The "old sayings" about Kokarsteinen
The Southside-Troll and the Northside-Troll
In the middle ages there lived two Trolls in Storfjorden - on each side
of the fjord (The Northside-troll and the Southside-Troll). Both Trolls
were desperately in love with the same beautiful woman. She, however,
did not care for either of them. But both trolls were convinced that they
would win her heart - an like man have done in centuries - they started
fighting.
The fighting did not help them to win her, but they never gave up. In
total rage the Southside-Troll starting throwing big rocks at the Nortside-Troll.
At one time the Southside-Troll got very furious and kept throwing rocks
the whole night. The last rock was thrown when the sun rose in the horizon.
The saying claims that the rock landed on the northside of the fjord and
became "Kokarsteinen" (the coocking stone - the Northside-Troll
used the stone for making meals). This event was fatal for the Southside-Troll.
When trolls are hit by the sunbeams of the rising sun, they automaticalle
are changed to stone. And that was exactly what happened to the Southside-troll.
The Northside-troll never won the heart of the beautiful woman, but at
least it had got rid of a rival, and had a perfect place for preparing
its meals.
If you are standing in the harbour at Stofjord community and are facing
west - you may be able to see that the mountain Ausekaret resembles the
profile of a man. The saying claims that this is the Southside-troll..
What happened to the beautiful woman?
She fell in love with a troll in the north of Norway.
Burning of the last witch in Norway
On the Stordalsholme (picture left) the last witch in Norway - Svemaskå - was burnt in the middle ages. She had committed the great sin to stand up against the local authorities, and was severely punished for it.
Between Stordalsholmen and the main land you can also see the rests of stone evalange - Holmefonna. At the time the Black Death came to the area, it was stopped here. The saying claims that the Black Death witch died in Holmefonna, and thus the Black Death stopped. The Black Death came to Stordalen, but nobody on the 16 farms in Holmebygda was affected.