In the peak of Mount Garphytte, one of the many mountain tops that
raise themselves over Kilseberger, dwelt, in former days, a giant named
Rise.
One morning, as he went from his grotto out into the day, a strange
sound, which caused him to pause, greeted his ear. He listened for some
time, then returned into the mountain and called his wife.
“Put the smallest of those stones that lie upon the peak into your
garter and sling it at that gray cow that goes tinkling along down
there by Hjelmaren!” said he, meaning the new church just completed at
Orebro, whose bells were that morning ringing for the first time in the
service of the Lord.
The giantess, as she was commanded, took a stone as large as a house
and threw it at the church, some eight or ten miles distant.
“That was a poor throw,” said the giant, when the stone fell down on
the plain of Rumbo. “Bring here the band; you shall see a throw that
will do its work,” whereupon he adjusted a monstrous stone in his
wife’s garter, and, swinging it a few times through the air, let it go
with all his power toward the new church.
“Great in command, but little in power,” said the giant woman, when the
stone fell upon the one she had thrown, and was broken into a thousand
pieces.
At the same time the bell rung out with wonderful clearness. Furious
with rage, he tore up two large stones, took one under each arm, and
set out for Orebro. Intelligence having reached the residents of Orebro
that the giant was coming, consternation was general and good advice
dear.
Finally, an old man undertook to save the church. In great haste he
gathered up all the worn-out shoes he could find, put them in a sack,
and set out to meet the giant. At Ulfgryt, in Toby, he met the giant,
who was anything but gentle in appearance.
“How far is it to Orebro?” asked Rise.
“I can’t say exactly,” answered the old man, in an innocent manner,
“but it is long a way, you will find, for it is seven years since I
left there, and I have worn out all these shoes on the way.”
“Then let him who will, go there, but I will not,” said the giant, and
threw the stones from him to the ground with such force that they rang
as they struck it.
The stones lie there by the roadside even to-day, but the most
remarkable circumstance is that they turn over whenever the church
bells in Orebro are rung.