In 1845, Blad for Nordland og Finnmarken reported on this legend about the Russians plundering Lyngen.
In earlier times, Lyngen parish was subjected to looting by the Russians to the same extent as the population at the seaside in Finnmark. At the beginning of these raids, the Sami dug deep graves where they hid their possessions and covered them up. Finally, they built shelters underground and covered the entrance with a large stone. In these, they hid not only their belongings, but also the people who did not have the strength to flee, either to the forest or to the mountains. When the Russians approached, they went there to hide. But on one occasion, the underground gammas were also discovered by the Russians.
In earlier times, Lyngen parish was subjected to looting by the Russians to the same extent as the population at the seaside in Finnmark. At the beginning of these raids, the Sami dug deep graves where they hid their possessions and covered them up. Finally, they built shelters underground and covered the entrance with a large stone. In these, they hid not only their belongings, but also the people who did not have the strength to flee, either to the forest or to the mountains. When the Russians approached, they went there to hide. But on one occasion, the underground gammas were also discovered by the Russians.
According to the legend, there were two such underground huts somewhere, with a narrow passage between them. A Sami woman would call out to those in the neighbouring hut to borrow something. Unfortunately, the Russians were nearby and heard it. The earth was immediately dug up, and those in the hammocks were killed in a barbaric manner, with the exception of a few who were to be their guides.
This unfortunate event led the Russians to search for more, and when they found some, they proceeded in the same cruel way with looting and murder. There are still clear traces of such underground huts, both in Qvittenberg and elsewhere. Similarly, there are traces of above-ground game plots in deep valleys and where the forest was once densest. There are still legends among the Sami about the sad fates of the residents of some of the farmsteads. As the population never resisted the Russians' attacks, they became more and more daring, so that their gangs were no longer as strong as in the beginning. In some cases, they only used sticks as weapons, and with them they beat down the Sami like dogs.
The last visit the Sami people received from these vengeful and murderous guests is still a vivid memory among both older and younger people. According to the legend, the Russians came over the mountain down to Storfjordbotten in Lyngen. As is often the case, the population was warned by the mountain Sami. Everyone who lived there immediately moved their properties, and eventually the people too, to a place outside the Hatten farm, which with its high mountains on all sides is inaccessible. They covered themselves with felled deciduous trees and other things, and emptied the entire fjord of boats.
The Russians were thus deceived and had to cross the entire fjord on foot. When they reached Oksvik, they came across a wedding. A Sami girl noticed them and immediately raised the alarm, but the wedding guests of both sexes were so drunk that they didn't realise until the Russians started murdering like wolves in the middle of the sheep flock. Those of them who managed to escape in the confusion tried to hide under a very large stone by the sea, but they were discovered and beaten to death, including the aforementioned Sami girl, who was hiding behind the gamma door. To this day, the stone is called Olbmu gaadelig gedge / Folkedrapsteinen. They then travelled further out, but the rumour preceded them, and the people outside Oksvik withdrew more and more as they got closer. Finally, they decided to resist. The old and children of both sexes were led deep into the densest forest, but all the young and healthy of both sexes decided to fight as one man. They retreated to a valley between Koppangen and Jægervannet. There is a narrow passage where the mountains stand steeply on both sides. Some way up the mountain, the Sami of both sexes gathered a number of stones together and hid behind the wall. Meanwhile, a Sami boy had returned to Drabeng to be a pilot for the Russians. On their arrival, the boy was caught and threatened with fire if he did not lead them to where he knew the people and their properties were. In order to gain time for those entrenched in the valley, the boy took a long detour from Drabeng to Koppangen and from there to the valley. This road is still called Garnjel geinno or Luoddak (Russian Road or Track).
At the time, the Sami women wore red Sami jackets. When the Russians arrived just below those who had entrenched themselves, the red Sami skirts were half visible, as if to hide themselves better. The Russians immediately spotted them, rushed with all their might to the mountains and fought over who could act as Tilly's soldiers in Magdeburg, but when they got quite close to the entrenchment, both the red and grey jackets greeted them by throwing a lot of stones downwards, so that most of them had to bite the grass. Those who remained alive fled to a wooded hill to hide. Luck gives courage and boldness. The grey and red jackets stood side by side, surrounded the hill and beat down the rest of the Russians to the last man. The valley is still called Garnjelvagge and the hill Garnjelvuobme (Russedalen and Russehøyden) (The term «Garnjel» seems to stand for Karelian, not Russian, and «vuobme» is probably not translated correctly, as «oaivve» fits better. E.L.). There are also said to have been traces of graves, which the Sami made to bury the dead bodies of their enemies.
The time when this heroic deed was carried out by the Lyngen Sami has not yet been determined with certainty. An almost 80-year-old man tells us something he heard from his grandfather when he was a young boy that points to the time when this happened: The day his grandfather was to be married in Sweden, and the priest, the bride and groom and their entourage had arrived at the church, a procession of Russians travelled at such speed that both the priest and his entourage had to flee headlong. When they arrived in Enontekiis to rest for a while, they were woken up in the night by the mountain Sami with the message that the Russians were hot on their heels. The priest and several others fled southwards, others northwards, but the bride and groom and a few others fled to Stofjordbotten in Lyngen. This time the Russians made their way north to Alta. The bride and groom married the same year in Norway and settled on the Kuling (Kileng?) farm in the aforementioned Storfjordbund. The following year, the mountain Sámi warned that the Russians were on their way again and headed for Storfjordbund. The people there packed up all their belongings and took them to the previously mentioned inaccessible place, and it was the same Russians who carried out the massacre in Oksvik and ended their days in Garnjelvagge. The Russians' last looting in Lyngen took place in the time of Carl the 12th and around the time he was in Venderen, but, as only one man has told this, we dare not vouch for the truth. But that the massacre in Oksvik and the heroic deeds of the Sami in Garnjelvagge are true is confirmed by the fact that the legend is told unanimously by everyone, as well as the names of the roads and places that the Russians have passed on this tour.
The legend as it appeared in Blad for Nordland and Finnmarken 1845
In the past, Lyngen parish was just as exposed to Russian plundering as the settlers at the seaside in Finnmark. At the beginning of these raids, the Finns dug deep graves in which they hid their possessions and covered the slopes. Finally, they built chambers underground and covered the slope with a large mound. In these they hid not only the property of the Finns, but also the people who did not have the strength to flee either to the forests or the mountains when the Russians approached, sought refuge there. But by chance the underground chambers were also discovered by the Russians.
According to legend, there were two such underground chambers, with a narrow passage between them. A Finn's wife was supposed to shout to the one in the neighbouring chamber about something in the country. Unfortunately, the Russians were in the neighbourhood and heard it. The earth was immediately thrown up, and those in the chamber were murdered in a barbaric manner, except for a few whom they took for guides.
This unfortunate coincidence led the Russians to search for more, and when they found someone, they proceeded in the same cruel manner with robbery and murder. Traces of such underground chambers are still clearly visible, both in Qvittenberg and in other places. Similarly, in several places there are marks of above-ground tombs in deep valleys and where the forest was once thickest. And there are still rumours among the Finns about the sad demise of the herders in some of the ponds. As the invaders never resisted the Russians, the latter became more and more daring, so that their gangs were not so strong as in the beginning, but they were only partly armed with sticks, with which they clubbed the Finns down like dogs.
The last visit the Finns received from these guests, who were as rapacious as they were murderous, is vividly remembered by both the older and younger Finns. According to the legend, the Russians came over the mountain down to Storfjordbotten in Lyngen. The herders were then, as often before, warned by the mountain Finns. Immediately, all those living there moved their properties and eventually also the people to a place below the farm Hatten, which is inaccessible on all sides due to the high mountains, covered themselves with new chopped deciduous trees and more, and they exposed the entire fjord to boats.
The Russians thus got a long nose and had to pass the whole fjord inland. When they arrived at Oxvigen, a wedding was being held at a Fin. A Finnish girl became aware of them and immediately raised the alarm, but the wedding guests of both sexes were so heavily intoxicated that they did not realise it until the Russians began to murder like wolves in the middle of the flock of sheep. Those of them who fled in the confusion tried to hide under a very large stone lying by the lake, but they were pursued and killed all but the aforementioned Finnish girl, who was hiding behind the gamma door. To this day, the stone is called Olbmu gaadelig gedge (the Genocide Stone). Then they travelled further outwards, but the rumour preceded them, and the peasants outside Oxvigen also retreated further and further outwards, and finally they decided to resist the Russians. They drove the old and the young of both sexes deep into the thick woods, but all the young and healthy of both sexes decided to fight as one man. They retreated to a valley between Kopangen and Jægervandet. There is a narrow pass where the mountain is steep on both sides. Some way up the mountain the Finns of both sexes gathered a quantity of stones together and hid themselves behind the wall. Meanwhile, a Finn boy had returned to Drabeng to be a pilot for the Russians. On their arrival the lad was intercepted and threatened with baal and fire if he did not lead them where he knew the people and their property to be. To gain time for those who were entrenched in the valley, the boy first took a long detour from Drabeng to Kopangen and from there to the valley. This road is still called Garnjel geinno or Luoddak (the Russian road or track).
At the time, the Finne-Fruentimmer women used red Finnekufters. When the Russians came right under the fortified ones, the red finials half revealed themselves, as if trying to hide. Immediately the Russians caught sight of them, rushed with all their might to the mountains, and vied with each other to see who could act as Tilly's soldiers in Magdeburg, but when they came quite close to the sand, both the red and grey coats greeted them by throwing down a quantity of stones, so that most of them had to bite the grass. Those who remained alive fled to a wooded hill to hide. Luck gives courage and boldness. The grey and red huts stood side by side, surrounded the hill and slaughtered the rest of the Russians to the last man. The valley is still called Garnjelvagge, and the hollow Garnjelvuobme (Russedalen and Russehöien). (The expression «Garnjel» seems to stand for Karelian, not Russian, and «vuobme» is probably not translated correctly, as «oaivve» fits better. E. L.). There are also said to have been traces of the graves in which the Finns used to bury the dead bodies of their enemies.
The time when this heroic deed was carried out by the Lyng Finns has not yet been established with certainty. An old man, almost 80 years old, tells something he heard from his grandfather when he was young, which points to the time when this happened: The day his grandfather was to be married in Sweden, and the priest, the bride and groom, and their party had come to church, a procession of Russians came in such haste that both the priest and the party had to flee headlong. When they arrived at Enontekis and had to rest a little, they were awakened in the night by the mountain Finns with the message that the Russians were hot on their heels. The priest and some others travelled south, others north, but the bride and groom and some others went to Storfjordbotten in Lyngen. This time the Russians took the road northwards to Alten. The bride and groom were married the same year in Norway and settled on the farm Kuling (Kileng?) in the aforementioned Storfjordbotten. The following year, the Fjeldfinner warned that the Russians were on their way again, and approached the Storfjord bottom. The inhabitants there packed up all their movable property and took it to the previously mentioned inaccessible place, and it was the same Russians who carried out the murder in Oxvig and ended their days in Garnjelvagge. The Russians' last plundering in Lyngen took place in the time of Carl the 12th, and about the time he was in the vein, but, as only one man has told it, one dare not vouch for the truth. But that the murder in Oxvigen and the heroic deed of the Finns in Garnjelvagge bring truth is confirmed by the fact that the legend is told unanimously by all, as well as the names of the roads and places that the Russians on this tour have passed.
