Translations of Danish folktales

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[danishfolklore]

From a god to Santa's Helper - What is a nisse?

The Nordic nisse originated as a pre-Christian house god, though not many sources remain from this period. It is likely that people then, as later, left offerings

Santa's helper? What is he, a witch?

During the 1500's, Danish priests complained about people's belief in and giving offerings of porridge to nisser.

In 1693, Anne Palle was executed for being a witch. Prior to her execution, she confessed to having a nisse as a helper.

There Is A Lovely Country

During the 1800's, Denmark developed a national romanticism, during which folktales became of great interest.

“Legends about the Danish Nisse was first collected and published by J. M. Thiele in Danske Folkesagn (Danish Folktales) (1819-1823). The legends contained older people’s farmer’s tales about the mischievous nisse, who functioned as a protector of the home, as long as he got his porridge the day before a holiday. […]he is “usually dressed in grey clothing and has in addition a pointy red hat”. He was thus dressed as the farmer […].” [x]

Many of these tales appear cautionary, and often depict humans managing to upset a nisse in one way or another, ending up suffering the revenge of the powerful - and at times very creative - creatures.

It was therefore still in 1800's wise to fear and respect the nisse.

What came first, Santa or Santa's helper?

The nisse increasingly became an inspiration for artists, and it is likely their association with holidays that led artist Constantin Hansen to decorate with paper cut outs in the shape of nisser for his Christmas party in Rome in 1836, thus for the first time creating a dedicated Christmas-nisse.

Santa (Danish: Julemanden), however, did not become a part of Danish Christmas tradition before later in the 1800's, and for a while, Santa was himself called a nisse. This way, nisser became associated with bringing Christmas gifts, and later making them for Santa to bring.

The modern nisse

In Denmark today, the nisse has become Santa's, and the and the Nordic nisse/tomte's association with gift-bringing has given inspiration to the English Christmas elf.

Thus, the mischievous (and occasionally very violent) house god has become a cute an helpful fellow, making presents and spreading holiday cheer.

Sources: The Danish National Lexicon histroie-online.dk by Danish Historical Joint Council + x Flemming Conrad Romantik (1800-1870)

If you are interested in reading some of these folk tales, I will be translating and posting some from Evald Tang Kristensen's Danske sagn som de har lydt i folkemunde (Danish legends as they have sounded colloquially) (1893) on this blog under the tag #talesaboutnisser

I have previously posted some on my main blog @instantkingjustaddtea, but those can also be found here.

[instantkingjustaddtea]

From Danish legends - The Fights of Nisser

More information about nisser on my post here

Mads Jepsen tells:

“Nebbegård lies no longer where it once did, and the reason is as follows: Nebbegård and Ødstedgård had each their own nisse. These two did not exactly live with a good relationship to each other, since they in order to enrich their households stole grain from eachother. One evening it happened neither better nor worse than that they met, each with a good load of grain. Now they fought, very hard, but the end was that the nisse from Nebbe had to relent, and he was killed. Then the Ødsted nisse romped at Nebbe in such a way that they had to move the farm a little away, as the nisse then no power had. That was done, and since then there was peace.”

From Evald Tang Kristensen's Danske sagn som de har lydt i folkemunde (Danish legends as they have sounded colloquially) (1893), book II, B. Nisser 6. Nissers slagsmål, 60

Available for free in Danish here

[instantkingjustaddtea]

From Danish legends - The Fights of Nisser

More information about nisser on my post here

M. Møller, Sir. tells:

“Flyndergård and Bækmark has each had a nisse. At the last farm he had especially thrown his love on some steer, which for that reason always was in better condition than the others. At Holmegård it was also told that there were some steer nis prefered. The nisser in at Flyndergård and Bækmark stole from each other, but when they on occasion caught each other at it, they fought, and then they really thrashed. One night, the husband in Flyndergåård was woken by someone shouting by the window: “Sai mee hwat ah shou’d hit wit’!” The husband did not consider the repercussions and shouted back: “You can take the plough.” The wife was also woken by this yelling and the man told her that he thought it was nis who had shouted, for he didn’t think he could speak clearly, and that sort of people probably can’t. The next day he knew for certain, for when he were to plough the field, the plough was beat to splinters.”

From Evald Tang Kristensen's Danske sagn som de har lydt i folkemunde (Danish legends as they have sounded colloquially) (1893), book II, B. Nisser 6. Nissers slagsmål, 65

Available for free in Danish here

[instantkingjustaddtea]

From Danish legends - The Fights of Nisser

More information about nisser on my post here

Nik. Chr. tells:

“The farm Ultved is under Tylstrup in Ajstrup parish. Here was a gårdbuk [nisse], who looked after two red cows, and at Gammelvrå was one, who also looked after two red cows. They stole feed from oneanother. A branch of Lindholms stream seperates the farms, and there they met on the bridge one night and fought so there was there was nothing left of them but their big toes.”

From Evald Tang Kristensen's Danske sagn som de har lydt i folkemunde (Danish legends as they have sounded colloquially) (1893), book II, B. Nisser 6. Nissers slagsmål, 59

Available for free in Danish here

[instantkingjustaddtea]

From Danish legends - The Fights of Nisser

More information about nisser on my post here

Chr. R. tells:

“Stude town and Hemmeshöj town had also each a nisse. They stole from each other, but it was going poorly for Hemmeshöj men, for the Stude-nisse was so strong that he could chase the other away. Then the Hemmeshöj-nisse convinced a farm hand to crawl into a sack, which was full of straw, and bring his tinderbox. When the Stude-nisse was carrying this sack and was had travelled half way, it began to burn, and since the nisse had tied it so sufficiently to himself, that he could not quickly get it loosened, the nisse had to burn with it. The farm hand, however, cut a hole in the sack and ran home. Since that time Hemmeshöj has done well.”

From Evald Tang Kristensen's Danske sagn som de har lydt i folkemunde (Danish legends as they have sounded colloquially) (1893), book II, B. Nisser 6. Nissers slagsmål, 96

Available for free in Danish here

[instantkingjustaddtea]

From Danish legends - The Fights of Nisser

More information about nisser on my post here

F. P. J. Lund, Vinten-Enner, tells:

“Many years ago there was a nisse at Bisgård and there was one at Frodesdal. They could not really get along, for they stole oat from one another. One evening they met in Frodesdal’s field and each had a great load of oat. “Good evening,” says the nisse from Bisgård, “where did you get that oat from?” - “From Bisgård,” came the reply, “but where did you get that oat from which you are carrying?” - “From Frodesdal,” came the reply. They now had a row that ended with a fight, whereby they stomped a great hole in the ground that to this day is called Nisseshul [Nisse’s hole], but no one has ever heard anything from the nisser at the two farms since.”

From Evald Tang Kristensen's Danske sagn som de har lydt i folkemunde (Danish legends as they have sounded colloquially) (1893), book II, B. Nisser 6. Nissers slagsmål, 78

Available for free in Danish here

[danishfolklore]

From a god to Santa's Helper - What is a nisse?

The Nordic nisse originated as a pre-Christian house god, though not many sources remain from this period. It is likely that people then, as later, left offerings

Santa's helper? What is he, a witch?

During the 1500's, Danish priests complained about people's belief in and giving offerings of porridge to nisser.

In 1693, Anne Palle was executed for being a witch. Prior to her execution, she confessed to having a nisse as a helper.

There Is A Lovely Country

During the 1800's, Denmark developed a national romanticism, during which folktales became of great interest.

“Legends about the Danish Nisse was first collected and published by J. M. Thiele in Danske Folkesagn (Danish Folktales) (1819-1823). The legends contained older people’s farmer’s tales about the mischievous nisse, who functioned as a protector of the home, as long as he got his porridge the day before a holiday. […]he is “usually dressed in grey clothing and has in addition a pointy red hat”. He was thus dressed as the farmer […].” [x]

Many of these tales appear cautionary, and often depict humans managing to upset a nisse in one way or another, ending up suffering the revenge of the powerful - and at times very creative - creatures.

It was therefore still in 1800's wise to fear and respect the nisse.

What came first, Santa or Santa's helper?

The nisse increasingly became an inspiration for artists, and it is likely their association with holidays that led artist Constantin Hansen to decorate with paper cut outs in the shape of nisser for his Christmas party in Rome in 1836, thus for the first time creating a dedicated Christmas-nisse.

Santa (Danish: Julemanden), however, did not become a part of Danish Christmas tradition before later in the 1800's, and for a while, Santa was himself called a nisse. This way, nisser became associated with bringing Christmas gifts, and later making them for Santa to bring.

The modern nisse

In Denmark today, the nisse has become Santa's, and the and the Nordic nisse/tomte's association with gift-bringing has given inspiration to the English Christmas elf.

Thus, the mischievous (and occasionally very violent) house god has become a cute an helpful fellow, making presents and spreading holiday cheer.

Sources: The Danish National Lexicon histroie-online.dk by Danish Historical Joint Council + x Flemming Conrad Romantik (1800-1870)

If you are interested in reading some of these folk tales, I will be translating and posting some from Evald Tang Kristensen's Danske sagn som de har lydt i folkemunde (Danish legends as they have sounded colloquially) (1893) on this blog under the tag #talesaboutnisser

I have previously posted some on my main blog @instantkingjustaddtea, but those can also be found here.

[instantkingjustaddtea]

From Danish legends - The Fights of Nisser

More information about nisser on my post here

F. P. J. Lund, Vinten-Enner, tells:

“Many years ago there was a nisse at Bisgård and there was one at Frodesdal. They could not really get along, for they stole oat from one another. One evening they met in Frodesdal’s field and each had a great load of oat. “Good evening,” says the nisse from Bisgård, “where did you get that oat from?” - “From Bisgård,” came the reply, “but where did you get that oat from which you are carrying?” - “From Frodesdal,” came the reply. They now had a row that ended with a fight, whereby they stomped a great hole in the ground that to this day is called Nisseshul [Nisse’s hole], but no one has ever heard anything from the nisser at the two farms since.”

From Evald Tang Kristensen's Danske sagn som de har lydt i folkemunde (Danish legends as they have sounded colloquially) (1893), book II, B. Nisser 6. Nissers slagsmål, 78

Available for free in Danish here

[instantkingjustaddtea]

From Danish legends - The Fights of Nisser

More information about nisser on my post here

Chr. R. tells:

“Stude town and Hemmeshöj town had also each a nisse. They stole from each other, but it was going poorly for Hemmeshöj men, for the Stude-nisse was so strong that he could chase the other away. Then the Hemmeshöj-nisse convinced a farm hand to crawl into a sack, which was full of straw, and bring his tinderbox. When the Stude-nisse was carrying this sack and was had travelled half way, it began to burn, and since the nisse had tied it so sufficiently to himself, that he could not quickly get it loosened, the nisse had to burn with it. The farm hand, however, cut a hole in the sack and ran home. Since that time Hemmeshöj has done well.”

From Evald Tang Kristensen's Danske sagn som de har lydt i folkemunde (Danish legends as they have sounded colloquially) (1893), book II, B. Nisser 6. Nissers slagsmål, 96

Available for free in Danish here

[instantkingjustaddtea]

From Danish legends - The Fights of Nisser

More information about nisser on my post here

Nik. Chr. tells:

“The farm Ultved is under Tylstrup in Ajstrup parish. Here was a gårdbuk [nisse], who looked after two red cows, and at Gammelvrå was one, who also looked after two red cows. They stole feed from oneanother. A branch of Lindholms stream seperates the farms, and there they met on the bridge one night and fought so there was there was nothing left of them but their big toes.”

From Evald Tang Kristensen's Danske sagn som de har lydt i folkemunde (Danish legends as they have sounded colloquially) (1893), book II, B. Nisser 6. Nissers slagsmål, 59

Available for free in Danish here

[instantkingjustaddtea]

From Danish legends - The Fights of Nisser

More information about nisser on my post here

M. Møller, Sir. tells:

“Flyndergård and Bækmark has each had a nisse. At the last farm he had especially thrown his love on some steer, which for that reason always was in better condition than the others. At Holmegård it was also told that there were some steer nis prefered. The nisser in at Flyndergård and Bækmark stole from each other, but when they on occasion caught each other at it, they fought, and then they really thrashed. One night, the husband in Flyndergåård was woken by someone shouting by the window: “Sai mee hwat ah shou’d hit wit’!” The husband did not consider the repercussions and shouted back: “You can take the plough.” The wife was also woken by this yelling and the man told her that he thought it was nis who had shouted, for he didn’t think he could speak clearly, and that sort of people probably can’t. The next day he knew for certain, for when he were to plough the field, the plough was beat to splinters.”

From Evald Tang Kristensen's Danske sagn som de har lydt i folkemunde (Danish legends as they have sounded colloquially) (1893), book II, B. Nisser 6. Nissers slagsmål, 65

Available for free in Danish here

[instantkingjustaddtea]

From Danish legends - The Fights of Nisser

More information about nisser on my post here

Mads Jepsen tells:

“Nebbegård lies no longer where it once did, and the reason is as follows: Nebbegård and Ødstedgård had each their own nisse. These two did not exactly live with a good relationship to each other, since they in order to enrich their households stole grain from eachother. One evening it happened neither better nor worse than that they met, each with a good load of grain. Now they fought, very hard, but the end was that the nisse from Nebbe had to relent, and he was killed. Then the Ødsted nisse romped at Nebbe in such a way that they had to move the farm a little away, as the nisse then no power had. That was done, and since then there was peace.”

From Evald Tang Kristensen's Danske sagn som de har lydt i folkemunde (Danish legends as they have sounded colloquially) (1893), book II, B. Nisser 6. Nissers slagsmål, 60

Available for free in Danish here

[instantkingjustaddtea]

From Danish legends - The Fights of Nisser

More information about nisser on my post here

Peder Kjølhede, Muskegon in Michigan, America tells:

“At my birth farm Kjølhede, Bøvling by Lemvig, there was in past days a farm nisse, whom during my childhood many stories were told about. A little north of Kjølhede is the vicarage, a large farm that produced around 400 kg, where there also was a nisse. These two little guys did not always live in the best understanding of good neighbors, as they each wanted the best for their farm, which was often at the expense of the other. Then it happened one year that the vicarage had a poor harvest, but it was so good in Kjølhede that some had to be put outside in a stack. This abundance pained the vicarage-nisse’s eyes. Our Nisse, meanwhile, knew well that the vicar’s nisse had thoughts of thievery. To better waylay the thief, he slept each night on the stack, but he was not a light sleeper. A Saturday night the vicar’s nisse came tip-toeing in thief’s socks and burrowed under the stack, lifted it up and carried it off on his head. Our nisse slept the sleep of the just and felt nothing before the thief came to the vicarage’s field, roughly midway between the two farms where there was a larger ditch and a dike. When the thief went to jump over these, the stack fell from him, and by the disturbance this caused, the sleeper woke and saw instantly what was transpiring. Quickly he descended and there was a horrible fight which lasted until dawn. When people Sunday morning went to church, the were perplexed to see the stack in that place. They approached to see how that could be and found there the back end of a two-wheeled plough and half a harrow left by the stack, as well as marks after a violent battle. The two parts had then been the weapons the two angry fighters had used against each other.”

From Evald Tang Kristensen's Danske sagn som de har lydt i folkemunde (Danish legends as they have sounded colloquially) (1893), book II, B. Nisser 6. Nissers slagsmål, 82

Available for free in Danish here

[instantkingjustaddtea]

From Danish legends - The Fights of Nisser

More information about nisser on my post here

P. K. M. tells:

“Fight between the Kokmose-nisse and the Fastergård-nisse. This one excused himself that it was only his own feed, he was carrying, and therefore he won, as he had right on his side. ‘The nisse who is wrong can never stand,’ people say. There became a puddle […] that still is called Nissesig [Nisse-lake (particularly a small one, or a depression in the terrain which fills with water when it rains)]. But the same night a farm hand from Klokmose had been at Fastergård to see his beloved, and on the way home he passed the nisser while they fought. Instead of helping his nisse, he ran home as fast as he could. But the Klokmose-nisse had seen him and was now angry that he hadn’t helped him, and he decided on revenge. The following night, when the farm hand had gone to bed, the nisse came, took him and carried him our into the yard […] and threw him around on the manure heap until there was not a place on it, where he hadn’t been. Then said the nisse: ‘Well, is ther’ no’ mo’ lannd, then ther’ stil’ som’ wotor!’ and then kicked the farm hand so he flew out into the manure water.”

From Evald Tang Kristensen's Danske sagn som de har lydt i folkemunde (Danish legends as they have sounded colloquially) (1893), book II, B. Nisser 6. Nissers slagsmål, 98

Available for free in Danish here