Feats on the Fiord | Page 3

these foreign articles would be
required for the use of her household for a whole year; and, trusting to
her calculations, which were never found to be wrong, her husband
came home from the winter fair heavily enough laden with good things.
Nor was it only what was required for his own every-day household
that he brought. The quantity of provisions, especially corn-brandy,
tobacco, coffee, and sugar, consumed in hospitality in Norway, is
almost incredible; and retired as the Erlingsens might appear to dwell,
they were as hospitable, according to their opportunities, as any
inhabitant of Bergen or Christiana. They gave feasts at Christmas, and
on every occasion that they could devise. The occasion, on the
particular January day mentioned above, was the betrothment of one of
the house-maidens to a young farm-servant of the establishment. I do
not mean that this festival was anything like a marriage. It was merely
an engagement to be married; but this engagement is a much more
formal and public affair in Norway (and indeed wherever the people
belong to the Lutheran church) than with us. According to the rites of
the Lutheran church, there are two ceremonies,--one when a couple
become engaged, and another when they are married. In Norway, this
betrothment gives the couple a certain dignity beyond that of the
unengaged, and more liberty of companionship, together with certain
rights in law. This makes up to them for being obliged to wait so long
as they often must before they can marry. In a country, scattered over
with farmers, like Norway, where there are few money transactions,
because people provide for their own wants on their own little estates,
servants do not shift their places, and go from master to master, as with
us. A young man and woman have to wait long,--probably till some

houseman dies or removes, before they can settle; and then they are
settled for life,--provided for till death, if they choose to be commonly
industrious and honest. The story of this betrothment at Erlingsen's will
explain what I have just said.
As Madame Erlingsen had two daughters growing up, and they were no
less active than the girls of a Norwegian household usually are, she had
occasion for only two maidens to assist in the business of the dwelling
and the dairy.
Of these two, the younger, Erica, was the maiden betrothed to-day. No
one perhaps rejoiced so much at the event as her mistress, both for
Erica's sake, and on account of her two young daughters. Erica was not
the best companion for them; and the servants of a Norwegian farmer
are necessarily the companions of the daughters of the house. There
was nothing wrong in Erica's conduct or temper towards the family.
She had, when confirmed, [Note 1] borne so high a character, that
many places were offered her, and Madame Erlingsen had thought
herself very fortunate in obtaining her services. But, since then, Erica
had sustained a shock which hurt her spirits, and increased a weakness
which she owed to her mother. Her mother, a widow, had brought up
her child in all the superstitions of the country, some of which remain
in full strength even to this day, and were then very powerful; and the
poor woman's death at last confirmed the lessons of her life. She had
stayed too long one autumn day at the Erlingsen's; and, being benighted
on her return, and suddenly seized and bewildered by the cold, had
wandered from the road, and was found frozen to death in a recess of
the forest which it was surprising that she should have reached. Erica
never believed that she did reach this spot of her own accord. Having
had some fears before of the Wood-Demon having been offended by
one of the family, Erica regarded this accident as a token of his
vengeance. She said this when she first heard of her mother's death; and
no reasonings from the zealous pastor of the district, no soothing from
her mistress, could shake her persuasion. She listened with submission,
wiping away her quiet tears as they discoursed; but no one could ever
get her to say that she doubted whether there was a Wood-Demon, or
that she was not afraid of what he would do if offended.

Erlingsen and his wife always treated her superstition as a weakness;
and when she was not present, they ridiculed it. Yet they saw that it had
its effect on their daughters. Erica most strictly obeyed their wish that
she should not talk about the spirits of the region with Orga and Frolich;
but the girls found plenty of people to tell them what they could not
learn from Erica. Besides what everybody knows who lives in the rural
districts of Norway,--about Nipen, the spirit that is