Myths and Legends were on tap today…
The path from Fuglafjørður to Hellurnar is called Sjúrðargøta. Legend has it that a giant from Suðuroy came to the village of Oyndarfjørður to test his strength. No one dared to fight him. The people of Oyndarfjørður urged Sjúrður, the farmer, to challenge the giant. He wanted his youngest son, also named Sjúrður, to try. They wrestled and Sjúrður the younger beat the giant. His father paid him well for this feat.
At the top of the pass Skarðið, you will find two large cairns. According to old custom, each time one crosses the pass, three small stones are to be thrown at the cairns while saying: “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” This is meant to both protect you from getting lost and bless your trip.
A maid on the farm was in love with him, but the feelings weren’t mutual. The jilted maid took revenge by insinuating that Páll had murdered his father because the father had given the farm to his brother. Páll was convicted of murder and imprisoned in Tórshavn, but he managed to escape from prison three times. On one of the occasions, he hid for a whole year in a cave in the rugged area under Nestindur.
The hills Hulduheyggjar are to the west as you descend from the pass. Here, the story goes, the midwife of Dalbøur in Fuglafjørður aided a Huldre woman (a type of rock troll) in childbirth, a service for which she was richly rewarded.
Another story says that the farmer in Oyndafjørður and a farmer in Fuglafjørður named Gullbrandur fought over land. Gullbrandur was killed and hid in the cave Gullbrandshellið and later buried in Gullbrandsleiði.
I do love good Tales , Myths and Legends.
