Even if Draugen is often shown as a decaying human like creature with more seaweed covering him than skin, there are also some stories where he has made himself into objects. From headless creature of the sea, to a half fish creature like a merman, even a human appearance or just different kinds of seal. Usually his form was not as important as the dread the stories of him conveyed.
One form he had, was of a seaweed covered stone, a ‘tangstein’. This you could never put into your boat, cause you never knew what could happen with that fellow on your boat. Other stories often involved what would happen to those that hit something against the stone in passing.
“One day the cooking boy in one of the Medfjord’s cabins down to the water to beat his gloves. The water was low, and it was dark and black as well. He found a fitting tangstein, and started slapping his gloves against it. Then to his horror he got to see that the ‘stone’ was alive and jumped into the water so it splashed round it. The boy ran back to the cabin to tell everyone about what had happened. Everyone understood it was draugen that he had seen, and that he would return to get revenge for the beaten he had received. They all agreed that when they had all gotten the evening food down, they would all lie down on the floor, with their feet towards the door, and the kid in the middle. At midnight the door sprung open, and in came a long arm with a claw and grabbed the boy. But his friends all grabbed the other side, and draugen had to let go. They never saw him again.”
(From Draugen – hevneren fra havet page. 83-84)
In some stories it might not have gone as well, and in some the people were even rude enough to yell after him after giving him a beating that he couldn’t expect more when he laid down close to people’s boats.
Some also claims he changed into birds at times, and one story in Seggelvik in Troms tells of a bird on the water, that dove under, showing those that watched it had boots on its feet.
Fist fights with Draugen
While most stories of Draugen tells of a dread at sea as you hear him scream and warn of death or a sudden weight in the boat as he has entered and are slowing you down. A creature there in one second, and then gone before you can really make him out, and the sea is often what will claim you in the end, there are also stories of those that has fought Draugen in a man to… creature all out fight to the death.
There are basically two sort of versions: one where you are able to keep alive long enough, and one where you quite understandable meet your untimely demise.
“One time the business man Kristensen Husby was supposed to spend the night at Floholmen outside of Lovunden in the Trænfjord. It was the darkest night when he came and got to land. Just as he was about to get into the lodgings, a man came after him and asked him to follow him down to the sea again. Kristensen knew though, that he was alone there, so he knew what sort of man this was, and tried to run into the house to light some fire. But the stranger ran at him and hit his arms around him. Kristensen were unable to see his attackers face or head, but he understood it was draugen, and that it was a matter of life or death. That was why he defended himself so well that draugen didn’t get far with him. It took a strong hold, and Kristensen had to use all his powers. When the light of day finally came, the creature let go of him and disappeared. There was nothing left of it than sea weeds and a pile of slime, that looked like a giant jellyfish. During the fight, Kristensen had felt like draugen had been like a giant eel against his back, other than that he had no feeling of draugen’s figure, as it was too dark to see anything.”
(From Draugen – Hevneren fra havet page. 78-79)
If you find yourself captured by draugen, it seems the safest bet is to stand your ground until the first rays of sunlight, or people come to save you. And whatever you do, do not let draugen drag you into the sea, keep him on green land, cause there he is a lot weaker than in his own domain.
“A boy had a girlfriend far out in the fjord. He went there one night, and didn’t return home before after midnight. When he got to Kvalbukta, a draug came at him from the ebb to try and get him. They started fighting, and draugen out unto his knees into the water, and the boy drags draugen up to the grass filled land. He fights for a long time, before he starts growing tired, his belt is torn off and he loses his hat. Draugen wants him to promise himself to him. “If you do not do it, you will not be let loose.” Then the boy starts to yell for all his dead family members to come and save him, but they do not come. Then he had to promise so he would be let loose, and just as he had promised, he could see people come to help. But then he had already promised himself away. They travelled to Vågan, and the boy died there.”
(From Draugen – Hevneren fra havet page. 79-80)
It might be a little confusing with what draugen meant with promise himself to him, as it is not usually what he does. Maybe this is a version of draugen that wanted more souls to the sea? Or maybe he was just lonely and wanted some company as well?
The interesting part of this story is how he was trying to call the dead to fight for him. And why wouldn’t they come to help him? Cause there are other stories where the land draug actually comes to the rescue.
But that one is for the last story.
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superb post, i love it