A Fetlar man killed the king of Norway's tax collector, but...
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1972.102; SA1972.103
Original Tape ID
Summary
A Fetlar man killed the king of Norway's tax collector, but was pardoned when he succeeded in capturing a bear.
Jeemsie Laurenson tells one of the oldest stories in Fetlar folklore. It was preserved by Lerwick historian Reid Tait, who was very proud as it was about one of his ancestors. In the 12th century when Shetland was under Norse rule, Urie was the headquarters for the collection of scat [land] tax. The country was very poor and folk had to pay in fish oil, salt fish and butter. Jan Tait from Gruting had made his own bismar [steelyard] or weighing beam. The collector claimed that his goods were underweight and Jan killed him with the bismar. Jan was taken to Bergen, chained to the deck, but survived by wearing a cow's hide. When he appeared before the king, he had great suppurating brølks or corns on his legs, which the bodyguard sliced off with his sword. The king was disgusted but thought it a pity to hang such a curio. He told Jan that if he could bring a certain destructive she-bear bound before him, Jan would have his life.
Jan set off, eating pine leaves and snow and chewing the cow hide. A woman with great powers told him that butter had got him into the scrape and butter would get him out. With her help, he sought out the bear and put a hollow piece of butter full of spirits in its paw. Once it was drowsy, he muzzled and bound it. He took the bear to the king, who told him to keep it and gave him passage on a galley back to Fetlar. The Fetlar people were pleased to see him but less keen on the bear. He made a serpentine spear and went to kill the bear but couldn't do it. If not for the bear he'd have been hanged. He put the bear onto the isle of Linga and tied it to a stake. It went round in a circle till it starved; the marks it wore in the ground can still be seen.
Item Subject/Person
Tait, Jan
Recording Location
County - Shetland
Parish - Fetlar
Island - Fetlar
Item Location
County - Shetland
Parish - Fetlar
Island - Fetlar
Non Scottish Item Location
Norway, Bergen
Non Scottish Item Location
Nirribhidh, Bergen
Language
English, Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good