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Apr 20, 2003 Last week in our Swedish as a second language course at school we read, in Swedish, of course, about Loch Ness, in Scotland, and the legendary monster that is supposed to live there. I’m sure everyone has heard about this monster, sightings of which have been recorded as far back as 565 AD, when Saint Columbus supposedly put the monster to flight when it was about to attack a swimmer in the water nearby. “The frightening beast came up to the surface, similar to a frog but not really like a frog” reported Columbus, who stretched out his arms and by the force of his prayers drove the monster away. On the basis of this story, Columbus was able to convert many hundreds of heathens. But then we started talking about other legendary sea or lake monsters, and it turns out that Sweden has it’s own version of “Nessie”. In Jämtland, in the north east of Sweden, is Storsjön and it is there that the Swedish Nessie has been reported. The first known written explanation of a monster living in Storsjön goes back to 1635. A parish priest by the name of Mogens Pedersen from Herdal wrote down the story. It tells of two trolls who were boiling water in a kettle beside the lake. After a long time, there came groans and wails from the kettle and finally a large explosion. An amazing creature with a black body of a snake and the head of a cat jumped out of the kettle and disappeared into the depths of the lake. The legend continues that the creature thrived in the lake, grew tremendously and could change its shape in front of anyone who looked at it. At last it stretched itself around the lake and was so long that it could bite itself on the tail. This legend is reflected in the runestone at Frösön, which is the most northerly in Europe. The runestone has a carving of a snake on it and the stone and the snake have had a mystical relationship since olden times. A judge in 1685 tells that “…In the last time of peace this stone was thrown down and broken into two pieces. So long as the stone remains cast down on the ground shall there be many spirits in the water...” The monster has continued to be seen since those olden days. There have been hundreds of sightings, several expeditions have been made and books have been written about the beast. The local government has even placed the beast under a protection order. There are many and varied explanations for the sightings, as with all legends. Many people have tried to find a “natural explanation”, ranging from a row of swimming sea birds, or maybe gas bubbles rising to the surface from the bottom of the lake. Other favourites are a moose family swimming in line, a whirlwind causing a row of ripples on the surface or perhaps descendants of a porpoise which escaped from an aquarium in a local town in the 1800’s. But despite these natural explanations. those who have seen the beast with their own eyes remain convinced that there is a real lake monster living in Storsjön. Eye witnesses describe a long snakelike animal with a small, dog like head with ears or fins close to its neck. The length can be between 3 ½ to 14 metres long. Others, who have seen the beast at closer range, describe it as around 3 metres long, with short, thick feet, a large head and round eyes. The head can be smooth, slimy or sometimes scaly. The colour varies between gray, dark green or even dark red with long stripes. Apparently the creature enjoys the warmth, as most of its appearances have been in the warm summer months. Or maybe this is because, like most sensible Swedes, the creature doesn’t venture out in the Swedish winter. Attempts to capture it using pork or beef have not met with any success, but believers point to the damage to fishing nets as further proof of the creature’s existence. Even the disappearance of a stock of potatoes from a small shop beside the lake, with an accompanying trail of slime and mould, was attributed to the monster. As a final note, there is a preserved embryo in Jämtlands museum which is supposed to be one of the creatures. It was found on the shores of Storsjön on 18th June 1895 and no-one has been able to identify it. The specimen was presented to the museum on 1st April 1985.... And for those interested, I have yet to receive any replies to my job seeking requests. Hälsningar till nästa vecka, About the author: Robin Alan Bell is an Englishman by birth, but migrated to Australia back in '72. Married and divorced there. Spent the last 3 years living by myself on a remote farm in rural New South Wales with no mains electricity, water etc. All power, heating was from natural resources (solar, wind, wood). "Met" a Swedish girl on the internet, came to Sweden for a holiday, loved the place (and the girl), moved to Sweden permanently Christmas 2001 and married the girl in Easter 2002. Living happily ever after... Email Robin Alan Bell: sosoft@ozemail.com.au ------------ Comment on this column in the forum. ------------ |
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