SKETCHES FROM SAETERSDAL. 225 



not a little to the promotion of wedlock, and the pre- 

 servation of morals, and to the destruction and discom- 

 fiture of all bachelors and convents. More than one 

 has obtained his bride in this way, "par droit de 

 conquete ;" and the custom prevails to this day. 



But, on the whole, one cannot deny that there is a 

 noble pride, a deep feeling of independence, and love of 

 liberty that hates constraint beyond everything, be- 

 longing to their good qualities, and shining brightly 

 through all their slothful habits and dirtiness. 



The Saetersdal peasant is bold, openhearted, straight- 

 forward, and hospitable. With a brimming beaker he 

 meets the guest who passes over his threshold, and 

 drinks to him, and offers him the strong, foaming ale, 

 which, however, it is not the mark of good breeding to 

 quaff off till after repeated and pressing invitations on 

 the side of the host, and continued protests on the part 

 of the guest, in order that the former may have ample 

 opportunities for displaying his persuasive powers. 



As regards enlightenment, the Saetersdal peasantry 

 s,tand remarkably low. Very few of them can read, and 

 still fewer write. Then' ideas are, naturally, primitive 

 to a degree. The rotundity of the earth they still look 

 on as a most doubtful matter. 



Like our venerable forefathers, they believe the world 

 to be flat, like a pancake, in the middle of which the 

 Almighty has placed Norway, and Saetersdal again in the 



