In 1828 Henrik Wergeland (1808-1845) wrote, at the age of 20, the tragedy "Sinclair’s Death". (Wikipedia)
(According to his sister Camilla (Collett), the photograph above is the only photograph of Wergeland which truly resembled him.)

     
 

Translation into English by
Norman Henderson

 
         
 

 Web: Geir Neverdal (lektor/cand.philol) - Sel Historical Society

 
                   
 

“Fact books”, novels, drama,
poetry and articles

 
 

 

 
                   
 
 

Background - The Battle - Myths?Significance - Objects - Literature - Scotland - Programme2012

 
 
                 
     
 

Contents of this page:

 
       
 

“Fact books”, novels, drama, articles etc.

Poetry

 
       
  Enevold Kruse
Niels Pedersen Slange
Knud Lyne Rahbek
Henrik Wergeland
Andreas Faye
Johan Storm Wang
Hans Peter Schnitler Krag
Christian Martin Monsen
Thomas Michell
Andreas Austlid
Henrik August Angell
Rudolf Vilhelm Muus
Ivar Kleiven
Kjell Olsson Bondevik

Palle Lauring
Syver Bakken
Ørnulf Hodne
Rasch-Eng
Per A. Holst
Per Ottesen
James Miller
Sjur Lonbakken
Dølaringen Yearbook
Gudbrandsdalen Yearbook

The oldest? ballad
Edvard Storm
Zinklar's Ballad
Henrik Wergeland
Norwegian Mountains
Magnus B. Landstad
Prillar-Guri
Hans Nyhus
Competition Poetry
Pål Kluften
Tore Ørjasæter
Gustav Rusten
Bjarne Fredriksen
To OTTA on the 100th Anniversary

 
           
  What happened at Kringen has inspired a number of authors, folklore researchers and historians

A considerable number of books have been written, based on this incident.
Poems and Ballads in which Pillarguri and Kringen are important elements, have been written in the 17th., 18th., 19th., and 20th. centuries. Articles and theses likewise.

Some of these are named below:
 

 
 

1612
Enevold Kruse
(1554-1621)
Danish nobleman and "riksstattholder" (Norwegian national Governor) (1608-1618). Read
more in "Dansk biografisk Lexikon" (the Danish biographical Lexikon)
Most(?) of the survivors of the Battle of Kringen were brought to Akershus.

Kruse's report of what happened in Kringen was recorded that same year - and is the earliest written source we know of.

Akershus (Wikipedia)

 
 

 

   
 
 

 

Niels Pedersen Slange (July 26th. 1656 - July 21st. 1737) was a Danish diplomat and historian.

Krag refers several times to Slange - it will therefore be interesting to see what is said about Kringen - e.g. in his historical work about Christian IV.

(More on this comes later)

Niels Pedersen Slange (Wikipedia)

 
 
 

 

1811
Knud Lyne Rahbek (1760-1830): ”Skottekrigen eller Bondebryllupet i Gudbrandsdalen.” (“War on the Scots or Farmer’s Wedding in Gudbrandsdalen”.)

Can be read online (Google Books)
 

Knud Lyne Rahbek (Wikipedia)

 
 
 

 

1828
Henrik Wergeland: "Sinclars Død"  (“Sinclar's Death”). The drama can be read online - in Norwegian:

Part 1
Part 2

Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

Henrik Wergeland (Wikipedia)

 
 
 

 

1833
Andreas Faye (1802-1869): "Norske Sagn" (“Norwegian Legends”) (1833)

 


“Norway's first folklorist” (Wikipedia)

 
       
 
 

 

1836/37
Johan Storm Wang: ”Skottertoget eller Slaget ved Kringen 2 Dele" (“The Scottish March or The Battle of Kringen”) 2 Parts, Christiania (Oslo) 1836 and 1837.
 

Can be read online (in Norwegian): Bibsys

http://www.tekstforlaget.no/AAA2003.pdf

 
 
 

 

1838
Hans Peter Schnitler Krag (1794-1855) "Sagn, samlede i Gudbrandsdalen om slaget ved Kringlen den 26de august 1612, og udgivne i forbindelse med hvad historien beretter om denne tildragelse" (“Myths, collected in Gudbrandsdalen about the Battle of Kringlen on the 26th. August 1612, and published in connection with what history tells of this incident”)

In 1830-42 he was parish priest in Vågå, where he established and led a higher level boarding school with Summer courses for teachers (1835), and became known as the Vågå Priest. In 1838 he published
“Sagn, samlede i Gudbrandsdalen om Slaget ved Kringlen den 26de august 1612, og utgivne i forbindelse med hvad historien beretter om denne tildragelse”. (“Myths, collected in Gudbrandsdalen about the Battle of Kringlen on the 26th. August 1612, and published in connection with what history tells of this incident”).

Statue of Krag in Røyrvik, erected in 1976

 
     

From the 1905 edition of Krag’s booklet.

       
 
 
 

1847
Christian Martin Monsen (1815-1852): "Gudbrandsdølerne" (“Men of Gudbrands-dalen”) - probably written around 1847 - published in 1857)
 

 
 
 
 

 

   
 
 
 

1886
Thomas Michell: History of the Scottish expedition to Norway in 1612 (1886)

Thomas Michell was Queen Victoria's Consul General in Norway.
He became interested in The Scottish March when he, during 1884, made a journey through Romsdalen and Gudbrandsdalen. Some of the things he was told were thought to be “incredible” - unbelievable/not credible.

Michell wanted to write a report which - in his own words - reduced The Scottish March “to strict historical proportions”.

In 1885 (during the time of the Union with Sweden), he gave a lecture about this event at an arrangement in the University of Christiania (Oslo) where the Swedish/ Norwegian, King Oscar II, was present.
The following year this lecture formed the basis for the book "History of the Scottish Expedition to Norway in 1612."

He dedicated the book to Oscar II
“WlTH the deepest GRATITUDE AND THE MOST Profound RESPECT OF THE AUTHOR”.

 
 

 

   
 

 

   
 
 
 

1899
Andreas Austlid:
"Sinklar-Soga" ("The Sinclair Saga" - 1899)

“Andreas Austlid (born on December 26th. 1851 in Østre Gausdal, died 27th. August 1926 in Toten) was a Norwegian people’s highschool teacher and author. He was the first person who gave out an ABC in Nynorsk(New Norwegian).
Austlid was the son of a farmer. After three years at Christopher Bruun’s people’s highschool in Gudbrandsdalen, he established a free people’s highschool in Lom in 1872 and ran this until 1879, when he travelled to Denmark to learn more about the highschool movement. In the 1880s and 1890s he taught at Hardanger people’s Highschool in Ullensvang. In 1899 he established Møre people’s Highschool in Ørsta, and was the Rector there until 1908. In 1913 he started the people’s highschool in Østre Gausdal. This moved later to Dovre”.
(Wikipedia)

Can be viewed and downloaded free from
the web (in Norw.)
(Bibsys)

 
 

 

   
 
 
 

Henrik August Angell (1861-1922)

NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) about Henrik Angell

The newest edition of Angell’s book about
The Scottish March.

 
     
 
 
  1912
Rudolf Vilhelm Muus (1862-1935): "Skottertoget til Norge 1612 " (“The Scottish March” - published 1912)

Store norske leksikon about Muus: Read more (in Norw.)

 
     
 
 
       
  Rudolf Vilhelm Muus: Prillarguri
Prillarguri : bruden fra Romsdal : historiske skildringer ("The Bride from Romsdal: historical portrayals")

Store norske leksikon about Muus: Read more (in Norw.)

 
     
 
 
  1911-1912
Ivar Kleiven (1854-1934 ) «Frå Skotteåre». (“Year of the Scots”).

Published in the magazine “Bonden” (“The Farmer”) in 1911 and 1912.
Can be purchased from "Dølaringen Boklag" .
 


Ivar Kleiven “Gudbrandsdalen’s Snorri” on the right.
On the left Kristian Prestgard (Editor of the Decorahposten)
 

 
       
 
 
  1948
Kjell Olsson Bondevik (1901 - 1983) "Studiar i norsk segnhistorie" (“Studies of Norwegian historical legend”) 1948.


Kjell Olsson Bondevik (1901-1983) was a Norwegian politician (Christian Democrats) and folklorist.
He was the Member of Parliament
for Rogaland in 1950-65, the Christian People's Party Deputy Chairman 1955-61 and Parliamentary leader in 1961-1965.

Kjell Bondevik took his Master's degree in folklore at the University of Oslo in 1927, as an Honours degree in Arts with German and History as supporting subjects.
The thesis he wrote for his Master's degree on the science of folklore was called "Kornavlen i norsk folketru (Corn growing in Norwegian folklore).
(Wikipedia)
 


Kjell Bondevik (1901-1983)
Member of Parliament in the period 1950-1964/65
Thanks to the Parliamentary Archives for the loan of
the picture (©  Stortinget)

 
     
 
 
       
 
1949
Palle Lauring (1909 - 1996) "Rejse i Norge" ("Travels in Norway") 1949

Danish author and purveyor of history.

The whole body of Palle Lauring’s authorship bears the stamp of solid historical knowledge and, combined with great narrative skill and through lively performances on radio and television, his interpretation of the story reached a large audience, - Wikipedia claims in its article about him.

He brought special attention to himself with his easily read history of Denmark, namely Palle Lauring’s “History of Denmark” in 10 volumes , published from 1961-1979, and descriptions of his own experiences in the 7-volume work “Rejse in Denmark” (“Travels in Denmark”), which was published between 1956 and 1962. 
Wikipedia

Excerpts from Palle Lauring’s descriptions can be read here (Danish)

 
       
       
 
 

 

1999
Syver Bakken: "Ringen om Kringen" ("Ring of Kringen")
 

 

 

 

   
 
 
       

 

Ørnulf Hodne:«Slaget ved Kringen - historie, sagn og nasjonal myte» ("Battle of Kringen - history, legends and national myth") article in the book “Sagnomsust” (“Shrouded in Legend”) from 2002).
 

 

   
 
 
 

Rasch-Eng

(coming later)

 
 
 

 

Per A. Holst (publisher): "Skottetoget i 1612 og slaget ved Kringen" (“The Scottish March in 1612 and the Battle of Kringen"). - An updated version of Krag’s work.

(coming later)

 

 

 

   
 
 

 

Per Ottesen

(coming later)

 

 

 

   
 
 

 

2007
James Miller: "Swords for Hire: The Scottish Mercenary"

"Mercenary soldiers were perhaps Scotland’s largest export in early modern times and military service overseas affected Scottish society deeply, particularly in the first half of the 17th century when up to a fifth of adult males may have been engaged on foreign fields."
(De Re Militari)

"In 1612, George Sinclair, an illegitimate son of a Caithness laird, became a Norwegian national hero. Along with almost 300 of his followers, Sinclair was killed in an ambush in Norway while marching to join the king of Sweden’s army. Sinclair has legendary status in Norway but has been almost totally forgotten at home, just as the memory of thousands of other Scots who served as mercenaries in the armies of Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries has faded into obscurity until now."
(Birlinn)

 

 

 

   
 
 

 

2007
Sjur Lonbakken: "Gje ly', godt folk, no er fiende kome i lande!" Slaget ved Kringen 1612  - ("Listen, good people, now is the
enemy come in to the land!" Battle of Kringen 1612) (2007)
 

 
 
 

 

Dølaringen Yearbook - later:
Gudbrandsdalen Yearbook

Throughout a period of 80 years - since the first volume of the Yearbook came out, articles on The Scottish March, Kringen, Sinclair and P(r)illarguri have re-occurred. Below are some of the years in which these issues have been addressed.
 

 
  1932 p.  20
1932 p.  26
1939 p.141
1951 p.  40
1953 p.  39
1960 p.  28
1962 p.182
1965 p.187
1994 p.185
1998 p.  44
1998 p.156
2002 p.  11
2005 p.121
2005 p.136
2008 p.204
2008 p.214
2008 p.224
 
       
 
 
 

Poetry

 
 
 
 

Den eldste? visa (The oldest(?) Ballad)
Edvard Storm
Zinklars vise  (Zinclar's ballad)
Henrik Wergeland
Norges Fjelde
Magnus B. Landstad
Prillar-Guri
Hans Nyhus
 

Konkurransedikt  (Competition Poetry)
Pål Kluften
Tore Ørjasæter
Gustav Rusten
Bjarne Fredriksen
Til OTTA på 100-års-dagen  (To Otta on the 100th. Anniversary)
 

 
     
 

 

 
 

The old ballad about the Battle in Kringom 1612
 

 
  One version of the old ballad about the Battle in Kringom 1612 was recorded by Kr. P. Åsmundstad, and printed in the “Dølaringen Yearbook of 1932”. You can read it here (in Norw.).

Åsmundstad found the poem - more than twenty verses - in a hand-written notebook on a farm in Northern Fron several years earlier.

He comments this version as follows:

“The writing was Gothic, beautifully penned and with a practiced hand, but as one can see, very little consistency in the lettering and spelling, in rhyme and rhythm. The ballad has many verses; in this manner Andr. Austlid copies at least two more into 'Sinklarsoga' (the Sinclair Saga)”.

 
 
 
 

Der liger en klef i Guldbrandsdal,
den mone mand Kringlene kalde
de lægger sig døler paatal
Henved fem Hundrede alle.
De Skanser for sig Og Gjorde muer
Og reiste stener mange,
De laage der som katten til mues
naar Hun vil mussen fange.

Der ville de tøve og byrsen friste,
og see hvad gud vilde giøre.
Og bleve der saa ganske tviste,
Og ingen vilde lade sig høre.
De redde fast deris børser til
som Enhver det bæste kunde,
dem længes fast ieg sige vil
efter dem mange lunde.

Der alting nu saa stille var
de Skaatter var ey seene
at træde for den klippe saa haart
saa lettelig paa sine beene.
De naarske da dette blev var
et hundrede lod dem fremgange
som tømmelig Røstning med sig baer
med værger og spidser lange.

Dennem de iche toge ivare
ey frygtede for deris vrede
men gaf sig med dem i fare
Men lod dem saa spadsere.
Og agtede de der efter var
som bedre var udflyde
med lange værger ved deris laaer
og børser ved deris side.

 
       
 
 
 

 

 

 
 

 

 
 

Edvard Storm is one of the early poets from Gudbrandsdalen. He was born in August 1749 in the vicarage in Vågå.

As a twelve year old Edward was sent to Oslo. He was a student at the Cathedral School there for three years.

He did well there, and afterwards went to Denmark.
During the three years between 1766 and 1769, he was back in Gudbrandsdalen. He was then in his late teens.

In 1769 (July), he went back to Copenhagen - this time for good. He never returned to Norway.

In the beginning things were not easy for Edward in Copenhagen. Homesickness, little money and ill health were some of the reasons.
He should have become a priest, but did not complete his education. His economic difficulties were no doubt a contributory factor, but it was his literary interests which drew him away from his degree studies.

Thanks go to Norddalsarkivet (the Norddal Archive)
 in Vågå for the loan of the photograph from
Storm's grave in Copenhagen
(Photo: Erland Grev 1975)

 
     
 

“So he wrote nine songs in Norwegian rural dialect, most likely at the beginning of the 1770s. These songs are not themselves particularly remarkable, but they are the first of their type, and in a way represent the beginnings of Norwegian Literature written in dialect form, and they are in themselves the best. Storm wrote: there is an inate naturalness and freshness about them which none of Storm’s Poems in Danish have. Many of them have stayed so fresh on the lips of Norwegian Farmers' that they are still sung Today ...”

“Of his other Writings there is only one song which has sustained Vitality to the Present Day, “Zinklars Ballad” (it appears to be agreed that it was written at the end of 1781).”
(Dansk biografisk Lexikon (1902)

With "Bræger" he reverted to Danish in 1774, and the rest of his writing uses this language.
His economy gradually improved. “Adskilligt paa Vers” (“Poems about very many things”) came out in 1775. This was published under the pseudonym 'Erland Sivertsen'. In 1785 he ends this phase of his life with "Samlede Digte" (“Collected Poems”). After that it was the schooling system and education that interested him more and more.

It was through this work he made a name for himself in Danish history, and it is for this he will be remembered in Denmark today, not for the Danish part of his writings.

Read more about this - and Storm’s "dialektordsamling" (collection of
dialect words) here (- in Norw).

 
       
 
 
       
  Zinklars Vise (Zinklar's ballad)
by Edvard Storm)
(from Krag's edition 1838)
Krag's comments (1838):  
 
Herr Sinclar drog over salten Hav,
Til Norrig hans Cours monne stande;
Blandt Gudbrands Klipper han fandt sin Grav,
Der vanked saa blodig en Pande.

Herr Sinclar drog over Bølgen blaa
For svenske Penge at stride:
Hjælp dig Gud! du visselig maa
I Græsset for Nordmanden bide.

Maanen skinner om Natten saa bleg,
De Vover saa sagtelig trille:
En Havfrue op af Vandet steg,
Hun spaaede Herr Sinclar ilde.

Vend om, vend om, du skotske Mand!
Det gjælder dit Liv saa fage,
Kommer du til Norrig, jeg siger for sand,
Ret aldrig du kommer tilbage.

Leed er din Sang, du giftige Trold!
Altidens du spaaer om Ulykker:
Fanger jeg dig engang i min Vold,
Jeg lader dig hugge i Stykker.

Han seiled i Dage, han seiled i tre
Med alt sit hyrede Følge;
Den fjerde Morgen han Norrig mon see,
Jeg vil det ikke fordølge.

Ved Romsdals Kyster han styred i Land,
Erklærende sig for en Fiende;
Ham fulgte fjorten hundrede Mand,
Som alle havde Ondt i Sinde.

De skjendte og brændte, hvor de drog frem,
Al Folkeret monne de krænke;
Oldingens Afmagt rørte ei dem,
De spotted den grædende Enke.

Barnet blev dræpt i Moderens Skjød,
Saa mildelig det end smiled;
Men Rygtet om denne Jammer og Nød
Til Kjærnen af Landet iled.

Baunen lyste og Budstikken løb
Fra Grande til nærmeste Grande;
Dalens Sønner i Skjul ei krøb,
Det maatte Herr Sinclar sande.

Soldaten er ude paa Kongens Tog,
Vi maae selv Landet forsvare;
Forbandet være det Niddingsdrog,
Som nu sit Blod vil spare!

De Bønder af Vaage, Lessø og Lom
Med Skarpen Øxe paa Nakke,
I Bredebygd tilsammen kom,
Med Skotten vilde de snakke.

Tæt under Lien der løber en Sti,
Som man monne Kringlen kalde;
Laagen skynder sig der forbi,
I den skal Fienden falde.

Riflen hænger ei meer paa Væg,
Hist sigter graahærdede Skytte,
Nøkken opløfter sit vaade Skjæg,
Og venter med Længsel sit Bytte.

Det første Skud Herr Sinclar gjaldt,
Han brøled og opgav sin Aande;
Hver Skotte raabte, da Obersten faldt:
Gud frie os af denne Vaande!

Frem Bønder! Frem I Norske Mænd!
Slaaer ned, slaaer ned for Fode!
Da ønsked sig Skotten hjem igjen,
Han var ei ret lystelig til Mode.

Med døde Kroppe blev Kringlen strøed,
De Ravne fik nok at æde;
Det Ungdoms Blod, som her udflød,
De skotske Piger begræde.

Ei nogen levende Sjæl kom hjem,
Som kunde sin Landsmand fortælle,
Hvor farligt det er at besøge dem,
Der boe blandt Norriges Fjelde.

End kneiser en Støtte paa samme Sted,
Som Norges Uvenner mon true;
Vee hver en Nordmand, som ei bliver heed,
Saa tit hans Øine den skue!


When this Romance, In which Storm has immortalized not only himself but at an early stage the Incident, whose praises are sung here, occupies such a distinctive place amongst our Folk Songs and moreover is tied to the story of the Incident itself, I hope that the freedom which brings me to include it here will be forgiven.

The Ballad was first published in the Danish Museum Journal , 1 Volume, 1782, P. 714, and after that page had been reproduced in 1785 in Storm’s “Collected Poems”, Selskabet for Efterslægten (the Society for Decendants) made a special printing of 2000 copies, which were to be distributed among the common people, amongst whom it sold so quickly that within a short time more had to be printed.

Apart from the fact that it had been reproduced in the latest Edition of Storm’s collected Poems by Boye, Copenhegen 1832, P. 125, it was also translated into English in Feldborg’s Poems from the Danish, London 1815, and into German in Willibald Alexis (Häring) Herbstreise durch Scandinavien, 1 Th., Berlin 1828, P. 208, and in “Scandinavische Bibliothek, 1 H, Copenh. 1836, P. 196”.

Facsimile of Zinclar's Ballad from Krag's book (1838):

 

 
 
 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 
 

Henrik Wergeland (1808-1845): Norges Fjelde (Norway’s Mountains)
 

 

 
 

"On the 17th. May 1842 Henrik Wergeland celebrated the first anniversary of his move into Grotten.
    Grotten ("The Cave.") is a very special home, built on the basis of a cave in a particular rocky outcrop in he centre of Oslo, and is only
    occupied by Norwegian Artists, of any genre, who have achieved international stature.)
A lasting memory from that day was the poem “Norway’s Mountains” where Wergeland, in the course of six verses, first looks back at earlier times of unrest when farmers ensconced themselves in the mountains to stop hostile intruders. Then he praises his contemporary times where people live happily and untroubled in the lee of the mountains, concluding the poem with a wish for peace and pleasant days forever.

In the description of times of unrest, lookouts watched from cairns, and warnings were given by the sounding of the lur horn while the piles of timber were ready to crash down into the valley. The images are taken from the story about the Battle of Kringen in Gudbrandsdalen in 1612, one of the proudest and most popular national narratives of the time. As a twenty year old Wergeland had written a long “tragedy” on the same subject, entitled “Sinclair’s Death". 
(Arkivverket Riksarkivet)


The poem was in fact written on Constitution Day, 17th. May, 1842.

 

 
       
 
Norges Fjelde

Norges bedste
Værn og Fæste
er dets gamle Fjeld.
Skumle Død sig skjuler
i dets dybe Huler.
Varden oppe
paa dets Toppe
speide Dag og Qvel.


Hør fra Urens
Styrtning Lurens
klagende Signal!
Jægerkjeden skrider
langsad Aasens Sider.
Fjeldets Stemmer
den fornemmer
fra den dybe Dal.


Vælten venter
paa dets Skrænter.
Bonden passer paa,
om han snart kan lade
Friheds Barrikade
ned fra Tinden
over Fi'enden
som et Uveir gaae.

Ingen Feide
kan han speide.
Hæng da Riflen hen!
Gamle Bjørneskytte,
krands med Løv din Hytte!
Tappre Jæger,
tøm et Bæger
for dit Fjeld og den!


Høie klare
Toner svare
fra det gamle Fjeld.
Folkets glade Løfter
klinge fra dets Kløfter.
O, hvor mange
tusind Gange
sang de Norges Held!

Held da Eder,
blaa Geleder
om mit Fædreland!
Fred og gode Dage
over Bondens Tage
stedse skinne,
stedse rinde
over Fjeldets Rand.


Grotten 17 Mai 1842  

Grotten (Wikipedia)
Grotten (SNL)

(The text is borrowed from the web pages of  Arkivverket)


Henrik Wergeland

Halfdan Kjerulf put the melody to the words of "Norges Fjelde" ("Norway's Mountains").

It immediately became very popular and was perhaps the most commonly
performed song by male choirs in Norway in the 1800s, - it is claimed
in the pages of the National Archives
(Riksarkivets sider).
 

 
     
 

Magnus B. Landstad (1802-1880): Prillar-Guri
 

 

 

 

   
 

Magnus Brostrup Landstad (born 7th. October 1802 in Måsøy, died 8th. October 1880 in Oslo) was a Norwegian priest, psalm writer and folklore collector.

Landstad was awarded the Order of St. Olav in 1870. After a stroke in 1874 he moved to Christiania (Oslo).

It iwas particularly as a psalm writer and folklore collector that Landstad made his mark. The Landstad Institute In Seljord is named after him.
 

(Wikipedia)

 

 
 
 
 

Prillar-Guri (by Magnus B. Landstad)

Det var da hr. Sinclars skare
for frem som en rykende brand
at landet var stedt i fare
og kaldte i nød paa hver mand.

"Gud hjælpe for vold der øves!"
Saa lød det fra dal og tind.
-Da var det det skulde prøves
hvert vaakent og urædd sind.

Og bønderne mødte med bile
og ellers hvad skarpt de fandt.
Ingen gik nu mer til hvile,
varderne lyste og brandt.

Men ingen kan se fra dalen
hvad fjeldtinden stirrer paa.
Saa tvilsom falder vel talen:
"Hvor monne fienden gaa?"

Der oppe i høyeste nuten
en jente staar sterk og vild.
Der sies at hende foruten
var seiren ved Kringen ei til.

Men Prillar-Guri hun meldte
i tide den fare som kom.
Saa var det de fienden fældte
de bønder fra Lesje og Lom.

Og navnet vil leve saa længe
som Norge har rot i vor hu.
- Men tiden har vist vi kan trænge
en Prillar-Guri end nu.
 

 

 
 
 
       
 

Teacher Hans Nyhus from Ringebu:
Celebration Song at the unveiling of the Kringen Monument
on the 26th August 1912
 

 

 
  "After the speech, a song written by teacher Hans Nyhus, Ringbu, was sung to the tune "Mens Nordhavet bruser" (‘While the North Sea surges’). We reproduce three of the verses here" (Aftenposten, 27 August 1912):

            FESTSANG
ved avsløringen av Kringenstøtten
       den 26. august 1912

Og dølerne kjæmped en sommerdag
ved Kringen her tæt under liden,
for heimen og dalen de slog et slag,
som mindes skal frem gjennem tiden.
Da lurtonen ned ifra fjeldet lød,
kom "velten" fra oven og Berdon skjød.

Fra Ringbu i syd og til Lesje og Lom,
de drog til det blodige stevne,
til værn for sin fedrenejord de kom
og brugte sin kraft og sin evne.
Da solen sank, og der saa blev nat,
for skotte-toget var punktum sat.

Aarhundreder tre er nu rullet hen,
og skiftet har lys og skygge;
men end er i dalen kvinder og mænd,
som "velter" mod voldsmænd vil bygge
Naar kampluren lyder, da møder vi glad
og glemmer hvad ellers kan skille ad.

Og dølerne fester en sommerdag
ved Kringen her tæt under lide,
høit rødmer i luften vort frie flag,
og fredssolen skinner, den blide.
Nu Guri med luren paa stenen sat
for dølerne blive en mindeskat!

 

In 1912 - at the unveiling of Holbø’s new memorial in Kringen - this song was sung after Angell had delivered his speech.

 

 
 

 

 

 
 

 

 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

   
 
 

 

 

   
 

Tore Ørjasæter: "Prillar-Guri"
 

 

 

 

 

   
 
 

 

 

   
 

Gustav Rusten: "350-årsfesten for slaget i Kringom, 1962" (“350-anniversary of the Battle of Kringom, 1962”) (Prologue)
 

 

 
 

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

   
 

Bjarne Fredriksen: "Til OTTA på 100-års-dagen" ("To Otta on the 100th Anniversary") (1996)
 

 
       
  Til OTTA på 100-års-dagen
(by Bjarne Fredriksen)

Da bøndene var varslet,
siste skuddet avfyrt
og Sinclair var fallen ved Kringen,
ble jeg stående ensom her oppe
på Selsjordkampen -
I nesten 300 år skjedde mest ingen tingen.

Å joda, - jeg hørte rop ifra gruvene på Rustom,
å - bevares - jeg så røyk fra smelteverket ved Ula.
Skifer ble lagt på stugu og låve,
det ble vinter - det ble sommer
- år etter år -
Tornerose hvisket til meg:
“ Guri, jeg tror du kan sove”!

Men brått jeg våknet
året var 1896 -
en fløytende lyd - skingrende høyt
fylte dalen - med ekko fra begge sider.
Jeg løftet på stakken,
jeg strekte på nakken,
- og kikket forsiktig
utover stupbratte Selsjordkampen:

Nei,sku’ du sett no’ så underlig rart og snodig,
en prustende,bråkende orm-aktig doning
stønnet seg oppover langsmed elva,
- forbi både Sandbu og Bræe,
- forbi Bolongen og rett imot Loftsgård,
mens gråe røyken fra beistet
la seg over naturen,
Jeg nesten snublet - jeg vinket og hoiet
og blåste i luren.

Men,for seint - Å, du digre Smiubelgen !
- en folkemengde hilste uhyret med jubel og stas,
- aldri så jeg maken til storslått kalas !

Slik jeg så du ble til,du stasjonsbyen Otta
du rare odde på sandsletta ut imot Lågen.
Damphesten, toget, - ensporet, svart,
- på blanke skinner,
har gjort deg til Nord-dalens sikre vinner.
For det kan jeg tydelig se:
Du hadde ikke vært store flekken uten NSB !

Med hoteller og gater, butikker og park,
folk og fe, politi og slark,
stygge hus og vakre hus,
postkontor og bank,
og midt i det hele : en haug med plank.

Å, joda - jeg veit jeg har mine feil,
men vær ikke mot meg for hard.
Jeg burde ha blåst i luren i 1940
og varslet om stålhjelmer og Pellengahr.

Dog - du skal vite, kjære Otta
når jeg her oppe fra toppen
ser flaggene vaie, hører musikk
og hurra-rop hver 17.mai,
da er du stedet jeg er aller mest gla’ i.

I år har jeg likevel
kjent en kulde plage mitt sinn,
og en ør-liten tåre
har frosset til is på mitt kinn.
Ikke glem, mine venner
ikke glem hva som skjedde ved Kringen,
ikke bring over bygda vår slik en fryktelig skam:
Seieren ved Kringen må ikke havne i Kvam!

Da slutter jeg her, kjære Otta
og om jeg ikke har født deg,
så har jeg båret deg frem til dåpen,
og er glad for å være symbolet
på skjønnhet, ynde og vilje
i Sel kommune sitt våpen !

With best wishes for another 100 years
and congratulations on the Anniversary.

Greetings from Pillarguri.

 

 


Bjarne Fredriksen

 
 
 
       
       
 
 
       
     
     

     
     
     
 
 
 
 

Background - The Battle - Myths?Significance - Objects - Literature - Scotland - Programme2012

 
 
     
 

Siden ble sist oppdatert: 23. februar 2012

 
 

 
Web: Geir Neverdal (Lektor/Cand.Philol.) - Sel Historielag
www.otta2000.com