The monastery of Petschenga : $b Sketches of Russian Lapland (from historical and legendary sources)Friis, J. A. (Jens Andreas)
History
The monastery of Petschenga : $b Sketches of Russian Lapland (from historical and legendary sources)
Friis, J. A. (Jens Andreas)
Legends -- Lapland; Petschenga (Monastery)
shipbuilding that was carried on at the Warehouse Inlet, the work of
the salt-pans on the Fiskerö, and also the sea-fishery. In this latter
industry he showed himself both courageous and skilful.
He frequently made excursions into the country, and it was asserted
that he returned with gold-dust. In these excursions he was invariably
accompanied by a Finn, a diminutive creature, who was called Unnas,
whose appearance corresponded to the meaning of his name. Ambrose had,
on one of his wanderings over the mountains, come upon something which
looked like a bundle of clothes; on closer inspection he observed that
something moved within the bundle. It was the little creature Unnas,
who had squeezed himself together in his coat, and had laid himself
down there to die. He had broken his leg, and for two days had
painfully tried to creep towards some human habitation; but at last, in
pain and helplessness, he had abandoned all hope of getting help.
Ambrose lifted him with ease on his strong shoulders, and carried him
home to the monastery. Here he allowed him to have a berth in his own
cell, set and bandaged his leg, and attended to him for some six weeks,
until he had recovered. From that time forward the little creature
Unnas followed Ambrose about like a faithful dog. Ambrose could not get
quit of him, although he did not always want him. His efforts were of
no avail, even when he endeavoured to escape from him. Unnas would
track him wherever he went, and follow him at a distance, until the
good-natured Ambrose would make him a sign to come closer, and allow
him to accompany him.
When Ambrose came to the monastery, there was a pirate who had for
years made descents on the shores of the Fishers’ Isle, and his visits
were the terror and temporary ruin of the inhabitants. The pirate was
named Anika, and every year he came, late in the summer, with a big
ship, and anchored beside a small island, which took its name, Anikief,
from him. Whence he came nobody knew, nor where he went with his fish
when he had laden his ship. In the winter time no one ever saw anything
of him. But in the spring, when the first fleet of boats arrived for
the fishing season, either from Kola or from Pomorien, Anika’s ship
would be lying off Anikief. And as soon as the fishermen came in from
the sea with their take of fish, they might be sure of seeing Anika
walking along the shore, ready to receive them. They were then obliged,
whether they liked it or not, to give him the tenth part of their
catch. If they did not at once give it to him willingly, he and his men
took it by main force, and the fishermen were more than likely to get a
good beating into the bargain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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