Northern mythology

O
NORWEGIAN TRADITIONS.
not to be taken. When the first danger was over, the
loving pah' succeeded, though with difficulty, in working
their way out from amid the fallen stones. They then
took a boat, that was lying near the shore, and through
many perils succeeded in reaching the uninhabited group
of islands called Tarven, which at that time served as a
retreat for Trolls. The chief among these, the Huldre,
Gurri Kunnan, received them kindly, and allowed them
to stay in her habitation, though on condition that they
should never make the sign of the cross, which she could
not endure. One Yule-eve, when Gurri, w^ith a countless
number of Trolls, were assembled at a festivity, the wonderstruck
Aslaug forgot her promise and crossed herself, at
the same time pronouncing the name of Jesus. On a
sudden all the witchery vanished, and of the whole parade
a huge copper kettle alone remained, which for time out
of mind has since been kept in the largest isle of the
group, the now inhabited Hunsoe'.
This Gurri was the
daughter of a giant, who dwelt on
the isle of Kunnan off Helgeland. Being very beautiful,
she had many suitors, who fought for the possession of the
fair giantess, and round about Kunnan^ is to be seen a
cluster of rocks
formed of the stones they hurled at each
other. All were, however, forced to cede to the giant
Anfind, who married the beautiful Gurri, and lived happily
with her, until her father was slain, together with the
powerful ' Sout,' by the mighty ' Gout,' who came from
the east, when the whole family was driven from Kunnan,
and Anfind with his wife sought shelter with Frui, who
gave them Tarven for a residence. Here they lived in
' The other isles are used merely for tlie grazing of cattle, in consequence
of the superstition that no one can inhabit them, on account of
the Trolls and other devilish l)eings. The copper kettle, as I have been
assured, is still preserved hy the inhabitants of the isle.
- Kunnen is a })romontory on the north side of lleli^cland.