Anne Godlid
Bornc. 1773
Synsttveiten, Seljord, Vest-Telemark, Norway
Diedc. 1863
Other namesAnne Golid, Anne Golið, Anne Gólid
OccupationStoryteller

Anne Olsdotter Godlid (sometimes spelled Golid, Golið, and Gólid; c. 1773—c. 1863)[1] was a well-known Norwegian storyteller from Seljord, Telemark, Norway.[1][2] She was noted for her excellent memory[3][4][5][6] and proved an invaluable resource for collectors and Jørgen Moe, Magnus Brostrup Landstad, and Olea Crøger.[2]

According to Rikard Berge, Godlid was born on Synsttveiten in Vest-Telemark, Norway in 1773, though this is disputed; others believe she was born in 1777.[3][7] Godlid lived with her parents, Olav and Gunnhild Synsttveiten, and worked on their farm for many years along with her 5 siblings, which included a sister, Kjersti, and two brothers, Nerid/Nirid and Tov.[3] Nerid was a skipper.[5][2][8] He is the subject of a story Godlid shared: one night, on December 24, he was sailing off the coast of China, thinking about his pregnant wife back in Norway.[3] A fellow sailor told Nerid he could go check on his family to make sure they were okay.[3] The sailor laid on upon the floor and closed his eyes.[3] Some versions say the man returned with a silver spoon Nerid recognized from his own home, while others say he imparted information to Nerid that was later found to be true.[3][8] Nerid is thought to have drowned on a subsequent voyage.[3] Godlid believed her family was descended from Olav Mannslagar, also known as Olav Garvik.[2]

Godlid's appearance is described as "scary;" her black hair was coarse like "on a pig" and when she cut it in later life, it stood up "like a comb."[2] She had a big nose and as an elder walked with a hunch and cane.[2][5] Berge described her as tough, strong, and wise, but also cheerful and maternal.[2] She enjoyed liquor and "took tobacco like a man."[3] Berge wrote that she was beautiful in her youth, but as an adult, "the ugliest creature you should ever see."[3] Landstad's mother said she looked like a mountain troll.[3] Godlid also walked around town mumbling to herself in her later years; it was said she communicated with another realm.

Godlid's grandson Olav Tjønnstaul

Godlid married Jørn Uppebøen, a wealthy widow from Utgarden, at age 40; he died around 20 years later.[5][9] The couple had two children: Olav, who died soon after birth, and Ingebjørge, who was named after her father's first wife.[9][3] Jørn also had five children from his first marriage: Halvor I, Aslaug, Gunhild, Aaste, and Halvor II.[9] Ingebjørge married and had 8 children, two of which were folklorist Knut Loupedalen[10] and storyteller/fiddler Olav Sondreson Tjønnstaul.[2][9][3] Her great-grandson was musician Jørgen Tjønnstaul (1894—1985).[2][11][12] Jørgen was left on his own from a young age after his parents and siblings died from illness around 1907.[11]

Godlid struggled with money after her husband's death; she may have made money and secured housing in exchange for storytelling.[5] She sat with Jørgen Moe in 1842[3][5] and with Magnus Brostrup Landstad for eight days to share her stories.[2] Throughout the years, Godlid's unique way of storytelling has been lost and little remains of her original material.[2] The tale The Master Maid is based on a story told by Godlid; in another story, Godlid details how she and her dog Birna encountered a mother bear protecting her cubs but Godlid walked away unharmed.[3][13] Berge wrote: "She carried with her one of the greatest treasures of old folklore found in one single person. Therefore, her name is worth remembering."[3] Similarly, Landstand said: "It is not possible to write it all down, what´s inside that grey head."[3] Around 100 of Godlid's stories were ultimately written down, many much later by her great-grandson Olav, but she was likely to have many more tales to tell.[3]

Godlid's date of death is also disputed, as the church did not note it, but she is believed to have been over 90 years old at the time of her death.[2][14] Berge wrote that she died on April 11, 1863, though this would have made her about 84.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 Christiansen, Reidar. Folktales of Norway. p. 39-40.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Gøril Ramo Håve (2019). "Jeg vil fortelle: Lokale fortellinger og musikk fra Vinje, Tinn og Seljord" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Universitetet i Sørøst-Norge. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Berge, Rikard. Norsk sogukunst (in Norwegian).
  4. ↑ Brostrup Landstad, Magnus; Landstad, Anna. Aettesagaer og sagn fra Telemarken: efterladte optegneler (in Danish).
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bischoff, Doerte; Frenk, Joachim. Sprach-Welten der Informationsgesellschaft: Perspektiven der Philologie : Tag des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses der Universität Münster (in German).
  6. ↑ Refsum, ASI (2016). Båra bere so vent eit viv yvi lande (PDF) (thesis) (in Norwegian). Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  7. ↑ "Kjelda på Golid" (in Norwegian). Vets-Telemark blad. n.d. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  8. 1 2 Simpson, Elizabeth; Sehmsdorf, Henning K.; Kvideland, Reimund. Nordic Folklore: recent studies.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Flatin, Kjetil Aslaksson. Folkeminne fraa Telemarki (in Norwegian).
  10. ↑ Johannsen, Dirk. Das Numinose als kulturwissenschaftliche Kategorie: norwegische Sagenwelt in religionswissenschaftlicher Deutung (in German).
  11. 1 2 Børte, Else (2020-10-19). "Formidlar levande forteljingar og spel frå Jørgen Tjønnstauls liv" (in Norwegian). Vest-Telemark blad. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  12. ↑ "«Sogespel» - Ei konsertforteljing om Jørgen Tjønnstaul" (in Norwegian). Visit Telemark. n.d. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  13. ↑ Gutiérrez Ashling, Lara (2013). A Spanish translation: Alison Lurie's tales (PDF) (thesis). Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  14. ↑ Lognvik, Anne (2011-12-22). "Denne boka har han venta på i 30 år" (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
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