: „No, sattikgo dakkat skipa?“ — „Sattim galle!“ Gonagas vulgi gæččat. Skippa læ uvse oudast.

Dagja bardne gonagasain: „Jogo dal oaǯom du niejda?“ — „Ik vel oaǯo!“ — „Maid vel galgam dakkat dalle?“ — „Jus dal nubbe gonagasa golle-gadno vieǯak ovt ijast ja buvtak dasa iđđedessi mu bævde nala, de don oaǯok muo niejda.“ Dagja bardne: „Dat læ mađohæbme munji dakkat! Ovt ijast galgam dobbe mannat ja ollët fast ruoktod iđđedessi! Oaǯom mon gæččalët galle;“ ja de vulgi bardne olgus.

De šadtai ækkëd. Bardne čurvi lavkijægje ja dagja lavkijegjin: „No, don lavkijægje, jus don oudal ik læk lavke uǯǯum, lavke dal ja mana spajta dam gonagasa golle-gadno vieǯǯat, ja buvte iđđedessi munje!“ De dat vulgi. De šaddagođi iđđedes guovso, i dat jovda vel dat lavkijægje.

Dagja bardne siktijegjin: „Bače don dal lavkijægje juölge-vuđđui, vaj dat huobmaha boattët.“ De læi lavkijægje agjanæme jomfruvain. De siktijægje bači, de huobmai lavkijægje, ja de vulgi ja oli iđđedessi ja buvti dam golle-gadno bardnai. De bardne buvti gonagasa bævde nala ja dagja: „Jogo mon dal oaǯom du niejda?“ — „De dal fertik oaǯǯot!“ De mi riemain hæjaid doallat, ja de mon vulgim erit.

Source Colophon

J. A. Friis (ed.), Lappiske Sprogprøver (Christiania: J. W. Cappelen, 1856), pp. 92–95, with Friis's correction for p. 94 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 ö, ë, č, đ, š, ŋ and ǯ, which he distinguishes from plain ʒ (only ǯ occurs in this tale), and the capital J of J ačče, which stands for I.

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