Not far from our new abode in Ekerö, there is a big pile of bits of trees. Rumour has it that there’s also a scattering of stones beneath the wood, and, perhaps, a smattering of small change. It looks like someone’s discarded Christmas tree or, perhaps, a Forestry Commission trimming exercise. Mirinda took a photo of it on her walk today.
This is Fantans Hög. (Fantan is the name of a person and a hög is a pile.) Rather than throwaway bits of branches, each piece is actually an offering to Fantan in order to keep her ghost at bay. It is said, in these here parts, that an offering of twig, stone or coin is required for the person passing, to remain unhaunted.
I asked Mirinda if she’d added to the hög, but she said no. I shook my head and said she only has herself to blame if Fantan comes for a visit.
Fantan was supposed to be a rather overbearing husband beater who, one day, went a bit too far and killed him. Some legends say she buried him on Fantholmen (Fant Island) with the help of her mother, other legends say she just killed him and someone found out.
Whatever they say about her husband’s death and disposal, they all agree that she killed him. As punishment, she had to run a gauntlet. She had to run until she could see Ekerö Church. While she ran, the locals could throw stones at her.
Fantan didn’t make it. She collapsed in a heap where the pile is now. She was then stoned to death where she lay. She was mere feet from the crest of the hill from where she would have seen the steeple of the church.
The tradition of throwing things on the pile, it is claimed, probably originated from the 1300’s. For one thing, the word ‘fant‘ (from the French enfant) only entered the Swedish language in the 14th century. As for the legend itself, the oldest known description of Fantans Hög was recorded by the surveyor Victor Dahlgren in the mid-19th century.
The pile was excavated in 1947 and the archaeologists, led by John Granlund, found 23 coins dating from 1577 to 1938 which is quite a stretch of time. They also found the burnt bones of a man that dated from 550-100 BCE, leading them to think that he was possibly a Roman burial.
It’s great that people still add twigs to Fantans Hög. Mind you, these days, every now and then, the pile is cleared by the local council because it gets too big.
I also think it’s a bit cruel to leave stones at the site.
In the meanwhilst, the snow continued throughout the day and Mirinda took the girls for a late walk around the streets in it.
According to the weather people, we are going to get a lot more over the next few days. I don’t think Max will be moving in the near future.
