Many theorize if it was widely thought it was the dead that returned as draugen, or if it was just a personification of one creature that roamed the sea. Some stories that leaves no doubt though, is those of people being able to burry the dead in time, and they do not return as a Draug. However, what would happen then if you left them instead to be taken by the sea again?
A man came walking in the deep darkness one evening. Then he saw such a strange light in a bay. The day after, when it was day and light had returned, he got with him a man and went there. Yes, it was like he had thought – laying there was a sea corpse that had drifted unto land. They got some white canvas to wrap the body up in, and had it placed in the graveyard, then they said the Lord’s prayer over it – and all was good and well.
But another man that had seen a weak light in the bay somewhere, had not fared as well. He went over, and did find a corpse from the sea, that he did, but he let it lay there. Cause he found it to be quite scary. And it is something everyone knows, because sea corpses can be maimed by the rough waters and similar, so it isn’t fun to work with. When he returned to his senses and returned in some days, he saw that the undertows had taken it, and it was never seen again. But the man walked around long after that and felt like there was a dark shadow that followed him wherever he went.
(from Draugen – hevneren fra havet. Page 71.)
Many stories of people that either robbed the draug of their chance of eternal rest, or their belongings are told, where the vengeful creature would follow them until they got their belongings back, or forever if the sin was great enough. Dark shadows looming around, cold winds reaching your bones, steps around you and knocking.
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