Two stories about the dragon.
The dragon roars
It was market day in Skibotn, and people were at the market. It darkened in the evening, and night fell. The weather was good and windless. Then they heard the draugen start to shout, and he shouted so loudly that it echoed in Falsnesaksla.
People went into the living room of the now deceased Piera Hánsa to drink morning coffee. Two old men from Lenangen came in. They began to talk amongst themselves: "We heard the sea spirit cry out. He had such a strong voice that it echoed in Falsnesfjellet. It looks like a storm is coming, or people will perish in the bay within this day.".There was a man named Mihkkal. They called him Bikká-Mihkkal. Then along came a mountain Sámi who was looking for tar, and he asked: — Do you have any tar, sailor?
Bikká-Mihkkal replied: "I have plenty of tar, but I don't have it here. It's at home.".
— When you don't have this, you can't get it here. I'm travelling home from the market this evening, said the mountain Sámi.
"It isn't a long way home. When I row across Skibotsbukta, my farm is just beyond that headland you see. Just bring a keg to me. I'll get tar for you. I'll be back here at midday and will have tar with me for you," said Bikká-Mihkkal.
"Are you sure you can bring me tar by midday?" said the mountain Sámi.
— Damn me if I’m not here with tar by lunchtime, answered Bikká-Mihkkal.The mountain Sami gave him a keg, and Mihkkal travelled home. After he had been home for a bit and collected the tar, he rowed back to the marketplace. But it began to snow heavily, and it came in quickly over Lyngen. It obscured Pollneset, and they could hear the roar of the wind at the marketplace. As the snow squall approached, they saw that a small boat was coming around the headland below Falsnesfjellet. The wind came, and it came so directly from the north that one faced the marketplace with sails. Then they saw that the small boat hoisted its sail, and that it hoisted a small sail. At the marketplace, people were trading with the mountain Sami. They saw that the boat capsized the moment the squall arrived, and they launched a boat from the marketplace, and ten men got into it. But the sea was so heavy and the wind so strong that when they pushed the boat out, it immediately filled with water. They could not set out to look. Then they spoke amongst themselves: "It must be Bealtti-Hánno who hasn't been to the market yet.".
But some said that Bikká-Mihkkal was apparently going to bring tar to the mountain Sami.It was afternoon. Then they went to Nallovuohppitoppen to see if the boat with people had drifted ashore. They didn't find the boat, only the oars. They recognised the oar mark and realised it was Bikká-Mihkkal who had gone missing. Then the men, every single one of them there, began to say: "That's why the sea-spirit wailed so loudly against the storm and the death of people. That's how the sea-spirit usually behaves. The louder the sea-spirit wails, the more people go missing.".
Two died, Bikká-Mihkkal himself and the foster son he had taken in from the Kven people.
Told by Efraim Pedersen Oterodden, 1923, Storfjord, Lyngen. Recited in Sámi accounts, selection of J.K. Qvigstad's Sámi fairy tales and legends
Sea troll
Narrated by Hjalmar Iversen and originally published in the booklet «Mearrasámit – Sjøsamene» (The Sea Sámi), which was released in connection with the Riddu Riđđu Festival in 2001.
«Yes, there was someone who had a mill. He was from Barslett. He had a mill here by the Great River. At times, he ground all day. People carried grain to him. And then he walked home in the evening along the shore. There was no road here then.".
In those days, they told tales of sea trolls. That Barslett fellow, he knew about them too. You know how he feels it when someone is following him! Getting closer and closer! So you know: he carries a knife with him. But when you stabbed a troll, you mustn't stab with the knife. If you stabbed with the knife, you'd stab yourself! And that Barslett fellow, he struck with the handle. He heard a scream, but he kept going. The next day when he passed by there, a piece of oilskin lay on the spot. It had a hole in it.»
