The Water Nymph.[1](#xd32e2685)
by Herman Hofberg
](https://xmoj.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpustaka.org%2Flibrary-files%2Fenglish%2Fherman_hofberg%2Fswedish_fairy_tales%2Fthe_water_nymph_1_xd32e2685%2Fimages%2Fcover%2Fcover_001.png&w=800&h=1064&fit=cover&output=webp&q=80)
The River Musician and the Kind Priest
A special player lived there. He lived by a river. A big mill was there. The river was busy. A big mill stood by a fast river. The river flowed very strong. The mill made a loud sound. It was a busy place. The river had a secret. It was a special place. A Kind Priest lived nearby.
One day, the Priest walked. He walked by the river. He heard a sweet sound. It was music. A River Player sat in the water. He played a small fiddle. The music was very soft. It was very pretty. The River Player loved the water. He played a happy song. The Kind Priest was very surprised. He stopped to listen. He saw the special player.
The Kind Priest spoke. "Your music is not good," he said. He spoke loudly, "It will not help you." The River Player felt sad. He heard the unkind words. He felt very, very sad. The Kind Priest did not smile. He looked very stern. He thought the music was wrong. He did not like it.
The River Player stopped playing. He put his fiddle down. He felt a big sadness. His music was gone. He did not play again. His heart was heavy. He looked down at the water. He felt very, very sad. The music was silent now.
The Kind Priest watched him. He felt bad inside. He saw the River Player's sadness. He said, "God knows." Good things can happen. He spoke softly now. "Good things can happen for you too." He changed his words. He felt sorry for his words. He wanted to give hope. All can feel good.
The River Player looked up. His eyes were bright. He felt a big joy. "Is that true?" he asked. He smiled a wide smile. He picked up his fiddle. He held it with care. He said, "I will play again." He played a new song. The music was so, so sweet. It was even more pretty. The Kind Priest smiled too. The river sang with him. All felt happy. The music filled the air. It was a happy sound. He played with all his heart.
And so, the Kind Priest learned. Kind words make a change. They make a big change. They make people happy. The River Player played his music. The Kind Priest smiled. Kindness brings joy to all.
Original Story
The Water Nymph.[1](#xd32e2685)
About a mile northwest from Järna Church was located, at one time, a water mill, Snöåqvarn, belonging to the parishioners of Näs.
One Sunday morning, before the church of Järna had a priest of its own, the chaplain of Näs set out for that place, and had just arrived at the mill, when he saw a water man sitting in the rapids below it, playing on a fiddle a psalm from a psalm book.
“What good do you think your playing will do you?” said the priest. “You need expect no mercy!”
Sadly the figure ceased playing, and broke his fiddle in pieces, whereupon the priest regretted his severe condemnation, and again spoke:
“God knows, maybe, after all.”
“Is that so?” exclaimed the man in joy, “then I’ll pick up my pieces and play better and more charmingly than before.”
---
To another mill in the same parish, Lindqvarn, near Lindsnäs, a peasant came one time with his grist. Along in the night he thought he would go and see if it was yet ground. He noticed on his arrival that the mill was not running, and opened the wicket to the wheel-house to learn what the matter might be, when he saw, glaring at him from the water below, two eyes “as large as half moons.”
“The devil! what great eyes you have!” cried the peasant, but received no reply.
“Whew! what monstrous eyes you have!” the peasant again cried; again no answer.
Then he sprang into the mill, where he stirred up a large fire brand, with which he returned.
“Are your eyes as large now?” he shouted through the wicket.
“Yes!” came in answer from the stream.
Hereupon the peasant ran the stick through a hole in the floor, where the voice seemed to come from, and at once the wheel began to turn again.
---
[1](#xd32e2685src) The water nymphs are noted musicians; their music usually being in a plaintive strain and expressing a longing to be released on the day of judgment. Sometimes, but not so often, they appear in the folk-lore as the capricious rulers of the streams which they inhabit. It is believed, in certain regions that one should not grind grain on the night before Christmas, for at that time the nymphs are out in all the streams, and if they find a mill going they stop it, break it, or grind at such a furious rate that the millstones burst. [↑](#xd32e2685src "Return to note 1 in text.")
Moral of the Story
Even supernatural beings may yearn for salvation, and a kind word can offer hope where condemnation brings despair.
Characters
The Water Man ◆ supporting
Appears human-like, but with characteristics tied to water. His form is not explicitly described beyond his location in the rapids, suggesting a connection to the aquatic environment. He is capable of sitting and playing an instrument.
Attire: Not explicitly described, but likely simple or natural, perhaps made of reeds or water plants, or appearing as if he is part of the water itself.
Wants: To find mercy and release on the day of judgment, as is characteristic of water nymphs/men in folklore. His playing of a psalm indicates a spiritual yearning.
Flaw: Vulnerable to spiritual condemnation; easily discouraged by harsh words.
He experiences a moment of despair and destruction of his instrument, followed by renewed hope and a desire to play again, due to the priest's change of heart.
Musical, sensitive, easily disheartened by condemnation, but quick to joy and hope when offered mercy. He is driven by a longing for salvation, as indicated by his playing a psalm.
The Chaplain of Näs ◆ supporting
A man of the cloth, likely of average build and height for a clergyman of the era. No specific physical details are given.
Attire: Era-appropriate clerical attire for a chaplain in rural Sweden (Järna/Näs parish) in an unspecified historical period, likely a dark, simple cassock or similar priestly vestments.
Wants: To fulfill his priestly duties, which include spiritual guidance and, initially, condemnation of what he perceives as unholy acts. Later, his motivation shifts to offering hope.
Flaw: His initial harsh judgment and lack of immediate empathy.
He begins by condemning the Water Man, causing despair. He then regrets his severity and offers a glimmer of hope, leading to the Water Man's renewed joy.
Initially severe and judgmental, but capable of regret and offering mercy. He is a man of God, bound by his spiritual duties.
The Peasant ★ protagonist
A robust, working-class man, likely of sturdy build from manual labor. No specific height or build is given, but he is capable of quick action.
Attire: Typical Swedish peasant attire of the era: likely a coarse linen shirt, wool trousers, a simple tunic or jacket, and sturdy leather boots or wooden clogs. Practical and durable clothing for farm work.
Wants: To ensure his grain is ground at the mill. When confronted by the mysterious eyes, his motivation shifts to understanding and resolving the strange occurrence.
Flaw: His initial bluntness and perhaps a touch of impulsiveness in his exclamations.
He encounters a mysterious, potentially supernatural entity and, through his bravery and ingenuity, manages to resolve the situation and get the mill working again.
Curious, brave, direct, and quick-thinking. He is not easily intimidated and takes initiative to solve problems.
The Water Nymph (Lindqvarn) ⚔ antagonist
Only her eyes are seen: 'as large as half moons', glaring from the water below the mill. This suggests a large, possibly monstrous, or at least imposing, aquatic presence.
Attire: Not applicable, as only her eyes are visible from the water.
Wants: To stop the mill from running, particularly during a time when water nymphs are active (implied to be a night like Christmas Eve, though not explicitly stated for this specific encounter, it aligns with the folklore note).
Flaw: Vulnerable to direct physical intervention, as the stick causes her to release her hold and the mill to turn again.
She is initially successful in stopping the mill, but is then thwarted by the peasant's ingenuity, causing the mill to resume operation.
Capricious, powerful, and disruptive, as she stops the mill. She is silent and unresponsive to initial inquiries, suggesting a mysterious or perhaps malevolent nature.
Locations
Snöåqvarn Water Mill
A traditional Swedish water mill, likely constructed from timber and stone, situated about a mile northwest from Järna Church. Below the mill, there are rapids where the water flows swiftly.
Mood: Initially serene and pastoral, then shifts to a moment of somber reflection and eventual hope.
A chaplain encounters a water man playing a psalm on a fiddle in the rapids, leading to a pivotal exchange about mercy and hope.
Lindqvarn Water Mill
Another traditional Swedish water mill, near Lindsnäs, with a wicket leading into the wheel-house. The interior of the mill likely contains grinding stones and a mechanism for starting a fire.
Mood: Eerie and mysterious, with a sense of unease and confrontation, eventually shifting to relief.
A peasant investigates why the mill isn't running and confronts a water nymph with 'eyes as large as half moons' through a wicket, eventually using a fire brand to restart the mill.
Story DNA
Moral
Even supernatural beings may yearn for salvation, and a kind word can offer hope where condemnation brings despair.
Plot Summary
This folk tale presents two separate encounters with water spirits. In the first, a chaplain condemns a water man playing a psalm, causing the spirit to break his fiddle in despair, but then offers a glimmer of hope for salvation, which revives the water man's joy. In the second, a peasant finds his mill stopped by a water nymph with enormous eyes; after a brief exchange, the peasant uses a fire brand to drive the nymph away, restarting his mill. Both stories highlight human interaction with the supernatural and the power of words or actions.
Themes
Emotional Arc
despair to hope | fear to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
These tales reflect a time when rural communities relied on water power and believed in local spirits, often blending Christian beliefs with older folk traditions.
Plot Beats (13)
- A water mill, Snöåqvarn, is located near Järna Church.
- A chaplain from Näs encounters a water man playing a psalm on a fiddle in the rapids below the mill.
- The chaplain harshly condemns the water man, stating he can expect no mercy.
- The water man sadly breaks his fiddle, ceasing his music.
- The chaplain regrets his words and offers a small hope of mercy.
- The water man, filled with joy, declares he will pick up his pieces and play more charmingly.
- At another mill, Lindqvarn, a peasant arrives to check his grist.
- The peasant finds the mill stopped and sees two large eyes glaring from the water below the wheel-house.
- The peasant repeatedly exclaims about the monstrous eyes, receiving no reply.
- The peasant retrieves a large fire brand from inside the mill.
- The peasant shouts at the nymph, asking if her eyes are still large, and receives a 'Yes!'
- The peasant thrusts the stick through a hole in the floor where the voice came from.
- The mill wheel immediately begins to turn again.
