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Chapter XII · The Book of Dreams and Ghosts

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Chapter twelve of the Book of Dreams and Ghosts. This is a LibriVox recording.
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All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information a volunteer,
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please visit LibriVox dot org. Read by Dan Grzinski. The Book of
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Dreams and Ghosts by Andrew Lang, Chapter twelve, The Story of Glam The
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foul Fords, The Story of Glam. There was a man named Thorhall who
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lived at Thorhlsted in Forsay Ladala, which lies in the north of Iceland.
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He was a fairly wealthy man, especially in cattle, so that no one
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roundabout had so much livestock as he had. He was not a chief,
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however, but an honest and worthy yeoman. Now this man's place was greatly
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haunted, so that he could scarcely get a shepherd to stay with him.
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And although he asked the opinion of many as to what he ought to do,
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he could find none to give him advice of any worth. When summer,
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at the all Thing or yearly assembly of the people, Thorhall went to
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the booth of Scofftie, the law man, who was the wisest of men,
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and gave good counsel. When his opinion was asked. He received Thorhall
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in a friendly way because he knew he was a man of means, and
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asked him what news he had. I would have some good advice from you,
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said Thorhll. I am little able to give that, said Scoffti.
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But what is the matter. This is the way of it, said Thorhall.
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I have had very bad luck with my shepherds of late. Some of
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them get injured, and others will not serve out their time. And now
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no one that knows how the case stands will take the place at all.
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Then there must be some evil spirit there, said Scoffti, when men are
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less willing to herd your sheep than those of others. Now, since you
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have asked my advice, I will get a chef for you. Glom is
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his name. He belongs to Sweden and came out here last summer. He
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is big and strong, but not very well liked by most people. Thorhall
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said that he did not mind that if he looked well after the sheep.
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Scoffti answered that there was no hope of other men doing it if Glom could
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not, seeing he was so strong and stout hearted. Their talk ended there
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and Thorhall left the booth. This took place just at the breaking up of
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the assembly. Thorhall missed two of his horses and went to look for them
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in person, from which it may be seen that he was no proud man.
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He went up to the mountain ridge and south along the feld that is
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called Armand's Fell. There he saw a man coming down from the wood leading
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a horse laden with bundles of brushwood. They soon met each other, and
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Thorhall asked his name. He said he was called Glom. He was tall
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of body and of strange appearance. His eyes were black and staring, and
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his hair wolf gray in color. Thorhall was a little startled when he saw
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him, and was certain that this was the man he had been told about.
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What work are you best fitted for? He asked. Glom said that
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he was good at keeping sheep in winter. Well you look after my sheep,
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said Thorholl. Scofft. He has put you into my hands. On
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this condition, only will I take service with you, said Glom. That
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I have my own free will, for I am ill tempered. If anything
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does not please me, that will not harm me, said Thorhal. And
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I should like you to come to me. I will do so, said
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Glom. But is there any trouble at your place? It is believed to
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be haunted, said thor Hall. I am not afraid of such bugbears,
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said Glam, and think that it'll be all the livelier. For that you
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will need all your boldness, said Thorhole. It is best not to be
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too frightened for oneself. There After this they made a bargain between them,
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and Glam was to come when the winter nights began. Then they parted,
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and Thorhall found his horses where he had just newly looked for them, and
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rode home, after thanking Scoffti for his kindness. The summer passed and Thorhall
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heard nothing of the shepherd, nor did any one know the least about him.
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But at the time appointed he came to Thorhallstead. The yeoman received him
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well, but the others did not like him, and the good wife least
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of all. He began his work among the sheep, which gave him little
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trouble, for he had a loud, hoarse voice, and the flock all
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ran together whenever he shouted. There was a church at Thorhallstead, but Glom
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would never go to it nor join in the service. He was unbelieving,
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surly, and difficult to deal with, and ever one felt a dislike towards
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him. So time went on till it came to Christmas Eve. On that
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morning, Glom rose early and called for his food. The good wife answered,
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it is not the custom of Christian people to eat on this day,
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for tomorrow was the first day of Christmas, and we ought to fast today.
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Glom replied, you have many foolish fashions that I see no good in.
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I cannot see that men are any better off now than they were when
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they never trouble themselves about such things. I think it was a far better
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life when men were heathens. And now I want my food and no nonsense.
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The good wife answered, I'm sure you will come to sorrow today if
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you act thus. Perversely, glombader bring his food at once, so it
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would be the worse for her. She was afraid to refuse, and after
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he had eaten, he went out in a great rage. The weather was
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very bad. It was dark and gloomy all round, snowflakes fluttered about,
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Loud noises were heard in the air, and it grew worse and worse as
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the day wore on. They heard the shepherd's voice during the forenoon, but
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less of him as the day passed. Then the snow began to drift,
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and by evening there was a violent storm. People came to the service in
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church, and the day wore on to evening, but still Glom did not
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come home. There was some talk among them of going to look for him,
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but no search was made on account of the storm and the darkness.
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All Christmas Eve, Glomb did not return, and in the morning men went
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to look for him. They found the sheep scattered in the fens, beaten
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down by the storm, or upon the hills. Thereafter, they came to
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a place in the valley where the snow was all trampled, as if there
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had been a terrible struggle there, for stones and frozen earth were torn up
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all round about. They looked carefully around the place and found Glom lying a
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short distance off, quite dead. He was black in color and swollen up
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as big as an ox. They were horrified at the sight and shuddered in
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their hearts. However, they tried to carry him to the church, but
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could get him no further than to the edge of a cleft a little lower
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down, so they left him there and went home and told their master what
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had happened. Though Hal asked him what had been the cause of Glam's death,
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They said that they had traced footprints as large as though the bottom of
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a cask had been set down in the snow, leading from where the trample
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place was up to the cliffs at the head of the valley, and all
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along the track there were huge bloodstains. From this, they guessed that the
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evil spirit which lived there must have killed Glom, but it received so much
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hurt that it had died, for nothing was ever seen of it. After
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the second day of Christmas, they tried again to bring Alam to the church.
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They yoked horses to him, but after they had come down the slope
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and reached level ground, they could drag him no further, and he had
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to be left there. On the third day, a priest went with them,
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but Glom was not to be found, although they searched for him all
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day. The priest refused to go a second time, and the shepherd was
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found at once when the priest was not present, so they gave over their
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attempts to take him to the church and buried him on the spot. Soon
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after this they became aware that Glom was not lying quiet, and great damage
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was done by him, for many that saw him fell into a swoon or
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lost their reason. Immediately after Yule, men believed that they saw him about
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the farm itself, and grew terribly frightened, so that many of them ran
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away. After this, Glom began to ride on the housetop by night and
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nearly shook it to pieces, and then he walked about almost night and day.
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Men hardly dared to go up into the valley, even though they had
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urged in business there, and everyone in the district thought great harm of the
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matter. In spring, Thorhall got new men and started the farm again,
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while Glom's walkings began to grow less frequent as the days grew longer. So
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time went on until it was midsummer that summer. Ash ship from Norway came
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into Huna Water first to the north of Thorlstead, and had on board a
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man called Thorgut. He was foreign by birth, big of body, and
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as strong as any two men. He was unhired and unmarried, and was
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looking for some employment as he was penniless. Thorhall rode to the ship and
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found Thorgut there. He asked him whether he would enter his service. Thorgot
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answered that he might well do so, and that he did not care much
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what work he did. You must know, however, said Thorhal, that
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it is not good for any fainthearted man to live at my place an account
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of the hauntings that have been of late. And I did not wish to
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deceive you in any way. I did not think myself utterly lost, although
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I see some wretched ghosts, said Thorgut. It will be no light matter
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for others if I I am scared, and I will not throw up the
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place on that account. The bargain was quickly made, and Thorgot was to
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have charge of the sheep during the winter. The summer went past, and
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Thorgot began his duties with the winter nights and was well liked by everyone.
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Glomb began to come again and rode on the housetop, which Thorgut thought great
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sport, and said that the thrall would have to come to close quarters before
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he would be afraid of him, or I'll bade him not say too much
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about it. It will be better for you, said he if you have
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no trial of each other, your courage has indeed been shaken out of you,
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said Thorgott. But I am not going to fall dead for such talk.
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The winter went on till Christmas came again, and on Christmas Eve the
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shepherd went out to his sheep. I trust, said the good wife,
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that things will not go after the old fashion. Have no fear of that
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good wife, said Thorgot. There will be something we're talking about if I
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don't come back. The weather was very cold and a heavy drift blowing.
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Thorgut was in the habit of coming home when it was aft dark, but
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on this occasion he did not return at his usual time. People came to
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the church, and they now began to think that things were not unlikely to
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fall out as they had done before. Thorhoal wished to make search for the
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shepherd, but the church goers refused, saying that they would not risk themselves
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in the hands of evil demons by night, and so no search was made.
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After their morning meal on Christmas Day, they went out to look for
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the shepherd. They first made their way to Glom's cairn, guessing that he
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was the cause of the man's disappearance. On coming near to this they saw
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great tidings, for there they found the shepherd with his neck broken and every
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bone in his body smashed in pieces. They carried him to the church,
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and he did no harm to any man thereafter. But glam began to gather
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strengthen you, and now went so far in his mischief that everyone fled from
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thor hallstead except the yeoman and his wife. The same cattleman, however,
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had been there for a long time, and Thorall would not let him leave
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because he was so faithful and so careful. He was very old and did
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not want to go away either, for he saw that everything his master had
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would go to rack and ruin if there was no one to look after it.
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One morning, after the middle of winter, the good wife went out
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to the buyer to milk the cows. There was broad daylight by this time,
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for no one ventured to be outside earlier than that, except the cattleman,
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who always went out when it began to grow clear. She heared a
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great noise and fearful bellowing in the buyer, and ran into the house again,
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crying out and saying that some awful thing was going on. There,
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Thorhall went out to the cattle and found them goring each other with their horns
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to get out of their way. He went through into the barn, and
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in doing this he saw the cattleman lying on his back with his head and
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one stall on his feet in the other. He went up to him and
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felt him, and soon found that he was dead, with his back broken
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over the upright stone between two of the stalls. The yeomen thought it high
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time to leave the place now, and fled from his farm with all that
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he could remove. All the livestock that he left behind was killed by Glom,
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who then went through the whole glen and laid waste all the farms up
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from the tongue. Thor All spent the rest of the winter with various friends.
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No one could go up into the glen with horse or dog, for
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these were killed at once. But when spring came again and the days began
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to lengthen Glomb's walkings grew less frequent, and Thorhall determined to return to his
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homestead. He had difficulty in getting servants, but managed to set up his
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home again at thor Hallstead went just as before. When autumn came, the
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hauntings began again, and now it was the yeoman's daughter who was most assailed,
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till in the end she died of fright. Many plans were tried,
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but all to novail, and it seemed as if all Waterdale would be laid
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waste unless some remedy could be found. All this befell in the days of
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Gretier, the son of Asmond, who was the strongest man of his day
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in Iceland. He had been abroad at this time, outlawed for three years,
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and was only eighteen years of age when he returned. He had been
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at home all through the autumn, but when the winter nights were well advanced,
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he rode north to Waterdale and came to Tongue, where he lived his
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uncle Yokel. His uncle received him heartily, and he stayed there for three
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nights. At this time there was so much talk about Glam's walkings that nothing
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was so largely spoken of as these. Gretire inquired closely about all that had
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happened, and Yokel said that the story is told no more than it had
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indeed taken place. But are you been tending to go their kinsman said he.
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Grittier answered that he was, yoke O bade him not do so,
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for it is a dangerous undertaking and a great risk for your friends to lose
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you. For in our opinion, there is not another like you among the
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young men, and ill will come of ill where glam is far better it
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is to deal with mortal men than with such evil spirits. Gretier, however,
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said that he had a mind affair to Thorlstead and see how things had
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been going on there. Yokel replied, I see now that it is of
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no use to hold you back. But the saying is true that good luck
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and good heart are not the same. Grittier answered, woe stands at one
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man's door when it has entered another's house. Think how it may go with
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yourself before the end. It may be, said, Yoko, that both
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of us see some way into the future, and yet neither of us can
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do anything to prevent it. After this they parted, neither alike the others
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forebodings. Gretier rode to Thorlstead. The yeoman received him heartily. He asked
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Gretier where he was going, who said that he wished to stay there all
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night if he would allow him. Thorl said he would be very glad if
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he would stay. But few men counted again to be guests here for long.
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You must have heard how matters stand, and I shall be very unwilling
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for you to come to any harm on my account. And even though you
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yourself escaped safe and sound, I know for certain that you will lose your
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horse, for no man that comes here can keep that uninjured. Gretire answered
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that there were horses enough to be got, whatever might happen to this one.
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Thorhaal was delighted that he was willing to stay, and gave him the
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heartiest reception. The horse was strongly secured in an outhouse when they went to
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sleep, and that night passed without glam appearing. Your coming here, said
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thor Hall, has made a happy change for glam Is in the habit of
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riding the house every night, or breaking up the doors, as you may
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see for yourself. Then one of two things will happen, said Gritire.
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Either he will not restrain himself for long, or the hauntings will cease for
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more than one night. I shall stay for another night and see how things
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go. After this, they went to look at Gritire's horse and found he
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had not been meddled with, so the Omen thought that everything was going on
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well. Gritire stayed another night, and still the Thrall did not come about
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them. Thorhall thought that things were looking brighter, But when he went to
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look to Gritire's horse, he found the outhouse broken up, the horse dragged
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outside, and every bone in it broken. He told Gritier what had happened,
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and advised him to secure his own safety, for your death is certain
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if you wait for glam Gretier answered, the least I can get from my
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horse is to see the Thrall. Thorol replied that it would do him no
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good to see him, for he is unlike anything in human shape. But
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I am fain of every hour that you were willing to stay here. The
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day wore on, and when it was bedtime, Gritire would not take off
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his clothes, but lay down on the floor over against Thoral's bed closet.
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He put a thick cloak about himself, buttoning one end beneath his feet and
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doubling the other under his head while he looked out at the hole for the
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neck. There was a strong plank in front of the floored space and against
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this he pressed his feet. The door fittings were all broken off from the
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outer door, but there was a hurdle set up instead and roughly secured.
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The wainscot that had once stretched across the hall was all broken down, both
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above and below the crossbeam. The beds were all pulled out of their places,
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and everything was in confusion. A light was left burning in the hall,
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and when the third part of the night was past, Grittier heard loud
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noises outside. Then something went up on the top of the house and rode
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above the hall, beating the roof with its heels till every beam cracked.
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This went on for a long time. Then it came down off the house
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and went to the door. When this was open, Gretiar saw the thrall
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thrust in his head. Ghastly big, he seemed, and wonderfully huge.
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Feature glomb came in slowly and raised himself up when he was inside the doorway,
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until he loomed up against the roof. Then he turned his face down
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the hall, laid his arms on the crossbeam, and glared all over the
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place. The lord hall. They've no sign during this, for he thought
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it bad enough to hear what was going on outside. Gretier lay still and
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never moved. Glom saw that there was a bundle lying on the floor,
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and moved further up the hall and grasped the cloak firmly. Gratier placed his
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feet against the plank and yielded not the least. Glom tugged a second time,
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much harder than before, but still the cloak did not move. A
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third time, he pulled with both his hands so hard that he raised Gritier
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up from the floor, and now they wrenched the cloak asunder between them.
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Glom stood staring at the piece which he held in his hands, and wondering
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greatly who could have pulled so hard against him. At that moment, Gritire
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sprang in under the monster's hands and threw his arms around his waist, intending
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to make him fall backwards. Glamb however, bore down upon him so strongly
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that was forced to give way before him. He then tried to stay himself
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against the seat boards, but these gave way with him and everything that came,
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and their path was broken. Glam wanted to get him outside, and
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although Gritire set his feet against everything that he could, yet Glom succeeded in
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dragging him out into the porch. There they had a fear struggle, for
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the thrall meant to have him out of doors, while Gritier saw that bad
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as it was to deal with Glom inside the house, it would be worse
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outside, and therefore strove with all his might against being carried out. When
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they came into the porch, Glom put forth all his strength and pulled Gritier
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close to him. When Gritier saw that he could not stay himself, he
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suddenly changed his plan and threw himself as hard as he could against the monster's
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breast, setting both his feet against an earth fast stone that lay in the
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doorway. Glom was not prepared for this, being then in the act of
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pulling Gritear towards him, so he fell backwards and went crashing out through the
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door, his shoulders catching the lintel as he fell. The roof of the
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porch was wrenched into both rafters and frozen thatch, and backwards out of the
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housewent Glam, with Gretea above him. Outside there was bright moonshine and broken
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clouds, which sometimes drifted over the moon and sometimes left it clear at the
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moment when Glom fell, the cloud passed off the moon, and he cast
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up his eyes sharply towards it, And Gretier himself said that this was the
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only sight he ever saw that terrified him. Then Gretier grew so helpless,
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both by reason of his weariness and at seeing Glom roll his eyes so horribly
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that he was unable to draw his dagger, and lay well nigh between life
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and death. But in this was Glom's might more fiendish than that of most
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other ghosts. That he spoke in this fashion. Great eagerness have you shown
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to meet me, gretire, And little wonder will it be? Though you
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get no great good fortune from me? But this I may tell you that
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you have now received only half of the strength and vigor that was destined for
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you if you had not met with me. I cannot now take from you
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the strength you have already gained. But this I can see too, that
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you will never be stronger than you are now. And yet you are strong
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enough, as many a man shall feel. Hitherto. You have been famous
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for your deeds, but henceforwarth you shall be a man slayer and an outlaw.
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And most of your deeds will turn to your own hurt and misfortune outlaw.
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You shall be and ever have a solitary life for your lot. And
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this too I lay upon you ever to see these eyes of mine before your
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own, and then you will think it hard to be alone, and that
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will bring you to your death. When Glom had said this, the faintness
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passed off Gretire, and he then drew his dagger, cut off Glom's head,
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and laid it beside his thigh. Thorhaal then came out, having put
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on his clothes while Glam was talking, but never venturing to come near until
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he had fallen. He praised God and thanked Gretier for overcoming the unclean spirit.
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Then they set to work and burned Glom to ashes, which they placed
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in a sack and buried where cattle were least likely to pasture or men to
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tread. When this was done, they went home again, and it was
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now near daybreak. Thorhall sent to the next farm for the men there and
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told them what had taken place. All thought highly of the exploit that heard
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of it, and it was the common talk that in all Iceland there was
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no man like Gretier, asn and Arson for strength and courage, and all
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kinds of bottles. Thorhall gave him a good horse when he went away,
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as well as a fine suit of clothes, for the ones he had been
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wearing were all torn to pieces. The two then parted with the utmost friendship.
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Thence Gretier rode to the ridge in Waterdale, where his kinsman Thorvald received
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him heartily and asked closely concerning his encounter with Glom. Gretier told him how
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he had fared, and said that his strength was never put to harder proof,
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so long did the struggle between them last. Thorvald bade him be quiet
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and gentle in his conduct, and things would go well with him, otherwise
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his troubles would be many. Gretire answered that his temper was not improved.
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He was more easily roused than ever, and less able to bear opposition.
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In this too, he felt a great change. That he had become so
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much afraid of the dark that he dared not go anywhere alone. After night
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began to fall. Then he saw phantoms and monsters of every kind. So
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it has become a saying ever since then, when folks see things very different
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from what they are that Glom lends them his eyes, or gives them glom
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site. This fear of solitude brought Gritier at last to his end. Ghosts
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being seldom dangerous to human life. We follow up the homicidal Glom with a
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Scottish traditional story of malevolent and murderous sprites, the foul Fords or the long
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Formacchus Ferrier. About eighteen twenty there lived a farrier of the name of Keen
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in the village of long Formicus in Lamermoor. He was a rough, passionate
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man, much addicted to swearing. For many years he was ferrier to the
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Eagle or Spottish Wood troop of Yeomanry. One day he went to Greenwas to
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attend the funeral of his sister, intending to be home early in the afternoon.
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His wife and family were surprised when he did not appear as they expected,
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and they sat up watching for him. About two o'clock in the morning,
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a heavy weight was heard to fall against the door of the house,
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and on opening it to see what was the matter, Old Keen was discovered
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lying in a fainting fit on the threshold. He was put to bed and
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means used for his recovery, but when he came out of the fit,
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he was raving mad and talked of such frightful things that his family were quite
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terrified. He continued till next day in the same state, but at length
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his senses returned and he desired to see the minister alone. After a long
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conversation with him, he called all his family round his bed and required from
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each of his children and his wife a solemn promise that they would none of
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them ever pass over a particular spot in the moor between long for Macchus and
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Greenlaw, known by the name of the foul Fords. It is the ford
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over a little watercourse just east of Castle Shields. He assigned no reason to
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them for this demand, but the promise was given, and he spoke no
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more and died that evening. About ten years after his death, his eldest
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son, Henry Keane, had to go to Greenlawn business, and in the
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afternoon he prepared to return home. The last person who saw him as he
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was leaving the town was the blacksmith of Spottiswood, John Mitchie. He tried
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to persuade Mitchie to accompany him home, which he refused to do as it
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would take him several miles out of his way. King begged him most earnestly
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to go with him, as he said he must pass the foul Fords that
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night, and he would rather go through hell fire than do so. Mitchie
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asked him why he said he must pass the foul Fords, des by going
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a few yards on either side of them, he might avoid them entirely.
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You persisted that he must pass them, and Mitchie at last left him a
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good deal, surprised that he should talk of going over the foul forwards when
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everyone knew that he and his family were bound by a promise to their dead
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father never to go by the place. Next morning, a laboring man from
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Castle Shields by name Adam Redpath, was going to his work digging sheep drains
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on the moor, when on the foul Fords he met Henry Keane lying stone
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dead and with no mark of violence on his body. His hat, coat,
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waistcoat, shoes and stockings were lying about one hundred yards distance from him
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on the green Loss side of the Fords, and while his flannel drawers were
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off and lying with the rest of his clothes, his trousers were on mister
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Ord the minister of Longfromachus told one or two persons what John Keene, the
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father, had said to him on his deathbed, and by degrees the story
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got abroad. It was this Keen's. He said that he was returning home
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slowly after his sister's funeral, looking on the ground, when he was suddenly
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roused by hearing the tramping of horses, And on looking up, he saw
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a large troop of riders coming towards him two and two. What was his
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horror when he saw that one of the two foremost was the sister whom he
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had had that day seen buried at Greenlaw. On looking further he saw many
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relations and friends long before dead. But when the two last horses came up
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to him, he saw that one was mounted by a dark man, his
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face he had never seen before. He led the other horse, which,
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though saddled and bridled, was riderless. And on this horse the whole company
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wanted to compel Keen to get He struggled violently, he said, for some
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time, and at last got off by promising that one of his families should
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go instead of him. There still lives at long Formacus's remaining son, Robert.
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He has the same horror of the foul Fords that his brother had,
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and will not speak nor allow any one to speak to him on a subject.
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Three or four years ago, our herd of the name of Burton was
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found dead within a short distance of the spot, without any apparent cause for
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his death. End of Chapter twelve.