Anne Godlid
Encyclopedia
Anne Godlid, born ca. 1773 and died November 4, 1863, was a well known Norwegian
storyteller
from the county of Telemark
. She was a valuable source for collectors like Jørgen Moe
and Magnus Brostrup Landstad
. The folklorist Rikard Berge
wrote of her: "She carried with her one of the greatest treasures of old folklore found in one single person. Therefore, her name is worth remembering."
Anne came from a line of storytellers in Seljord
. She grew up with at least three siblings, one of whom went to sea. This brother, Nerid, was believed to have drowned near the coast of China
. From him, Anne inherited a binocular
, and some stories. In her younger years, Anne served at several farms, and learned a lot of stories and songs wherever she went. The story goes that she was hard to scare, and at some point she was nearly killed by an angry she-bear. She had also a great constitution, and was hardly sick during her long life.
Anne was not pretty, and on her older days, she was "one of the ugliest creatures one could see". She was small, but coarse with a big nose. Her hair was cut short like a mohawk
. But she got married eventually, to Jørn Øvsttveiten. They had two children, Ingebjørg, who lived to adulthood, and Olav, who died in his youth.
Jørgen Moe
found her during the harvest late 1842, while he was still seeking for employment. She was getting the hay indoors, and Moe had to help her to get to her. When the work was done, she told him stories and fairy-tales, and he wrote them down. But he was not thorough enough, and got only four or five stories dowm. One of them was The Master Maid
. Many of her stories were long and elaborate, and Moe did´nt manage many that night, and had to move on. They never met again.
Magnus Brostrup Landstad
had her on visit for eight days, and recalled how much she was able to remember. "It is not possible to write it all down, what´s inside that grey head", he noted. Olea Crøger
wrote down a number of songs after her. It was Landstad who recommended her to Jørgen Moe.
On her later days, she went crooked down with a staff
, often mumbling to herself. It was said she communicated with the secondary world, and went at once in both worlds.
From Anne, about hundred stories are written down. There is an amount of uncertainty about her actual knowledge, but it was known to be very great. She had a fabolous memory, Landstad recorded after meeting her. Some ballad
s and songs are also written down from her memory, and she gave many stories on to her grandson, the storyteller and fiddler Olav Tjønnstaul.
Anne died in 1863, and reckoned herself to be about 90 at the time. The actual date of her birth is somewhat disputed.
Source
Rikard Berge
: Norsk Sogukunst (Norwegian art of storytelling), Aschehoug
1924.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
storyteller
Storytelling
Storytelling is the conveying of events in words, images and sounds, often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and in order to instill moral values...
from the county of Telemark
Telemark
is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...
. She was a valuable source for collectors like Jørgen Moe
Jørgen Moe
right|thumb|Norske Folkeeventyr Asbjørnsen and Moe Jørgen Engebretsen Moe was a Norwegian bishop and author...
and Magnus Brostrup Landstad
Magnus Brostrup Landstad
Magnus Brostrup Landstad was a Norwegian minister, psalmist and poet who published the first collection of authentic Norwegian traditional ballads in 1853...
. The folklorist Rikard Berge
Rikard Berge
Rikard Berge was a Norwegian folklorist, museologist biographer and magazine editor. He was born in Rauland in Vinje, Telemark. Berge started writing down traditional folklore from the rural districts of Telemark from he was twelve years old...
wrote of her: "She carried with her one of the greatest treasures of old folklore found in one single person. Therefore, her name is worth remembering."
Anne came from a line of storytellers in Seljord
Seljord
Seljord is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Vest-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Seljord...
. She grew up with at least three siblings, one of whom went to sea. This brother, Nerid, was believed to have drowned near the coast of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. From him, Anne inherited a binocular
Binocular
Binocular may refer to:* Binocular vision, seeing with two eyes* Binoculars, a telescopic tool* Binocular, a thoroughbred race horse* Binocular , Kevin Rudolf's band that released a self-titled album in 2001....
, and some stories. In her younger years, Anne served at several farms, and learned a lot of stories and songs wherever she went. The story goes that she was hard to scare, and at some point she was nearly killed by an angry she-bear. She had also a great constitution, and was hardly sick during her long life.
Anne was not pretty, and on her older days, she was "one of the ugliest creatures one could see". She was small, but coarse with a big nose. Her hair was cut short like a mohawk
Mohawk hairstyle
The mohawk is a hairstyle in which, in the most common variety, both sides of the head are shaven, leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair...
. But she got married eventually, to Jørn Øvsttveiten. They had two children, Ingebjørg, who lived to adulthood, and Olav, who died in his youth.
Jørgen Moe
Jørgen Moe
right|thumb|Norske Folkeeventyr Asbjørnsen and Moe Jørgen Engebretsen Moe was a Norwegian bishop and author...
found her during the harvest late 1842, while he was still seeking for employment. She was getting the hay indoors, and Moe had to help her to get to her. When the work was done, she told him stories and fairy-tales, and he wrote them down. But he was not thorough enough, and got only four or five stories dowm. One of them was The Master Maid
The Master Maid
The Master Maid is a Norwegian fairy tale collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in their Norske Folkeeventyr. "Master" indicates "superior, skilled." Jørgen Moe wrote the tale down from the storyteller Anne Godlid in Seljord on a short visit in the autumn of 1842.It is...
. Many of her stories were long and elaborate, and Moe did´nt manage many that night, and had to move on. They never met again.
Magnus Brostrup Landstad
Magnus Brostrup Landstad
Magnus Brostrup Landstad was a Norwegian minister, psalmist and poet who published the first collection of authentic Norwegian traditional ballads in 1853...
had her on visit for eight days, and recalled how much she was able to remember. "It is not possible to write it all down, what´s inside that grey head", he noted. Olea Crøger
Olea Crøger
Olea Crøger , the daughter of a pastor from Heddal, Norway, collected and published old folk tunes. She started this work before the more famous work of Jørgen Moe and Magnus Brostrup Landstad. Over her life, she collected and published volumes of material which contributed significantly to the...
wrote down a number of songs after her. It was Landstad who recommended her to Jørgen Moe.
On her later days, she went crooked down with a staff
Walking stick
A walking stick is a device used by many people to facilitate balancing while walking.Walking sticks come in many shapes and sizes, and can be sought by collectors. Some kinds of walking stick may be used by people with disabilities as a crutch...
, often mumbling to herself. It was said she communicated with the secondary world, and went at once in both worlds.
From Anne, about hundred stories are written down. There is an amount of uncertainty about her actual knowledge, but it was known to be very great. She had a fabolous memory, Landstad recorded after meeting her. Some ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s and songs are also written down from her memory, and she gave many stories on to her grandson, the storyteller and fiddler Olav Tjønnstaul.
Anne died in 1863, and reckoned herself to be about 90 at the time. The actual date of her birth is somewhat disputed.
Source
Rikard Berge
Rikard Berge
Rikard Berge was a Norwegian folklorist, museologist biographer and magazine editor. He was born in Rauland in Vinje, Telemark. Berge started writing down traditional folklore from the rural districts of Telemark from he was twelve years old...
: Norsk Sogukunst (Norwegian art of storytelling), Aschehoug
Aschehoug
H. Aschehoug & Co , commonly known as Aschehoug, is one of the largest independent publishing companies in Norway. -History:...
1924.