Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-03-09
A WONDERFUL QUERN
HOW THE NoRwEelANs EXPLAIN
WHY THE SEA IS SALT.


wanted the Quern TO Grind Salt
There e. an old fashioned Norwegian
folktalo that accounts IN very curious
way for the salt IN tho sea. According
10 tho story, the waters Of the ocean were
not Nways salt. But long ago, before
Columbus sailed In hislittle caravels. be-
fore the Vikings crossed over TO Iceland
and Martha's Vineyard. oven before 81.
Brcndan rowed his boat made Of skins
sowcd together across from ireland 10
tho mouth Of the Chesapeake, there were
two brothers living away up In tho
northland. Ono was very rich. and tho
other was very poor. One brother had
lords Of cattle aud hocks Of fat noun.
tain sheep, while the poor ono had Just
about nothing NJ all except a wife and
over 40 many children.
One Christmas owe there was nothing
IN tho house for thom 20 eat, and tho
poor mans wife said to her husband.
"1f had % rich brother a. you have.
would 10 and nsk him for something
for these poor children 10 eat. Tomor.
row will be Christmas day, and there Is
not crust Of bread In the house"
so no went 20 his brother and told him
how much they needed his help. Tho
rich man gave him a nice fitch Of bacon
and told him 10 go 20 nm old magician
who lived somewhere IN the mountains.
do not know why he sent tho poor man
20 tho magician. Tor tho lattor did not
boar very good name IN tho ncighbor-
hood. However, when he came 20 tho
magician's stronghold everybody about
tho place wanted to buy his fitch Of ba-
con. io could not understand why 10
was, but he thought II there was somuch
demand for the bacon no would AZ least
mako the best bargain no could for H.
"Woll," he said, II ought by rights 90
take this bacon home 10 my good dame
for our dinner tomorrow, but since you
all soom TO have act your hearts on II
suppose you must have II. n sell Il,
however, | want a good price for it,
They offered him n good round sum,
but that would not do.
Il viii let you have g." he said, ~
you will give me that qucrn yonder be-
hind tho door"
A quorn Is ono Of tho things that Il
would DO worry hard TO find nowadays be-
cause they have gone out Of fashion. but
" you will look IN tho dictionary, ns ala
when first heard this story, you will
zee that a quern Is q mill for grinding
corn by hand, aud that II consists Of two
large stones, an upper and lower one,
tho upper one having o handle by which
II may be turned around on tho lower
stone. grinding tho corn or grain between
thom.
The old magician NJ first laughed out.
right at tho idea Of any ones thinking
that he would part with his quern. but
tho owner Of the bacon insisted that no
would be satisfied with nothing loss than
that, so he finally got Il.
When no reached his own door, tho
clock was striking ~ and his wife was
waiting for him, ready 10 scold him for
staying 10 long.
"What In the world kopt you 10 longf"
she asked. "And what arc we going 10
do with that old quorn when we have no
corn 10 grindf'
Then no told her Of his trading tho ba-
con for tho quorn. She was dreadfully
put ont about Il, and especially at tho
loss Of tho bacon, which would have
made them a good hot dinner and then
would hayo lasted them week, sliced
cold.
Just wait q minute" said her hus.
band, "beforo you begin 10 complain,
and SEQ II | ala not do right this time"
And putting the quorn on tho table ho
told II TO grind enough good things 20
mako first rate dinner for ~ hungry
mouths His vito could hardly believe
her eyes "a she stood there and watched
the quern grinding out daintios enough
20 last week
The rich brother CHANGED 10 hoar how
well his poor brothers family was liv-
ing, and whom ho came and saw what an
elegant table they kept no was onvious
and wanted TO know where thoy got tho
money 10 buy tho things. Fer long
time they kept tho secret Of tho old
quorn, but somehow IL got out at last.
They were 30 proud OF Il that they could
not help telling all about It, and tho rich
brother insisted on buying tho quern.
Finally they lot him have 1t for $500.
II kept on grinding for its now owner,
but no was afraid Of IL, never feeling
sure Of what Il would do next, 70 no
made his brother take Il back at the
same price The poor man was glad TO
get II back again, aud Il ground out un-
told richos for himself and his family.
Theyhad everything thoy desired, among
other things u golden house to live In.
and the people came from every land 20
800 the magnihconco Of tho family that
owned the wonderful quon.
One day stranger, an old seaman who
had been all around tho then known
world, oamo 10 500 the quorn, and want
cd 1t TO grind salt,
II Is supposed that tho owner Of tho
quorn was rich enough by this time, for
he lot It go for o moderate sum, and
fearing that ho might repent Of having
sold 1t tho old sailor put 20 sea nt
once with his prize, anxious 10 know
how It would work. When he had sailed
40 far out that no ono could reach him,
he said 10 tho quemi
Grind salt. and grind both fast and
good"
No sooner had he given tho order than
the quon began to grind heaps and
heaps OF salt all over the deck until the
ship was ready 20 sink to the bottom Of
the sea. Scared half 10 death, tho old
sailor begged the quem 20 stop grinding
salt, He got down ON his knees toit.
But there yyug mo- u.p tYIl-tup o.. u IL