Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Pages ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
ACCOUNT OF DANISH LAPLAND BY LEEMS. 477
follow the courfe of the fun, it was a fign that he in whofe behalf the drum was ftruck,
enjoyed good fortune.
But he faid that he when going to ufe this drum marked himfelf and it with the
fign of the crofs, as an earneft of good fuccefs, fubjoining the Lord’s prayer, and
thefe words: lbmel Atzhje Barne ja Engel vekjet don, which fignify, God the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghoft, aflift me, (I never perceived that the Laplanders called the
Holy Ghoft, angel, but in all countries known to me they call it Pa/fe Vuoign). To thefe
prayers he added more words, and on ftriking with a hammer the {kin of the drum,
he fet in motion the brafs cover on this fide and that. In the midft of the work, he
broke out into thefe words ; Thou, O God, who hatt created the heaven and the earth,
the fun, the moon, the ftars, and all men, the birds, and fifhes of the fea, Iam aman
liable to error, old, and unworthy ; it is better that I fhould die than that you fhould
deny your help to him in whofe behalf we intreat you ; where it is to be obferved that
the Laplanders, fpeaking in the Danifh language, ufe the firft perfon plural, we, for
the firft perfon fingular, I.
Another Laplander of Finmark gave this explication of his Runic drum. The ta-
lons of all animals which that country produces, were fufpended from it on every fide ;
and on the fkin covering the uppey part of it, nine lines were painted from elm bark,
each having its own omen. He alfo added, when going to exhibit, that he placed a
copper bird furrounded with little bits of brafs on the fkin of it, and {truck it with a horn
hammer, covered with beaver’s fkin. By this impulfe, the bird turned itfelf to the
lucky or unlucky figures. He faid, if this copper bird, when the fkin of the Runic in-
ftrument was {truck with the hammer, fell from it to the earth, that it wasa fign that
the fame perfon would foon die. He further added, that when two wizards, called
Noaads, withed to know, which excelled the other in the magic, that they painted two
rein-deer firiking each other with their horns, ona Runic drum. The fignification was,
that he whofe rein-deer had the victory was the better wizard.
There were among the magicians or Noaads, who openly pretended that they were
both able and willing to do injury to men and alfo to cattle. ‘Thefe, as we fhall fup-
pofe, were dreaded more than dog or ferpent. When fuch a perfon was going to
practife his art, he ate wolves’ flefh, or fox’s, before he began, from a perfuafion
that he drew no fmall degree of {trength and power from it.
Others, on the other hand, confeffed, that they could cure various difeafes, give their
fifhing and hunting parties fignal fuccefs, and, of their own free will, confer the
greateft poflible benefits on thofe that ftood in need of them, whence it is no wonder,
that they were held in high eftimation by the Laplanders, and celebrated by great
raifes.
i ‘The magician, whenever called to the affiftance of a fick perfon, conducted him-
felf in the following manner, as the Laplanders relate: He thus fpoke to the Noaaid-
Lodde, or his magic bird, Haette dal Kotzhio duu matkai, that is, neceflity compels you to
undertake a journey ; on which words he folemnly fent the faid bird to the Noaaid-Gadze,
that is, the partnerlhip of the magician, or certain {pirits addicted and bound to the at.
tendence of the magician, when come tohim. ‘I’wo colleges, the one vifible the other
invifible, were inftituted for the Noaaid-Gadze, or fociety of the magician affembled
by the miniftry of the faid bird. The council which was called invifible, confifted of
the magician and two women, adorned with a linen hood and all the reft of a religious
drefs, except the girdle. Thefe women were called S/jarak. ‘To thefe members were
added others ; aman without a hood and girdle, anda girl not as yet adult. ‘The man
10 ia
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
