Daily Kennebec journal., 1877-12-12
NO. 1913
Misfellaneous.
ASLAUG'S WO0ING.-A MORSE FOLK TALE
BY BJ0RNSTJERNE BJORNSOy.


When Aslaug became full-grown girl,
peace was gone on Husaby farm. The
finest boys of the parish wraugled and
fought there, night after night. 1t was
worse on Saturday nights. but then old
,Junt Husaby went to bed with his leather
breeches on and birch club at his elbow.
"llave | got grip he said II shall
know how to take care of her."
Tore Neset was only squatter's son.
There were people, though. who said that
he came oftener to see the farmers daugh-
ter on Husaby than anybody else. Old
| Junt did not like this talk and said that it
was not true, for he had never seen him
| there But people smiled at each other
| and hinted that il he looked better into
| that corner where Aslaug sat, instead of
| squabbling with those who strutted on the
open floor, he would have found Tore.
| Spring came. and when the cattle were
driven up on the hills for grazing, Aslaug
followed TO take care OF them Hot Law
| the day over the valley. but the cliff rose
| cool above the sun-smoke, and when from
| the top the COW bells tingled and watch
| dogs barked and Aslaug sang and played
| on the ljur, how did the bows feel toiling
in the meadows below. The first Satur-
| day night they AL took to the cliff, one
| faster than The other But still more fast
| they came back, one after the other. lust
where the path turned the hammer. Some
one stood and took hold OF them, one by
one as they came. and wheeled them
downward. making his words well re-
memdered: "lt you choose to come again
you shall be sill better served"
| As far as people could understand, only
l it,t tl.x yh,Nl.. 4,
hand for such "A piece of work, and that
one was Tore Neset But all the rich
farmers sons thought it rather mean that
he, the squatter's son. should take stand
next to her, Aslaug Husaby.
| The same thought also old Junt, when
he heard it, and he thought further that if
no one else could master that chap. he
would try. and those sons of his Junt
had begun to grow old, but although he
| had passed the three-score, he still liked
to try wrestling match with his oldest
son when the company seemed to him to
become sleepy.
Up to the llusaby grazing ground there
led only one pathway, and it started Just
in front of liusaby farm. Next Saturday
evening, when Tore intended to take this
way and already felt little more quick
footed because he had cleared the stables
some one rushed upon him and grasped
him by the throat.
What do you want . said Tore, and
threw the other to TIE ground so it rang
through his body. THAT | shall tell
you" said another, and gave him blow
from behind; it was the brother. "And
here is a third" said old Junt and clasped
him around the waist.
Tore grew stronger with the danger:
where he hit it was felt. And he was
timber like willow wand he bowed and
bent: where blows were not expected he
hit. But at last he trembled, overmatched
aud sound thrashing he got. though af-
terward old Junt often said that he had
never had a finer lad to deal with. The
three kept on till the blood came, then
llusaby said stop, and added shrewdly:
Now, il next Saturday night you can
cheat the old Husaby bear and these cubs
OF his, you may have the lass
Tore dragged himself along as best he
could; when he reached home he lay
down, Much was spoken in the parish
of that fight on Husaby farm. but every
one said: "What would he there "there
was one, though. who did not say SO,
and that was Aslaug. She had waited
for him that Saturday night. and when
she heard of the meeting between him
and her father she sat down and cried.
and said to herself: "If cannot get
Tore shall not see another glad day in
this world"
Tore was laid up for the whole Sunday,
and on Monday he still felt that he must
keep the bed. Tuesday came, and what
a fine day it was it had rained during
the night, and the cliff was green afresh.
| ha ui Nd 4 Ill A..
foliage dritted in. Upon the cliff the cow
bells tnkled and somebody was singing.
Had it not been for his mother who sat
in the room, he would have cried.
On Wednesday. he was still in bed, and
on Friday he was up. He remembered
now the words which Junt had said: s.If
next Saturday night you can cheat the old
Husaby bear and these cubs of his, YOU
may have the lass" He looked away to
Husaby farm, time after time. al don't
think there will be any more betting" he
said
There led, as above mentioned, only
one pathway up to the Husaby grazing
grounds, but one who dared, might get up
there, though he did not go the beaten
way. BY rowing round small land-ship
and mooring at the foot of the cliff, one
might get up, though the wall was so
steep that il had seldom been trodden By
the goat who else is not very particular
about her way.
Saturday came and Tore was outdoors
the whole day. Never was such day!
The sun played, SO the woods danced,
and every now and then some one sang
and called upon the cliff He sat in front
of the door when dusk came and dewy
mist crept upward along the hills. He
looked toward the cliff; all was quiet
there He looked toward Husaby farm
and then he jumped into the boat and row.
ed around the slip.
UDon the cliff before the hut, sat Aslaug,
her days work done She thought that
since Tore could not come, all the more
would other people come. and she let loose
the dog and strolled away. She sat where
she could look down into the valley, but
there stood the mist, and somehow she did
not like either to look down there just
now. Then she moved away, and with
out any more thought she came and sat on
J the opposite side OF the cliff, where she
could look down over the Fiord There