MISSES JOHNSON

Picture shows front of left: My mother Lina Bringsjord and Aunt Annie Johnson from Arizona. Standing behind: Uncle Anton Olausson in Garden, and Uncle Thorvald Olaussen at Vollen.

Aunt Annie was a light and lively lady who in many ways could resemble my mother. The last time she was back in Norway, my mother had retired and lived in her newly built house on the river side of Europe's highway, E-39, crossing Bringsjord.

One day when Annie was visiting Mother, she had to return to young brother Anton in Garden for a short trip, and wondered if she could borrow her sister's bike?
There were many years gone since last time she was sitting on a bike, so Mother helped her in the beginning to get up on seat and find the balance.

"If I now avoid stopping, but keep steady speed, I'll be in the garden in a blink," she thought for herself as she rode up to Europe Highway. Admittedly, there was a car coming against her from Hauan, and in a short moment she considered stopping, but as the unshakable optimist she was, she stepped forward and strived to cross the road before the car.

The driver of the Audi should show respect for an older, nearsighted American lady on a bike, and now clearly on accelerating courses across the E-39. He should adjust the speed of the conditions. But Rogalendinger alerts do not work like this. They think they own all the way for themselves.

Only when the Sandnes-man realized that a lady on a crossing course could lead to unsightly scratches in car paint, he slowed down. But that was a bit too late. The car stopped within that junction missed Johnson's autopilot was tuned on. The front of the bike hit the front wheel of the car - and stopped. But that did not stop Aunt Annie; She was in a hurry and continued over the bike handlebar and over the front of the car and thumbled down into the ditch by Aunt Lydia's potato field.

There she lay still and speechless for a few seconds before she began fumbling after the edge of the skirt. The first words Aunt Annie said, when the family anxiously came rushing to see if she was still alive, "Oh my God! I hope he did not see my panty! »

"But did you not see the car, Annie?" Asked my mother upset as she helped her yunger sister to get her clothes on place and get her glasses back on her nose. "Oh, sure I did, but you understand that, Lina, I thought I'd make it".

ALWAYS PREPARED

Ups and downs in Boy Scouts uniform

Elk Patrol camp at Lenesfjorden

Painting by Finn Bringsjord

We were 11 years old when we Easter day 1952 organized a major happening for the family. Small shows of various kinds were followed by open fundraising, and so did we collect enough money to buy scout uniforms.

That the twins to Thorvald would become scouts, aroused considerable opposition among grandmother in Newhouse, when she was convinced that uniform and youth were a legacy of the Hitler period and that Scouting was as unchristian as the Salvation Army.

In our time “Speiderhytta” (Scout-cabin) were located in Bergeheia; opposite the ski jump arena. The cabin was a one room barracks, probably built on the site during the war. That there had been military activity in the area, we quickly discovered, the Germans had blasted out long tunnels in the mountain next to the ski jump. It was pretty scary to make their way through these tunnels in the sparse light of a flickering torch, except the evenings we got lured with us some Alleen-girls and had to harsh ourselves as best we could.

We had regular meetings in Speiderhytta , where Scoutmaster Kåre Bekkerhus taught beginners the 10 Commandments of the Scout Law, and the Scout Promises requirements for chivalrous behavior in large and small. Kåre was a low spoken and gentle leader with a natural authority which was respected and appreciated.

After the Scout Promise was ceremoniously presented, we trained most of the requirements of the various scout ranks; such as knot tying and lifeline-throwing, and in "Kim's Game" was our powers of observation and recall sense put on stone hard specimens.

Lifeline was a 20 meter long, strong line which at one end was attached a leather bag filled with sand. We waved it around in a circle and threw. Both length and accuracy were important toss properties as a scout diligently to practice on. For those who would throw lifeline out to a panicked wretch, who in his distress cried for help and almost drowned, had to prevent sand bag lowered the destitute with a hit in foreheads. We rehearsed therefore to throw over a branch or through the opening of a suspended bicycle tires.

Eventually, we were also very familiar with the terrain round the cabin, which came in handy on gray days where rain poured down. Then we had out in the woods and find dry twigs and sprig and show that we could make a fire in any weather.

The requirement of "Today's good deed" hung always over us. A definite was the story that I had shouldered the yoke and carried water to the old grandmother in Newhouse. In this way she dropped that day to go to the well down at riverside, and so she eventually also got a better attitude to the scout movement.

All eight boys in scout patrol our (Elk Patrol) came from the same class at Å school, so we were a close-knit bunch who knew each other inside out. Trygve Vintland was the oldest and strongest and was elected patrol leader.

The first summer went the boyscout of Lyngdal on bike ride to Kvinesheia and set camp at Gluggen lake. After some trial and error, the four-man tents was set up and "sleeping bags" rolled out. Most of us had no full-fledged sleeping bags so we had to be content with staying in stitched Sjølingstad carpets.

As soon as the camp was established, we spread ourselves around the lake "fishing with box”, a fishing for those who could not afford to acquire expensive fishing gear that reel and rod. Our equipment was fairly simple; a liter large tin can with a woodhank nailed across the opening, nylon fishing line and lures. The 30-meter-long fishing line were wrapped around the box, and then we attached the lure on a swivel at the end of the line. We got lures and line to fly out of the water by the same general principle as throwing with lifeline.

The catch was lousy that night, and fish lasted not long. The reason was that we were badly plagued by mosquitoes. We sat in the smoke from green juniper branches that was burned at the camp fire while we grilled sausages on long birch sticks and ate thick slices of bread with margarine as backer Torger Torgersen had kindly taken up with "bread car." But neither harch smoke or mosquito repellent kept the kept the angry mosquitoes at bay, and I remember we discussed proper understanding of the scout law 6 commandment; "A scout is animal friend." I think Kåre concluded that such a relationship did not covered bloodsuckers like horseflies and mosquitoes.

The time 24.00 was blown taps, and in the light summer night we crept down in Sjølingstad carpets and could not sleep. Partly because we were in totally new surroundings, partly because the silence was broken by bloodthirsty mosquitoes circling zzZZzziiiiiéééiiizzzZZZzzz-end around inside the tent while we desperately lying prick ears and tried to locate where they sat down.

First toward morning we fell asleep, and when reveille was at. 8:00, had all been awarded more or less swollen eyelids in inflated "balloon faces" and resembled most of Genghis Khan warlike descendants. Brother Kjell later soberly and succinctly summarized it ends up like this: "We two twins came reasonably smoothly from the tour. When we got home, mother recognized us on stitches around Sjølingstad carpets - and with doubts she open and let us in through the back door. "

Summer -53 we cycled to Opsal-village and along the road that led down to Væmestad in Kvås. We camped by a lake there at the top of the heath; probably by Vatlandsvannet.

What I remember most from that trip is that I and another scout was asked to go and buy fresh milk of two elderly, visually impaired sisters who lived on a small farm where near. We followed the youngest sister when she went to milk the cows, and when we told that we were scouts from Elk patrol, she unfurled an elk at sundown used to wade knee-deep out in Vatlandsvannet, and as long should have been shot since he ate on pastures to cows.

It took a while before the two cows were emptied of precious milk drops, and afterwards poured her milk in trough a cloth which suspiciously resembled a well-worn undershirt of a type that might have been white once. 
"I milks always so clean," she said, peering down into the bucket, "but if it should blaze a crunchy, then strain we clean it through this undershi ... ah ... cloth". All Scouts, except for two, drank milk with much delight that night, and some boasted glibly of it. Perhaps not surprising, because it is widely known in Lyngdal that milk from cows that go on forest grazing together with elg, has the best taste.

In late autumn -53 we were visiting the scouts in Farsund who had covered long tables with paper web in green color of scout, and we were entertained like counts with cocoa and raisin buns. It was a magnificent experience, roughly level with the annual Christmas party at Å school. I also think there was sweet Girl Scouts present who kept flitting around and mingled with us around the table. But when they do not know anything about lifeline casting or fishing with box, we had not so much to talk about.

In gratitude for the generous hospitality we met, we performed simple sketches and performances. Roald and I performed one of the two sketches ours. Roald played a young bully who despised anyone who had given the scout promise. I played other hand is a Boy Scout who in crisp scout uniform performed "the daily good deed" by going to the dairy store and buy 3 liters of milk to a neighboring wife. On the road I was stopped and bullied by the bully Roald, who teased me for being a "dimwitted, porridge-eating mom´s boy," and he underlined his contempt by kicking large dents in the milk pail. But I, the good boy scout, did not take this so heavily and smiled slightly indulgent of all the commerce.

"What are you standing and grinning for?" bellowed the bully angrily, "what do you think your mother say when you get home with dents in the brand new milk pail?" It tarried a little before the good boy scout replied, "I do not think my mother cares so much about it; it is for your mother I'll get the milk."

Our skit harvested faint praise, to say it nicely. The sketch dropped dead on the stage floor. In after tomorrow cut light we realized that the good point was completely destroyed by our lack of carried supplies. On Scout House in Farsund they did not have a metal pail. They had only a bucket made of canvas and it was difficult for Roald kicking dents in the canvas on a real rowdy manner; it narrowly somehow not just fluttered round the foot. It all ended with the Scoutmaster Kåre Bekkerhus stood up and began to explain the sketch, which in my view should have been completely unnecessary. But they have all little bit heavy for it - these Farsund folks?

Summer -54 arranged Lyngdal scouts county camp on Kvavik Moen. Recall that we some days in advance, in a clearing between the stunted pines, dogged out a long, deep trench in the sand and mounted a solid stick over the ditch to sit on. This latrine was so long that eight to ten Boy Scouts simultaneously could sit on it. Ideally, we should probably have rigged with two parallel sticks with fit opening in between, for a short legged scout from Birkenes was unfortunate and tipped backwards into the ditch. Otherwise it went well. And after an unannounced inspection of the chairman of Lyngdal health board on day 2, we filled daily fresh new sand in the ditch. Such kept hygiene in the camp on top throughout the warm summer days.

Other edifice where dominating too. A flock of rover scouts from Kristiansand built a small-scale Eiffel Tower using slender pines and ropes. At the top they attached a banner of tanned leather that told the world who was behind the masterpiece.

I think with great pleasure back on those summer days on the county camp. It was especially nice in the evenings when guests entertained at the provisional stage. But local forces contributed as well, and I remember well that Arne Fretheim from Outer Skomrak impressed greatly when he on his shiny trumpet played Louis Armstrong's 1949 version of "Blueberry Hill".

But it also came events that poured wormwood in the cup. One evening the squad from Vennesla got the responsibility for entertainment. They announced then that they were arranging large "drawing contest" and urged troops from Lillesand, Mandal and Lyngdal to pick out an accomplished artist who could get up on stage and compete for honor and dignity, and since I was considered the cleverest draftsman in Elk patrol, I was elected as representative of the host squad.

On stage we three selected artists sparse applause ... before a big poster with drawings of a huge pig was set up. The pig was quite nice, except that it lacked tail.

Our artistic mission was to compete in designing pig tail in the right place and as lifelike as possible. Phew ... I thought, who was raised with pigs at the farm; this should be easy to pull off.

"Lillesand" would first go into fire and were given blue felt pen. But then they tied in a dark bandage over his eyes to wretch and shook him around himself three times. The boy tottered on its way off the stage, but was taken care of and guided into place in front of the pig the chart. After some preliminary groping around on the chart, he drew a blue "rat tail" about the right place, but ... still with tail three or four centimeters outside the pink pig ham. Then blindfold was removed, he was pleased with the artwork and received great applause from Lillesand camp.

The next was 'Mandal'. Having been floundering with green felt tip pen in hand, he must have noticed that her clap from a group Mandal scouts rose and fell in pace and volume as he fumbled around over the chart. The Mandal guy must have been a real Albert, because he plotted a green "rat tail" exactly at the place where the applause of his owns, rose to crescendo.

It was in short, a hit, one home run, and when the mask fell, he received tumultuous applause from a gaping audience.

Ah-ha! I thought, this will be difficult, but ... with help from "the smart ones" in Moose Patrol is by no means an impossible task; for none of the "city boys' had drawn pigtail with curling. As a precaution, I turned to my buddies in Moose Patrol patting gently with my hands, like a small discreet sign of what they had to do, and they waved back encouraging.

Then I got a red pen in hand and blindfolded, I went around three times until I knew neither in or out. But fortunately I was ushered away to the chart, where I immediately set about the location of the point of the tail. Systematic I went forefinger back and forth across the chart, and stopped exactly on the point where the clap peaked. Then I drew a red pigtail with beautiful cadence and curling.

But disappointment was hard to hide when blindfold was removed and I saw a beautiful red pigtail was rooted directly in the middle of the ham to the pig. I fell straight down in last place and got neither honor nor glory, only a small marzipan pig  comforting.

The loser had to run the gauntlet back to its place among the boys in Elk patrol and when I quite a bit disappointed asked brother Kjell why they had clapped crescendo when I pointed midst of pork ham, the answer was:

"Clapping? We did not clap! It was those sitting here next to us who clapped loudly; the Farsund-scouts."

Someone have little bit heavy ...

Finn and Kjell in scout uniform 17th May 1953

The story was printed in the local newspaper "Lister" 

Saturday 25 February 2017

CHRISTMAS GOATS ON BRINGSJORD

YULE BUCKS (CHRISTMAS GOATS) ON BRINGSJORD

by Finn Bringsjord

Illustration: Finn Bringsjord

It was pretty scary to go Yule bucks in our boyhood. On the fourth day of Christmas was the top or bottom of a shoebox cut to mask with holes for eyes and mouth. Then we had to find the new crayons - when one has seven older siblings, was a guaranteed that every year lay a couple of boxes with squares of crayons under the Christmas tree - and then color the mask so terrifying as possible.

Then we mixed a paste of flour and water and glued flock and colorful yarn leftovers. The masks, which were fastened with elastic around behind your head, could be quite so creepy.

Late afternoon was big brown paper bags found forward and masks sat on under the red Santa hats, and so we trudged away down the Western Garden. We liked best to start up about just after dusk, and it came early during Christmas.

In front of the houses there were some streaks of light from the windows; otherwise it was dark and scary. The snow crunched under your boots, and here and there barked a farm dog.

Luckily we had sister Tordis with and it was a comfort when we hit other Yule bucks-perverts who could suddenly fall out of the darkness and screamed and jingle with sheep bells.

There were some houses we just walked right past. It was such house with German Sheepdog, and house which was inhabited by single men. Exceptions to this rule were obviously uncle Anton. There we admittedly never cookies, but he took out a round "Christmas cake" from a bakery with raisins and Candied fruits, which he cut three slices, and let the butter and a generous layer of orange marmalade.

This "finger food" was too sticky to end up in the brown bags and had to be eaten on the spot. Marmalade tasted divine, for such we never got at home where our mother made sure we kept ourselves to home pickled gooseberries. The problem was that it was quite impossible to eat Christmas cake with marmalade through the narrow mouth of the hole in the mask, so it had to be turned back on one’s neck. How did Uncle a big surprise every year now he saw that the gruesome Christmas goats were twins of sister Lina.

Soon we became quite highly geared and trudged boldly around from house to house; went to the hall door and knocked on until someone came and opened up. So we started with Harmony Duet of Margrethe Munthe's Christmas song, "In the barn sits Santa Claus with his Christmas porridge."

How beautiful this sounding is somewhat uncertain. Generally we do not come so far out in the first verse before the household began to “oie” and sigh and wonder who these two Christmas bucks could be, if we came from afar; perhaps from Møskeland or Skrumoen?

But we were not so good at talking with the Yule goat voice, and handed tacit over the brown bags so we without too much frills got made known what mission we were in. 

Only one place was this gesture misunderstood by house kids who instantly started partake of our bags. Oh dammit! But it was fortunately only a single exception, and the bags were eventually filled with cookies, nuts and assorted other goodies.

One place was the residents seemingly absent, yet so much we knocked and knocked at the doors. It was with two older sisters who some pranksters called "cluck hens" They had undergone a revival after the war years when blending curtains were thrown on the dump, and well known to patrol outside the windows of neighbors in time after dusk, when the light was turned on.

We knew they had plenty of cookies, for already the end of November they went around and bragged that they had finished the seven cultivars and that goro and donut would soon apply.

But the fourth day of Christmas light was extinguished in the living room and hear plugs put in. No matter how much we knocked on doors, and singing cheerfully in unison about Santa's barn porridge, nobody heard us.

Luckily our villainous sister came to help. She had been out a winter day before and knew the infernal sound of cork rubbing on window glass caused people to wake up. Coincidentally, she had some bottle corks lying in her pocket as she distributed between us. Then we climbed up a few cypress trees and brought us to rub and rub on the living room windows. Then there was a racket in the living room and the light came on and we sang for full jugs while goro and donuts were distributed in our brown paper bags.

Back home it was always a discussion about how much goodies sister Tordis deserved, and it always ended with that she got a lot more than what one might expect. 

YULE-BUCK TRADITION

Norwegian Christmas stamps 1991. Photo: Finn Bringsjord

The tradition of going Yule-bucks goes back to medieval times. Youths from smallholdings and impoverished mountain farm, went down to the main farms in the village to get a taste of big farmers Christmas food and Christmas beers. 
One reason why the bar mask was enough that it was associated with some shame to go on such a beggar process, and they tried to make it into something else with performance of dance and merrymaking.

In Christmas time it was okay for big farmers that his own crofters sons and daughters got part in big farm goodies, but kids to other farmers crofters should be able to settle for less. This was probably the other reason that "goat-bucks" dressed up and bar mask. Everyone should be treated equally. Yes, often swapped boys and girls clothes among themselves, and "whimpered" feigned " Youle gout voises" not to be recognized.

In this way they were able to go from one farm to the other, and all of the party were equally well received everywhere. Christmas beer had to be drunk on the spot, but other Christmas foods such as pastries etc. could participants take home and share with their parents and siblings.

Small farms and poor people were not visited by Christmas Goats. Yes, some larger farms could bucks also evading. It was a subtle way to announce that previous experience suggested that the farmer was a close-fisted miser. To be hanged out like that was a shame, because at Christmas should the farmer be generous and proud to pay their "village tax".

During the occupation disappeared tradition that half-grown youngsters donned mask and went Yule buck, and post-war years took the kids up the tradition and it became part of the Christmas fun.

This story was printed in the newspaper "Lister" on Thursday, 29 December 2016

GRANDMA´S CHRISTMAS FEAST

GRANDMA´S CHRISTMAS FEAST

by Finn Bringsjord

Illustrated by Finn Bringsjord

Every 3rd day of Christmas, in the evening, held grandmother Christmas party for family and served all sorts of goodies such as bluish cultivar blackberry juice and wafer biscuits filled with raspberry cream. This was the night when the grandmother right beat the big drum; emptied the coffee pot for old grut and served freshly ground coffee to all adult guests.
Large and small enjoyed themselves while with the good stuff, and it lasted a long time before eating ended and the table could be cleaned and made ready for the evening's highlight; CHRISTMAS BINGO!

And now I know about that yourself thinking: Playing bingo in Christmas celebration is "Harry" (uncultivated and silly) and totally inappropriate at the home of one of the founders of "China mission Woman Association in Aa parish." But such thoughts about bingo did not exist in the whole of Norway at the time. This was years after the war and grandmother's game was one of the first bingo games in Norway. Aunt Lydia had taken the game with her from Chicago where the master and millionaire fit occasions socialized with employees playing bingo.

As you see there was genuine US bingo at Bringsjord. Great stuff ... The numbers went from 1- 75, and they emerged with the petition rising reeled on a nickel-plated device that could resemble a smaller version of the blank cash register at stores . All were given one bingo card, and chips (or corn) to lay over the number that was called out - if it existed on board. Bingo prize was caramels, small chocolates etc. purchased at the general store in "Hansefrøknene" in Nygård, or other small parts from the america package that year.

For the adults was not winning the most important; but to get confirmation that the goddess of fate smiled at them. But we kids did not think so, and grandmother kept wisely by any "prizes" to children and schoolgirls who never achieved to get a full number "bingo-line" on the board.

After bingo was light in kerosene lamps subdued and match-box has found, for now would the seven small candles on the Christmas tree igniting matchstick lights of fumbling schoolgirls while others sing the verse:

When mother igniting all candles,
so no place is dark.
She says the star shone so
throughout the worlds desolate areas.

Some "walk" around the small Christmas tree on phonograph cabinet was simply not feasible, for the grandmother's "wilderness" was the two small lodges over furnished and this evening overcrowded. No, in this flickering "starlight" it was time for nuts, figs and dates and stories of the old days.

First came perhaps daring Christmas stories from the time when the church imposed each farm to brew a keg strong beer for the holidays and it was fined by bishop if so was not done. Then did you honor God the Father and neighbors by dragging around and savor brewed; "Keeping Yule."
This old-fashioned - almost heathen - Christmas celebrations did not fit for innocent children's ears, so a switched fairly quickly over the stories about psychic fortune tellers who knew little birds the song and spoken language and could locate lost animals and humans.

Wise -Todne was best known for such supernatural abilities here in Lyngdal. Yes, she was so widely known in his time that many people outside the valley called the star sign Orion for "Wise -Todnes spinning wheel".
Today everybody knows that her prediction that " Kvås waterfall shall soon be so that the salmon can go up to Lygne", has turned into. (Last year, a salmon staircase opened there).
Her prediction that "when the river overflows" King Brings bridge "(the Bank), is the world's end near", has fortunately not hit. But we may as well add "EVEN", for it is only one year since it happened...

To this big Christmas party came also Grandaunt Theodora, the youngest sister of the grandmother, and her husband Thor Krogh, reputedly the cousin of the painter Christian Krogh. Theodora told stories about "ghosts" from Tjersland, Dragland and Hægeland so we guys boys got chills down spine.

In olden times went church road from Hægeland and Dragland over the heath to Tjersland (where grandmother also had close family, "halvkusine", I think is right familial designation, when her grandfather had 13 children in two marriages; six of the first seven in the others) and further down to Skoland where they crossed over river Mosk to Bringsjord.

On a farm along this road, could overnight guests at night be waked by creak in the floorboards and slow shuffling steps across the floor. The footsteps stopped at the bed's end. So began someone - or something - to pull the covers, first slowly, slowly ... But if the guest grabbed the covers and held back, it could be a powerful tug.

A red-eyed and sleepless overnight guest from Bjerkreim, told his household the next morning that the pull on the covers were so strong that he just by taking heels against beds end managed to hold it back in bed. Trollskapen disappeared first from the room when he was seated upstairs covers, and with outstretched, clasped hands got power to loudly recite "Our Father" from end to end.

Best I remember the story of a guest bed at Grandma's elder sister, Amalie on Hægeland. Out of the night could bed begin to breathe, yes, gradually the asthmatic breathing be so enervating that no one could sleep in the bed, although one was never so tired. And two time in the morning had it been commerce as guest had not ventured down to night pot under the bed.
One sent emissary, who would hold revival meetings at Old Ekjowe chapel, which was then moved to Draland, were kept awake all night even though he had put the Bible, opened to Matt. 6, 9 -13., under the pillow. The next morning he had suffered such serious scruples that whole revival had to be canceled.

When they a snowy Sunday after Christmas bar out bed and straw mattress in a snowdrift, and set fire to the entire unit, exploded in a pitch-black cloud of smoke and a pungent sulfur odor spread out across the yard, and it was said that even cow Fagerros was upset in the stall and began to bleat like a goat buck.

Grandtante Theodora believed that all this was clear evidence that a "teufel" (german for demon /devil) had lain hidden in the mattress. But Thor Krogh, who had sailed on the seven seas, was skeptical. He believed that the incident did not show other than that the cavity of the straw stalks, over the years were filled with old nitrogen and released fart.

"There are plenty more between Heaven and Earth than anyone knows," said Theodora with persuasive voice, and the rest nodded tacit staring realist in floor, except Thor Krogh who pulled skewed smile and put it away: "My father said it now so; there are more things between heaven and earth than any other place".

That night we lay long awake in our room and listened for murky "breath" from the straw mattress. It had been filled with new straw de day before Christmas Eve, and it was big and soft and delicious, but one could never know, a small barn-tåifel could have followed into with the straw.
Vi only calmed us down when we heard regularly snoring away from the bed to big brother Ludvig. But somewhat later jumped up having bristling neckline when a cracked, strange voice sounded hollow out in the darkness: "Tåifel in the mattress! - Tåifel in the mattress!"

The picture shows f.l. Thor Krogh, Uncle Theodor Abrahamson of Wisconsin, grandma (Marie Abrahamsen), Theodora Krogh and Aunt Lydia Abrahamsen. Foto: Ttorhild Greipsland

This story was printet in the newspaper "Lister" on Saturday 31 December 2016.

KING BRING´S CONQUEST

KING BRING´S CONQUEST   

by Finn Bringsjord

King Bring ride over the "Kings Bridge" on the way to Bringsjord-Nes.

Painting by Finn Bringsjord

Although the story of King Bring goes back to the Merovingian time (550-800 AD.), it is still alive in Bringsjord. Maybe it's because he left behind two large and dominant memorials; King Brings tumulus and King Brings Bridge. In this article I will attempt to demonstrate that he left behind much more than that; King Brings Nes - a 245 acre agriculture headlands that we today call Bringsjord-Nes.

County Conservationist Frans-Arne Stylegar writes in The Book of Lyngdal - 2001: "In the middle of the field south of Highway E39 on Bringsjord Lyngdal is a mighty mound called King Brings mound. It is the large pile that it's taken a "chunk" of the north, and it is one of the finest and most monumental burial mounds in the entire South Coast of Norway".

John Storaker and Ole Fuglestvedt collected folk traditions of Vest-Agder in the 1800s. In the book "Folktales gathered in Lister and Mandal County", has the following to tell of royal Bring: "On the farm Bringsjord there once lived a king whose name Bring. On another farm; Opsal, also lived a King. These two kings were always in conflict with each other. Fortresses were built, one at Aa-Farm and another at "Fantekleiva" on Bringsjord. Tags for these fortresses seen yet. "

From the context, it may seem as if the battle between the two "kings" really was a struggle for power in Lyngdal. Bring ruled on the west side of the river Lygna and built a fortress on Fantekleiva. The fortress shall tradition have lain on the hillside in the northeastern corner of Kattenes. See satellite photo 2.

"Opsal King" ruled on the east side of the river and built a fortress on the Aa-farm. We must therefore assume that the chief here called "Opsal King" was far more than a "mountain king" from the upper end of Opte-river. Probably his power bastion was the big, old Aa-farm with their mighty burial mounds from Merovingian- and Viking time.

Storaker and Fuglestvedt continue thus: "Finally there came to a battel under the fortress of Fantekleiva, and there fell the king of Opsal. Of famous men in King Brings army mentioned Vidrik Verlandsson. He had horse grazing on «Vidringsholmen" located on the south side of Lyngdal river middle against Aa-farm".

The fabled giant Vidrik Verlandsson, is in the folk tradition one of the heroes of the historic Goths king Theodoric the Great (454-526). According to Edda was Vidrik son of the blacksmith Volund and princess Bodvild.

King Brings burial mound on Bringsjord. Highway E 39 in the foreground. Photo: Finn Bringsjord

In the work "Norges Land and people; Description of Lister and Mandal County" (1903), written by the versatile geologist and cultural geographer, Amund Helland, concludes the following about Bringsjord: "On the farms ground are many significant burial mounds." He emphasizes this later by adding that in Lyngdal parish is the "giant mounds" by Aa-farm and the Bringsjord.

And Helland continues: "Bringsjord is a substantial farm ... that in several areas makes it special. It should by tradition in the past have been the residence of a king Bring and are yet the largest agricultural area in Lister bailiff. A large part of the farm's fields located on the so-called Bringsjordnes, formed by Lygna- and Møska rivers, are by a dam wall or a bridge of stones, gravel and soil, called "King Brings bridge ', combined with the farm. To the farm belongs salmon fishing in Lygna and Møska. "

Bringsjord and Bank. "Gammelt elveleie": Old riverbed. Satellite image 1

Helland's description of the great flood devastation in September 1864, is in many ways a straightforward description of the topography around "King Brings Bridge"; the big dam of stones and gravel which today is called the "Bank":

"Bringsjordnes is on three sides surrounded by the river Lygna and fourth, northwestern side of river Møska coming from Kvinesheia. Only the northern end of the headland is connected with the main farm by a 250 to 300 feet wide ground “bank”. There has been an old - now dry - riverbed as about 120 yards beneath, united with Møska, which for immemorial time is closed up by the so-called "King Brings bridge". Over this led roadway that connected Bringsjord with Bringsjord-Nes".

And Helland continues: "By the floods in 1864 went the water level to 2 feet over this “bridge” and destroyed it almost completely. Only part of both bridgeheads stood back. Thereby a large part of Lygnas floodwater run through the old riverbed down to Møska and garnished great harm. The old riverbed was transformed into Lygnas main run".

Sigurd Eikeland wrote in the book "Lyngdal- from Ice Age to the Present" on page 127: "At its narrowest and lowest point between Lygna and Møska - the bank - have Lygna later least twice broken through and united with Møska - with tremendous power and major damage to both Bringsjord and Møskeland »...

"A large part of the bank, 16 fathoms (33 yards), was washed away in 1699. It was in former times laid up laboriously by farm people. Where bank had stood there was now 2½ fathom (5 yards) of water and strong currents. Unless the Bank was rebuilt immediately, would also the remainder disappear” and he adds:" They probably started reconstruction immediately. "

Eikeland mentions that he has information from "farm history" but also writes that the information contained in the "Lists sponsor exercise books Tingbok no. 24, pp. 439, 26. sept. 1699. It is only partly right when the news that 16 fathoms of bank was washed away, and the water depth at which the Bank was now was 2½ Fathom is from 3 May 1700 and are Tingbok 25.

Eikeland refers to "farm history", and I suppose he thought of: "Lyngdal II, Central part, Farm and people" of Oddleif Lian. 

It says on page 388: "The bank was washed away by a flood about 1680, or something before, and was not rebuilt until a few years out in the 1700s." One can put the coffee in the throat of reading such. Have Bringsjord-farmers for 20 years only had access to 245 acre agriculture headlands on Bringsjordnes with rowing boats? That this assertion hobbled will appear in the sequel: "In September 1699 did the inhabitants of Bringsjord get Thing witness the damage the floods had caused the same year. Again had Lygna grown so large that it had broken into the Møska and separated part of Bringsjord-nes. "

It is here evident that Lian lacking local knowledge; for ... as long Lygna not switch over to Møska, is necessarily bank on place. Where Lian has obtained the information that "the bank was washed away by a flood about 1680, or something before", is still unclear for me.

County Conservationist Stylegar renders Eikeland presentation with broad pen in The Book of Lyngdal – 2001 and adds: "The bank is probably what other sources called King Brings Bridge. It must have been quite a bit of a building, and we know that it was perceived as old all in 1699. No wonder that such relics attracted legends about kings and heroes! "

Lyngdals topography in Merovingian time

Let the mind go back to the Merovingian time (550-800 AD), and take a look at Lyngdals topography in the time before the "King Brings Bridge" was built; when Lygna freely flowed through "Old riverbed" down to Møska. I can then see for me two past images:

One is that Lygna splits in two. The rivers main run must then, as in 1864, having gone through "Old riverbed" into Møska. But a smaller run may have accompanied the current riverbed southeast toward Oftebro where it united with Opteåna. Together they then followed the current riverbed past Bergsaker and Grøndokka to Faret.

Then todays Bringsjordnes must have been an island, surrounded by large and small rivers on all sides. Since Lygnas main run has gone shortcut through "Old riverbed" into Møska, the island has been at least available from Møskeland and secondly from Bringsjord. Most readily available should the island have been from Aa-farm.

The second picture is that the entire flow in Lygna took the shortcut through "Old riverbed". Then today's Priests Farm (Aa-farm) and Bringsjordnes remained as a coherent headlands from rectory property to hang bridge at Grøndokka; one topography we might call "The Great Aa-farm headland"; a peninsula on three sides surrounded by Lygna / Møska and Opteåna.

I think most of the last image. But also by alternative one there is very little to suggest that "Nes-island" belonged to the Bringsjord farm. The access was much easier from the mighty Aa-farm. It could also - if necessary - to force the entire water flow in Lygna down through “Old riverbed” by throwing up a small gravel embankment.

We begin to suspect that King Bring hardly was made immortal simply because he won a battle against Opsal King on Fantekleiva, or because he build a "bridge" (infrastructure) over to his own "Headland Isle". No, when he recalls up through the generations, it is because he stood for Bringsjords largest and most important conquest of new farmland - a 245 acre agriculture farmlands.

The municipality stated that Bringsjord-Nes, drawn with red outline, is approximately 990 hectares = 245 acre. "Old riverbed", from the bank into Møska, is drawn green. "New riverbed", from the Bank to Opteåna, is drawn yellow. Orange arrow is pointing at the southern tip of Bringsjord. (Municipal map).

King Bring

Who was this King Bring? According to county conservator Stylegar he will be buried 'one of the finest and most monumental burial mounds in the entire South Coast”. It lay along with 16 other grave mounds at a place called Hauan just south of the E 39 in the east end of Bringsjord. The burial mound is probably from the Merovingian time. 

There should be found a double-edged sword and a single-edged "rider sword" in the grave. Two swords in a burial mound are very unusual. The single-edged "battle sword" shows that the buried had high military rank; commander on “horseback”. (Cfr. The findings of Illerup, Denmark).

In addition, it should be found ships rivets in the grave. One view is that the findings of par of sword and ship rivets in a tomb from this period can be interpreted as a sign that the buried was the highest officer (commander) of a group of "20 thwarts” rowing ships. 

This clinker-built boat type was in Merovingian rowed by 40 highly trained marines; two on each thwart. On Vollen, a place located on the ridge toward the Møska from Foleskei up to Kvernhus-falls, it is proven 8 mounds. Most are amateurish excavated and destroyed, and several could have held some rusty ship rivets without this has been emphasized. 

Probably Kvernhus-pool is the place where King Brings' "20 thwarts” was laid, and it also implies that the marines were placed in boat-shaped longhouses on the ridge toward Møska and that these 8 mounds probably have been the graves of high ranking military commandants.

The "20 thwarts” was in Merovingian a rowing ship. Only at the end of the 700s were mast and square sail adopted. Till then joined the Norwegians the ancient route along the coast to Gothenburg from there to cross the Kattegat through Læsø to Limfjorden in Jutland. Having rowed Limfjorden, they came out in the North Sea just north of the Wadden Sea, and coastal and river cities of Europe lay open before them. 

The Nordic boats drifted in summer primarily trade between the so-called "vic-towns" around the North Sea. (Qentovic share in France, Vijk bij Duurestede (Dorestad) in the Netherlands, Lundenwic (London) and Eoforwic (Jorvik / York) in England et al.).

Main exports from South Western Norway (Agder and Jæren), must at this time have been wool and woolen products. It was only on this coastal strip called "uteganger sau" (outdoor sheep) could manage to spend the winter on the coast and then pulled up to highland in early summer on its own feet. This gave opportunities for large-scale sheep farming, and thereby competitive advantage on wool markets in Europe. 

We must assume that King Bring have gone in alliance with the boss at Huseby on Lista on winter pastures, and with the chief in Eiken about summer pastures. So have the common herd grazing on Brings heathlands when they pulled up and down; spring and fall. How are we allowed to believe that cooperation in Lister County are of proper old date.

A common feature of most vic towns is that they lay near the salt mines, and then there is also close to ask; what would the guys from Southwestern part of Norway with larger amounts of salt? For that flock of sheep should not grow beyond winter pastures capacity and tolerance limit, had virtually all male lambs and unproductive older ewes, slaughtered in late autumn, and to preserve this' heap of meat through the winter and spring months, so soldiers in longhouses lived well-fed through dark time, was curing and salting of mutton a necessity.

Naturally we have not so many physical traces of this gigantic wool production in Merovingian. “Utegangersau” leaves few permanent marks behind. But surveys of pollen from this period show that deciduous forest disappeared and heathlands emerged from coast to mountain from Agder to Boknafjorden. It's just huge herds of grazers which for centuries to preserve the heathlands intact. When grazing stops, comes back woods.

Natural conditions must have left its precise boundaries, not only between the large sheep drives but also between power areas. Feeding grounds Lista / Bringsjord / Eiken, have probably been limited to the east of Lyngdalsfjord / Lygna, and west of Fedafjord / Kvina. Hegemony has certainly changed between Bringsjord and Lista, through the centuries, but I like to think that on Bring's time he was boss of bosses.

It is found four other graves by ship rivets Lyngdal; three Aa farm and one in Inner Skomrak. It suggests that “Uppsala King” at Aa-farm had similar alliance with Hundingsland / Spangereid and perhaps with the chef on Snartemo. Their grazing must eastward gone as far as the river Audna. In such an image will Opsal have a strategic position where sheeps drift have to split in front of Lenesfjorden; where one part go to Spangereid and another part to Hundingsland.

The north Sea, fjords and rivers make bounds between sheep’s grazing areas, and between power structures in the Southwestern part of Norway.

Oddleif Lian does in «Farm History" accounted for a total of 27 burial mounds at Bringsjord. In relation to the 10 mounts which are registered in Aa-farm, this tells something about Bringsjords greatness over the centuries. On site Hauan in eastern end of Bringsjord-plain, on the brink between Lygna and E 39, is 13 burial mounds and the remains of 3 mounds removed. If 16 generations of the farm's owners are buried here, it is a historic "rule of thumb" to indicate that the burial may have stretched over a period of around 500 years.

The most barrows lay on my great-grandfather, Abraham Ole-Jacobisen´s (1826-1890) ground. Son Emanuel Abrahamsen, who bought half the family farm and moved to Norbakken, opened one of the mounds in the middle of the 1880s. (See Book of Lyngdal -1993 page 40).

He wrote about the discovery to "University Museum of National Antiquities" in December 1885: "I discovered on my property a strange bunch." He began to dig in the mound and "after much work", he came to a square, walled grave where he found an one-egged sword, a Celt of iron (an ax which is hollow in the head and therefore the hilt at an angle bent shaft), whetstone, whorls and needle.

And he continues: "The tomb waiting in the east - west. Weapon likewise. Weapon grips to the east. "

The information that the dead were buried with their heads facing east, indicate - in my view - that Emanuel had opened a Christian burial of late Merovingian or early Viking. (County Conservator Stylegar proved in 2001 a woman's grave under the church in Liknes. The coffin was carbon dated to the early 600s. From the coffin location in east-west direction, he meant to determine that it was a Christian woman's grave).

Towards the end of the letter comes Emanuel with a mind of his time: "I have a little thought - if it could not be the weapon after King Bring - for here should not before have been found weapons." When one of the "pillars of society", my father's uncle and married with my mother’s "Aunt Malla", could write such a thing to the University Museum of National Antiquities in 1885, reveals a deeply rooted belief that King Bring once lived on Bringsjord.

It was hardly the kings grave, when discovery is likely to be done in a less central pile on the fields to Norbakken, maybe a few hundred yards east of the dominant mount called King Brings Mount. But that there were a Christian chief on Bringsjord, 2-300 years before the battle of Stiklestad, is suitable for contemplation.

The name Bring

Whether it is king Bring that has given farm name Brings-Jord (farm-earth), or whether it is the farms name that has given its name to Royal Bring to discussion. In the work "Norwegian Farm Names" (NG) by Oluf Rygh, published in the years 1897 to 1924, is for Lister and Mandal County processed by Albert Kjær (1912). Kjær lean rather to the last. He guesses that the name may come from the word "brim": and then not in the usual sense of the word; the sound of 'Sea surf on Shore, "but in the odd importance; "Smell of the ocean beach, tight smell of the sea." I do not have any faith that this guesswork is correct. There must be two to three thousand years ago one could sence the smell of the sea on Bringsjord. Kjær do not distinguish between Bringsjord and Bringsjordnes in its topographical explanation of the word "brim", which reveals fundamentally a lack of local knowledge.

Norwegian Farm Names (NG) in reality have a far more likely explanation for the name of the farm "Bringsjord" lying hidden in their database. When I summarizes the number of farm names in NG where the first term begins with Bring-, I'm going 23. Let us look at how the other name investigators in NG have interpreted these names.

A total of 17 farm names (74%), explained that Bring- reflect the word "chest"; breast. The name is used when "transmitted on a wide, curving protruding mountain." When three out of four Bring- farms etymologically reflect chest / breast requires strong arguments from scientists who believe that a place name origin deviates from this norm. Such arguments have not Kjær who guesses and presume. I think it will be difficult to find a more accurate description of Bringsjord mountain heath than the above description - where it between Homman and Kattva arches and propagates behind the protruding Vågefjell (=Bay's mountain. See satellite photos). 

It is noteworthy that Albert Kjær in NG, and Oddleif Lian in the "farm book," not discussing this obvious solution to name riddle.

We note however with interest that two Bring- farms researchers meant that the names reflect man's nickname "Bringr." This viewpoint leads us straight on to the most beloved explanation for the name Bringsjord.

Clear traces indicate that the Merovingian was "Bring" not used as personal names, but that epithet or function designation. The word "bring / bringe" can been used as the designation of a commander or king among the Germans. According to Falk & Torp: "Etymologically Ordbog" is "bringe" Norse for bull moose and etymologically related to brind / bredis who is Swedish / Baltic for stag; a Crown Deer. A "bringr" could in other words, denote one who was crowned.

Among old English crown jewels, found in the famous burial ground of Sutton Hoo, with 18 burial mounds from 500-600's, it is a costly scepter adorned with a stag. The famous helmet findings of Sutton Hoo and Vendel at Uppsala show that there have been close relations between the two locations.

Scepter from Sutton Hoo. Crown Deer was an old Germanic royal symbol.

King Brings Bridge

Let the mind go back through the centuries, and rave a littel bit about the time when King Bring ruled west of Lygna. One summer the king and folk hero Vidrike Verlandsson took a ride down to Bringsjord's southernmost border, who then went by the northern shore of the "Old riverbed." (See satellite image 1). 

Here on the river brink, on the place where it was kept race for young horses, and that was called "Foleskei", the King held his white stallion back and sat looking over to Aa- headland; the vast plains that Aa-farm used as pasture for livestock. The choleric "crown moose" was dark at heart over what he saw. Although he had to leave his own livestock on meager heather and grass pastures inward Bringsjord heath, and he envied "Aa-king" that juicy pasture land with all his heart.

World Habitual Vidrik, followed the gaze of the young king, and read his face like writing in sand. "The king can take Neset from Uppsala King if he will," said Vidrik, and let his eyes follow the traces of former ages meandering rivers in a landscape on the big Aa-headland.

"I have seen how several such landnám was settled in Tuscany and Provence." Now Brings interest was awakened, he raised eyebrow and Vidrik continued: "What if the king built a earth wall that blocks the riverbed here right before us? It will force the river to unearth a new riverbed across the Aa-headland, roughly in that direction! "- He raised his arm in the direction of Oftebro. "Such a earth wall would open the way for you to Neset, and forever shut Aa-yard out."

Kong Bring was a while sitting speechless. Why had he not thought of this himself? And why had not these thoughts come to the old chiefs who now lay in mounds of fathers? Eventually he said: "Good friend! Your wisdom surpasses both my - and my father’s wisdom. I was sorry for the wretched horse pastures I had to offer you and your party when you came to feast on my father's farm. But as you have seen, almost all Bringsjord is a large barley field. "Well honey-mead be brewed and enjoyed among kinsmen," said my old father. But I can promise you, my friend, when we have completed this settlement; Then shalt thou and thy seed forever be entitled to own horse pasture on my Nes.

The young king stood before two major challenges before the Nes was his; river Lygna and the king of Uppsala/Aa-farm. Let's look at the biggest challenge at first; river Lygna. Or rather, let's delve into and look at soil conditions around Lygnas riverbed.

Disregarding some pavement in the riverside as Water Resources Authority had conducted approximately 20 years ago; there is no stone of any size Lyngdal Plain. The Flatland was formed in ancient sea floor and consists of a 10 to 25 yards thick layer of gravel and sand. Here and there it may be many tens of yards deeper, something only seismic measurements can reveal.

But the upper reaches of gravel layers in Lyngdal sea pool has been formed after the last ice age. The reason I say that is that there are no visible “move rocks" on the plain. The huge stone blocks were transported forward by the glaciers, and dumped when melting withdrew. The blocks are numerous, in the surrounding hills, and even on islands out at sea at Korshamn. But the small and large rocks that once were dumped in Lyngdal Basin, we see nothing to - even where the river has dug 12 yards into the gravel layers. The blocks are there, but hidden under layers of sand and gravel. First, the day we uncover a boulder, which not rests on a protruding ridge, but on gravel, we can calculate the thickness of the layers that were formed after the last ice age.

Whence came it so, this amount of sand and gravel that postglacial filled up Lyngdal pool? Like mentioned; fulfillment of inlet basin must been made to the glacier for the last time withdrew. Then large bulk amount of sand and gravel that lay frozen in the glacier - and material from previous moraines in the valleys – have been washed out from nook and cranny and led with cascading glacial rivers into the fjord basin between Vågefjell on Bringsjord and "islands" in Hamran.

When so the oppressive weight of the glacier disappeared, the land has risen. Soon stuck gravel surface up above sea level and formed the dry land. This rise has continued to the present time. (Bringsjord- and Roms Letta is eg. 13 to 14 yards above current sea level). Simultaneously with the dry land appeared, began rivers Lygna, Møska and Opteåna excavate shallow riverbeds in the flat polder gravel landscape.

Rivers on sandy soils behave in a certain pattern. In technical terms, it is said that they form "meander rivers." A meander river digs first into the sand until it meets groundwater, and on Lyngdal Plain this falls mostly with sea level. Then there's nothing more to achieve by digging downward, and the river begins instead to dig out swings in the riverbed. "The reason why rivers often change rent in a flat landscape," writes Arne Heiseldal in Book of Lyngdal 1990, "is that it digs (erodes) the outside of corner, adding up material in the inner bend." And he highlighted the river bend just above the Bank as an example of this phenomenon. See satellite 1.

To have rivers dug and wriggled over most of Lyngdal flatland and transported sand out to Rosfjord and Kvavik and filled up the innermost fjord arms there. Since the landscape for millennia has risen - and correspondingly, sea level / ground water subsided - the landscape left behind on different plateaus. Where rivers have dug, we find the highest plateaus in places where they dug for 8-9 thousand years ago. In ancient Lyngdal Flatland are only the Plateaus on Rom and Bringsjord still virgin untouched by rivers excavations.

But how long does it last? Lygna graves still ridge toward Bringsjord from Navershølen to Bankhølen and are not the digging stopped, the river in the few thousand years have dug until Vågefjell. (Høl: a fish pool).

Here we see the Bank from north, from Bringsjord. Here goes one overgrown rode down to Bankhølen so that horses can get enough to drink. Photo: Find Bringsjord.

The bank, as we look to the right in the picture, forcing the river to swing down towards Oftebro be glimpsed in the background. Photo: Find Bringsjord.

One thing is certain, and so has the breakdown of the Bank in 1699 and 1864 demonstrated, it's no use trying to build an embankment of gravel and sand while the river flows over the filling. Then the waters continuously move the gravel downward toward Møska. Heavier "patron" required - and such does not exist in Lyngdal flatland. The nearest access to quantities of stone large enough to not be moved by a lazy summer river, existed in Homman, on the east side of Skolandsvannet. (See satellite image 2).

Let us return to Bring and Vidrik and major visions they shared a summer night on Foleskei. King and legend slipped down the high brink of the river and began to aim and measure at the lowest point Aa-headland. After a while they were able to conclude such; a dam wall that towered 10 feet from the riverbed, will be high enough that bent river water begin to ran toward Oftebro. Lygnas digging in the new river bed - through peat and gravel - will slowly but surely lowering the water level in front of the dam wall, and Brings people can then leisurely fill up a mound of gravel and sand so wide and tall and big and strong that it will stand against what might come of what in 1699 termed "excess Wather."

The danger was obvious that Uppsala King would come from Aa-farm with his men and raze dam while work was in progress. It was therefore important for the feisty "crown moose" to cool down. "Sooner or later, Aa-king understands what is going on," said Vidrike, "no later than when the river flows straight across Aa-headland against Oftebro. But it's important that he gets as little time as possible to collect army." Bring famously agreed to this and they decided that for the time being they would keep the project secret.

The autumn spoke King Bring to his soldiers, young rowers with bulging arm muscles and said that he would erect a fort on Foleskei and that they this winter would drive up the stone and some lumber to this edifice. And so it was. Half a dozen ox sleds went shuttled on ice from scree in Homman to brink against Nes with large guard stones. And other crews drove a horse-drawn sleigh large pine logs to the brink of Foleskei.

Out in early summer next year, when most of Aa-king marines had staffed his "20-thwarts” and set course towards cities like Qentovic and Lundenwic, gathered Bring his men and informed them that the trade trip to the North Sea towns this summer was canceled for one of his "20 thwarts”: " the reason is that we should build a dam wall across river Lygna to the Aa headland at Foleskei. It is something we must do in the summer when there is little water in the river. " He noted that the elderly, veterans, nodded understandingly, before he continued: "There is one more thing I must entrust you; the stones you drove up in winter, should not be used for the construction of a fort, as it has been said, but the construction of the dam wall – to build a "bridge" over to headland. "

We do not know how Vidrik and Bring built the first earth-bridge (=Bank) across the headland. For the Bank has at least twice since been torn down by the great flood, and rebuilt. What we can be sure of is that the first Bank was built unilaterally out of a bridgehead on Bringsjord side, as it was only from that side entrepreneurs had access to manpower and materiel.

A section through the current Bank shows that it is distinctly trapezoidal. In relation to the growling road at the top, the dam two to three times as wide in the base. (See photo). This is to some extent Water Resources Authoritys stone laying at Bank slope ca. 20 years ago. Today's damwall, from 1865, is also markedly curved towards the river and water. Both are fully in line with modern constructing. From my boyhood I remember that there was stone in the base of the Bank. There were stones brought in from rockery. The stone was not soldered up in a wall or in a stone fence, but carried more signs of being dumped; as in a rock-fill. Then they filled in with coarse gravel, which despite the current, have settled between the big rocks. To have a 10 feet high and 300 feet wide layers of stone, gravel, peat and sand grown as a "breakwater" beyond the river from the bridgehead on Bringsjord page. Of filler at least 95% must be taken straight from Foleskei.

Summer days with little water flow in the river, this has gone well, until there remained a few three-yard open rivers between the pier and Aa-headland. Water flows through the narrow opening must have been so vehement that the river began to dig into the river brink of Nes. Then it began to rush for King Bring. A new bridgehead at Aa-headland had to be ensured - and the Bank has to be completed - before new rains flooded down. Pine logs were run up on the breakwater to be raised at the end and flipped over to the river brink of headland. Then the alarm went off.

Battle of Fantekleiva

A guard who was stationed in Hauan, came galloping and told the king that an army is gathered in the yard to the State farm. The young king ascended on his prancing white stallion and waved battle sword high above his head, and soldiers dropped everything they had in their hands and gathered around him.

So spoke Bring: "Uppsala King has collected army at Aa farm, ready for battle. The match will now stand on the right to pasture on Aa-headland. If we win today, we will in the coming days to close this riverbed and force Lygna to take another run across the Aa-headland to Oftebro. Then the river will cut the headland in two parts, and the biggest part is our "! He theatrical swung his battle sword of a rushing cut in direction Oftebro. Then he calmed himself and stallion down a few notches and continued: "Before the new moon is to be seen, outer part shall no longer be called Aa-headland, but Bringsjord-Nes. And so I promise: Next summer, every man letting his horses run free outside on Bringsjord-Nes while we together rudder to London and York. "

As soon as the excitement had subsided, gave King Bring order for the men to go to the longhouse and gearing up for war. Then they were to meet in front of the King's palace.

There were two fords Uppsala King could avail of to Bringsjord; "Kjørva" and "Kattva". Kjørva lay at the bottom of Døldegrova at mid Bringsjord. The name is probably a contraction of the word "kjørevad"; a vade whose normal water level can be crossed by horse and carriage. Døldegrov-road, which goes down to Kjørva discussed in replacement in 1850, but the road is probably many centuries older.

Homman marked with white arrows. Kattva and Fantekleiva are marked with red arrow. Døldegrova and Kjørva are marked with yellow arrow. (Satellite image 2)

Kattva lay deep in northeastern end of Lyngdal flatland, where Lygna meetings plains. On the east side of the river; is the Aa-farm located Skrumoen, and on Bringsjord riverside is Kattenes, and from there comes the name Kattva. (See Satellite image 2. The name Kattenes may be related to "Caithness" Viking Norse name for the northeastern part of Scotland, but it is uncertain).

As mentioned before wrote Storaker and Fuglestvedt in their account of King Bring: "Fortresses were built, one at Aa-farm and Fantekleiva on Bringsjord. Tags for these fortresses seen yet." And they continued thus: "Finally it came to a battle on Fantekleiva, and there fell king of Opsal."

Since "Fantekleiva" is located in the hillside just above Kattva, it is obvius that it was there Uppsala King with his army crossed Lygna. They must have received a warm welcome from King Brings highly trained soldiers up in the fortress; heavy javelin with barbs tickled through shields of the attackers and did shields impossible to handle. 

Accordingly, they stood almost without protection against arrow rain that followed. And worse was to go.

Storaker and Fuglestvedt writes that «traces after these fortresses seen yet." I think it is somewhat exaggerated. At least it's not weird marks a castle in Fantekleiva. But down at the roadway in the bottom of the Slope is a large pebble in trench edge. It was this stone so-called "Fantekleiv grind" was attached. (The gate was called so in the shift of 1862). Along the road are also larger and smaller stones laid up in a fence, which may indicate that the fortress has been a window dressing, a "mock castle" which was turned into a deadly rockslide when the enemy attacks on a broad front.

How Uppsala King was killed does not the legend say anything about. But on Bringsjord it was told that Vidrike Verlandsson killed him with his mighty battel sword a masterpiece forged by Volund blacksmith, Vidriks father. He should have cleft Uppsala King in half, as he contemptuously exclaimed, "the weakling own no bones at all." (See Book of Lyngdal - 2012 page 33).

But this has been rejected by one Opsahl man with access to Grimberg's historic works in 21 volumes. He points out that it was Vidriks lord and master; Theodoric the Great, who made this remark when he Ravenna cleaved Italian royal Odovacar in two with his battel sword. Yes, yes? We'll say the same as Peer Gynt said mother Åse: "Such things could happen more than once."

The large the settlement

Of which everything was; the young King Bring stood again triumphing in valence, and well before the new moon was the Kings Bridge to Bringsjord-Nes finished. When they had first built a makeshift footbridge of solid pine logs from the pier over to Bringsjord-Nes, and filled up the remaining riverbed with all they had left of stones from Homman. Then they sat down two solid gate poles as the top attached to the footbridge. Then sealed the well again on both sides of the portal, but left river water drop through the 3 yards wide door opening.

Finally came the D-Day and the closed gate with a "lock-limb" of logs covered in front with overlapping sheepskin. Then the "Old riverbed" went dry. Again got all man speeds up and riverbed behind the sluice gate was filled with gravel and sand right up to the "footbridge". Then could all wood be removed.

Meanwhile rose water in front of the dam, and tension rose in entrepreneurs. Was Vidriks primitive level to trust? Would Lygna soon overflow Banken down to Møska like before - or would the river "turn off" and flood across the Aa-headland to Opteåna? Fortunately for Bringsjord-people she chose the latter.

With great pump and circumstance, and with copious volumes of honey mixed mead, was 990 acre Bringsjord-Nes incorporated in King Brings old farm. It was a bitter pill to swallow for Aa-farm chiefs, and over the centuries has hostilities continued about fishing rights in Lygna, the border river between farms. 

For King Bring should also have credit that he had made two new salmon pool in Lygna. One dug currents and ice drift out front of the bridge he built; called Bank Hølen. The other dug river out in front of Oftebro hillside and called Node Hølen.

The dispute about salmon fishing in these pools lasted 400 years. First in 1956, was it settled with verdict in the Supreme Court of Norway. It gave farmers of Bringsjord entitled to all fishing in both pools, including exclusive rights to angling in the pools - from both riverbanks.

The picture was taken from Møskeland under a flood 6th Dec. 2015 Blue Arrow; Lygna. Red arrow; Bank. Green arrow; Møska. Yellow arrow; "Old riverbed." Photo: Anne Therese Benestvedt Bo

This story was printed in the newspaper "Lister" Saturday 19th March 2016