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Swedish · The Wonderful Adventures of Nils

Havssilver

Sea Silver

83 sentences · 18 notes

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  1. 1

    The sea is, as everyone knows, wild and encroaching, and so the part of Sweden most exposed to its assaults has therefore, for many thousand years now, been guarded by a long and broad stone wall, which is called Bohuslän.

    HavetseaHav · noun, nominative, neuter, singularsubject of är
    ärisvara · auxiliary verb, present, indicative, activemain verb of the sentence
    somassom · pronoundirect object of vet

    Three of this key's four examples ('som om far skulle...', 'för just som han stod...', 'som de är borta') are actually the conjunctive 'as'/'while' use, not the relative pronoun 'that/which' shown by 'länstolen, som blev köpt...'. The glosser's original senses list (that/who/which) omitted the dominant 'as' reading entirely.

    varwasvara · determiner, common gender, singulardeterminer of man

    mistagged as a determiner; the surface 'var' here is the past tense of vara 'to be'.

    manmanman · noun, nominative, common gender, singularsubject of vet
    vetknowsveta · verb, present, indicative, activeclausal complement of är
    viltwildvilt · adjective, nominative, neuter, singularcoordinated with vet
    ochandoch · conjunctionlinks the coordination
    påträngandeencroachingpåträngande · adjective, nominativecoordinated with vet
    ochandoch · conjunctionlinks the coordination
    denaen · determiner, common gender, singulardeterminer of delen
    delenpartdel · noun, nominative, common gender, singularsubject of passive skyddas
    avofav · prepositionpreposition marking Sverige
    SverigeSwedenSverige · proper noun, nominativemodifies delen
    somthatsom · pronounsubject of utsatt

    Three of this key's four examples ('som om far skulle...', 'för just som han stod...', 'som de är borta') are actually the conjunctive 'as'/'while' use, not the relative pronoun 'that/which' shown by 'länstolen, som blev köpt...'. The glosser's original senses list (that/who/which) omitted the dominant 'as' reading entirely.

    ärisvara · auxiliary verb, present, indicative, activecopula linking to utsatt
    mestmostmycket · adverbmodifies utsatt
    utsattexposedutsätta · adjective, nominative, common gender, singularrelative clause on delen
    förtoför · prepositionpreposition marking anfall
    dessitsden · pronounpossessor of anfall

    ch03-p50 example 'sedan dess' means 'since then', not possessive 'its' — pinning the gloss to 'its' teaches a lie for that collocation.

    anfallattackanfall · noun, nominative, neuter, singularoblique complement of utsatt
    skyddasis guardedskydda · verb, present, indicative, passiveparallel clause to är
    därförthereforedärför · adverbmodifies skyddas
    sedanthensedan · adverbpreposition marking år
    mångamanymånga · adjective, nominative, pluralmodifies tusen
    tusenthousandtusen · numeral, nominativequantifies år
    åryearsår · noun, nominative, neuter, pluralpart of the phrase därför
    tillbakabacktillbaka · adverbmodifies år
    avbyav · prepositionpreposition marking stenmur
    enaen · determiner, common gender, singulardeterminer of stenmur
    långlonglång · adjective, nominative, common gender, singularmodifies stenmur
    ochandoch · conjunctionlinks the coordination
    bredbroadbred · adjective, nominative, common gender, singularcoordinated with lång
    stenmurstone wallstenmur · noun, nominative, common gender, singularmodifies år
    somwhichsom · pronounsubject of passive kallas

    Three of this key's four examples ('som om far skulle...', 'för just som han stod...', 'som de är borta') are actually the conjunctive 'as'/'while' use, not the relative pronoun 'that/which' shown by 'länstolen, som blev köpt...'. The glosser's original senses list (that/who/which) omitted the dominant 'as' reading entirely.

    kallasis calledkalla · verb, present, indicative, passivedepends on skyddas
    BohuslänBohuslänBohuslän · proper noun, nominativecomplement of kallas

    Swedish coastal province.

  2. 2

    The wall is broad enough that it covers the whole stretch of land between Dalsland and the sea, but, as is usually the case with breakwaters and sea defenses, it is not especially high.

  3. It is built of massive blocks of stone, and in places whole long mountain ridges are set into it.

  4. Nor, indeed, would it have done to build with small stones, when it was a matter of raising against the sea a rampart that was to stretch from the Idde Fjord to the Göta River.

  5. 3

    Such great works of building are, of course, no longer carried out in our own days, and it is certain that the wall is immensely old.

  6. Nor is it without truth that time has dealt harshly with it.

  7. The great blocks no longer lie as close together as they likely did at the start.

  8. Cracks have formed between them, so wide and so deep that both fields and houses find room at their bottom.

  9. But the stone blocks do not, in any case, lie so far apart that one cannot see they once belonged to one and the same wall.

  10. 4

    Inland, the great wall is best preserved.

  11. There it runs on whole and unbroken for long stretches.

  12. Along the middle run long, deep clefts with lakes at their bottom, and out toward the coast it has crumbled so much that every block lies like a hill of its own.

  13. 5

    It is only when one sees it down by the coast that one truly understands the great wall does not stand where it stands merely for the sake of standing.

  14. However strong it may have been at the outset, the sea has broken through it at some six or seven places and sent in fjords that run several miles long.

  15. The outermost part of it stands even under water, so that only the uppermost part of the rock blocks lies above ground.

  16. In this way there has arisen a multitude of large and small islands, which form an archipelago, and it is this archipelago that must bear the worst assaults of storm and sea.

  17. 6

    Now one might well think that a province which really consists of nothing but a great stone wall ought to be altogether barren, so that no people could make their living there.

  18. But the matter is not so dire, for although it is bare and bleak up on the hills and rocky expanses of Bohuslän, much good and fertile soil has, in return, gathered in every crevice, and farming can be carried on there splendidly, even if the plots of land are not especially wide.

  19. Nor are the winters usually as cold along the sea coast as inland, and in places sheltered from the wind, delicate trees and other plants thrive that would otherwise scarcely grow as far south even as Skåne.

  20. 7

    Nor must one forget that Bohuslän lies at the edge of the great common land that is the shared property of all the peoples of the earth.

  21. The people of Bohuslän can travel on roads that they need neither build nor mend.

  22. They can round up herds that they need neither herd nor tend, and their vessels are carried by draft-beasts that they need give neither fodder nor stable.

  23. That is why they are not as dependent on farming and cattle-raising as others are.

  24. They are not afraid to settle on storm-whipped skerries, where not a green blade grows, or on narrow strips of shore beneath the coastal cliffs, where there is scarcely room for a potato patch, because they know that the great, rich sea can give them all that they need.

  25. 8

    But if it is true that the sea is rich, it is no less certain that it is a hazardous thing to deal with.

  26. Whoever wants to win anything from the sea must know all its fjords and inlets, all its shoals and currents; he must be acquainted with, one might almost say, every stone on the seabed.

  27. He must be able to handle his boat in storm and fog and find his way on the blackest night.

  28. He must know how to read the signs in the sky that foretell hard weather, and he must be able to endure cold and wet.

  29. He must know where the fish travel and where the lobster crawls, and he must be able to handle heavy nets and lay out his gear in a heaving sea.

  30. And first and foremost he must have a brave heart in his breast, so that he gives no thought to the fact that every day he must risk his life in the struggle against the sea.

  31. 9

    In the morning, as the wild geese traveled down toward Bohuslän, it was calm and peaceful in the archipelago.

  32. They saw several small fishing villages, but it was quiet in the narrow streets, and no one went in or out of the small, brightly painted houses.

  33. The brown fishing nets hung in good order at the drying ground, and the heavy green or blue fishing boats lay along the shore with sails furled.

  34. No women were busy at the long benches where cod and halibut were otherwise usually cleaned.

  35. 10

    The wild geese also flew over several pilot stations.

  36. The pilot house's wall was painted black and white, the signal mast stood beside it, and the pilot cutter lay moored at the pier.

  37. All was quiet in the vicinity; no steamer was approaching that needed help in the narrow channel.

  38. 11

    The small coastal towns that the wild geese flew over had closed their large bathhouses, hauled down their flags, and shut up the fine summer villas.

  39. No one else was stirring except a few old sea captains, who walked back and forth on the piers and gazed longingly out at the sea.

  40. 12

    In along the mainland's fjords and on the eastern side of the islands, the wild geese saw a few farms.

  41. There the rowboat lay still at the landing.

  42. The farmer and his hired men were digging up potatoes

  43. 13

    or feeling to see whether the beans, which hung on tall racks, had had time to dry.

  44. 14

    In the great stone quarries and in the boatyards there were plenty of workers.

  45. They handled their sledgehammers and axes diligently enough, but again and again they turned their heads toward the sea, as if they were hoping for some interruption.

  46. 15

    And the birds of the archipelago were just as calm as the people.

  47. A few cormorants, which had been sitting asleep on a steep rock face, left the narrow ledges one after another and flew off in slow flight to their fishing grounds.

  48. The gulls had abandoned the sea and walked about strolling on land like regular crows.

  49. 16

    But all at once things changed.

  50. A flock of gulls shot straight up from a field and stormed off southward with such speed that the wild geese hardly had time to ask where they were headed, and the gulls did not take time to answer.

  51. The cormorants rose out of the water and followed after the gulls in heavy flight.

  52. Dolphins glided through the sea like long black shuttles, and a group of seals slid down from a flat skerry and made off toward the south.

  53. 17

    “What is going on? What is going on?” asked the wild geese, and at last got an answer from a long-tailed duck.

  54. “It's the herring, which has come to Marstrand.

  55. It's the herring, which has come to Marstrand.”

  56. 18

    But it was not only birds and sea creatures that had been stirred into motion, for now the people too must have gotten word that the first great herring shoals had arrived in the archipelago.

  57. On the smooth rock slabs of the fishing villages, people ran about one another.

  58. The fishing boats were made ready.

  59. The long herring seines were carefully carried aboard.

  60. The women stowed away provisions and oilskins.

  61. The men came out of their cottages in such a hurry that they did not manage to pull on their coats until they were out in the street.

  62. 19

    Soon the sounds were filled with brown and gray sails, and glad shouts and questions were exchanged between the boats.

  63. Young girls had climbed up onto the rocks behind the cottages and waved to those setting out.

  64. The pilots stood on the lookout, and were so certain that they would soon be called out, that they had already pulled on their sea boots and gotten the cutter ready.

  65. Out of the fjords came little steamboats, loaded with empty barrels and crates.

  66. The farmers had thrown down their potato hoes, and the boatbuilders had left the shipyard.

  67. The old sea captains with the weather-beaten faces had not been able to stay sitting at home, but went along with the steamboats toward the south so as at least to see the herring fishing.

  68. 20

    It was not long before the wild geese had reached Marstrand.

  69. The herring shoals came from the west and passed the Hamneskär lighthouse in toward land.

  70. On the broad fjord between Marstrand Island and the Paternoster skerries, the fishing boats traveled three and three together.

  71. Where the water darkened and rippled in small, short waves, the fishermen knew there was herring, and there they carefully laid out long seines in the water, drew them together into a circle, cinched them at the bottom so that the herring lay as if in an enormous sack, hauled and cinched again, until the space grew ever narrower and the glittering fish could be scooped up out of the depths of the seine.

  72. 21

    Some boat crews had already gotten so far along with the fishing that they had their boats full of herring right up to the gunwale.

  73. The fishermen stood knee-deep in herring and gleamed with herring scales from their sou'wester to the edge of their yellow oilskin coat.

  74. 22

    Then there were newly arrived seine crews who cruised about sounding and searching for herring, and others who, with great trouble, had gotten the seine laid out, only to have to haul it up empty.

  75. When the boats were full, some of the fishermen made their way to large steamboats lying on the fjord and sold their catch, while others went in to Marstrand and unloaded their cargo at the quay.

  76. There the herring-cleaning women had already begun working at long tables, herring was packed into barrels and crates, and herring scales covered the whole street.

  77. 23

    It was a scene of bustle and commotion.

  78. The people were as if giddy with joy over all this silver of the sea that they scooped up out of the waves, and the wild geese flew many times around Marstrand Island so that the boy might really get to see it all.

  79. 24

    Quite soon, though, he asked that they travel on.

  80. He did not say why he wanted to get away, but it was perhaps not hard to guess.

  81. There were many fine and stately people among the fishermen.

  82. Several of them were tall, well-built men with bold faces under their sou'westers, and looked just as fearless and defiant as every boy wishes he himself will look, once he is grown.

  83. It was perhaps not so pleasant to sit and look at such men, for one who could himself never grow to be any longer than a herring.

The particulars

The text
Nils Holgerssons underbara resa genom Sverige, Selma Lagerlöf. The Wonderful Adventures of Nils.
Translation
Public-domain Swedish (Lagerlöf, d. 1940; published 1906–07). English translation © 2026 1732 Studios, LLC.
Words
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