FORSSA CHURCH.

In the village Tåsta—Tattestad—in the parish of Hög, lived in former

times a widely renowned man named Tatte, whose son, Blacke, after whom

the high mountain, Blackåsberg, was named, dwelt in Nannestad, a

village in the parish of Forssa.

When the father and son were baptized they together built the church of

Hög, in commemoration of the event. Upon its completion Blacke, whose

home was a long ride distant, stipulated that the bells, calling the

people to worship, should never be rung until his white horse was seen

on Åsaks Hill.

One Christmas day, when Blacke was later than usual, Tatte commanded

that the bell be rung, and the services had already begun when Blacke

arrived at the church. In anger he tore the runic engraved ring from

the church door, with prayers bound it upon his horse, made a vow that

he would build a church of his own where the ring fell to the ground,

and mounting his horse, rode away at full speed.

While crossing Lake Forssa the ice broke, and the horse was plunged

into the water, but both horse and rider, however, succeeded in

reaching the shore, where the horse shook himself so violently that the

ring was loosened and fell to the earth. Blacke kept his word and built

a church, which, after the adjacent lake, was called Forssa Church.

Swedish fairy tales · 第 111 / 121 题