SOME LEGENDS OF NÖTTJA CHURCH

How Nöttja got its name.

When the people in Nöttja had been converted to Christianity, and wanted to build Nöttja church, they could not build it in peace. What they built over the day was demolished in the night. They understood that they have chosen an inappropriate location for the building. As fate had certainly give an another place as the work could not continue undisturbed. A pair of twin honks were driven up, and they had to drag one of the pillars where they wanted. There they stayed would be built and it became the church's current location. "The place we will Nöttja" said one, when steers stayed, and so were the parish name Nöttja.


What happened when Nöttja church bells were manufactured.

After much savings they had poor Nöttjaborna finally afford to buy a bell to the church. They hired a champion from Copenhagen for work. He sent his journeyman Nöttja to perform work on the site.
The journeyman had put its foundry in Malmliden. Just as the ore was melted and ready to be turned into the pan, an old woman came running up with a whole host of silverware in her apron. This she threw into the molten mass. The silver was what her ancestors had stolen in the area. Now she wanted to get his soul salvation by sacrificing thief goods to the Church. The high silver content was at a wonderfully high and beautiful sound that was heard all the way to Copenhagen.

When the sound reached the master's ears, he understood that the apprentice had mixed more silver in the ore than he was entitled. The master was running in a hurry to Småland to get the offender. In a meadow near Nöttja met champion their unsuspecting apprentice, whom he killed on the spot as he said: "did you take the bread from me I'll kill you. This meadow was henceforth named" Herrabol "

Before the bell was cast on you could see the handle of a silver spoon that not had time to melt before casting took place. This proves the truth of history.


A more romantic version of what happened when Nöttja church bells were manufactured.

An unusually skilled teacher was hired to produce bells to Nöttja church. To help the master had a young and beautiful journeyman. They had put in order its foundry near the church.

On the manor in Malmaryd lived an old knight whose daughter fell in love with the young apprentice. Her feelings were answered soon. As the champion sent the work for the apprentice was the champion not in place during the actual casting. Just as the simmering ore to the great bell was poured in the mold came the beautiful girl walking with her apron full of silver things that she threw in the molten mass. When the testl took place was ringing sound so beautiful and powerful that it could be heard throughout Finnveden. This was, of course, from all the silver.

Happy exceeded the youth to work even with the little clock. The Master was now on his way back to the workplace. When he heard the wonderful sound of the newly-cast bell and heard his apprentice praised by all, he was terribly jealous and bitter to have been surpassed. Furious he rushed to the spot where the casting of the small clock was up. The ore was just pouring into the pan and from the opposite direction approached the girl returned with the precious things in her apron. The young apprentice looked ecstatic at the girl, and saw not the danger that was approaching from behind. With a huge stab he stabbed the boy to death so that the blood spurted down into the molten ore, and mingled with it. At this dreadful sight the girl sank down and died. The murderer buried the dead next to the creek where the sad event took place.

When Nöttjaborna after a while, even took the little clock in use, they were told that although it had a lovely sound, but with a slightly sad and melancholy element. This can of course derive the blood.


What happened later with the little clock.

When the clock duty at time of Gustav Vasa was obtained Nöttjaborna tried to get out cheaply. They decided to cut the little clock in a water-filled cave near the church. They ripped off tax collectors with the explanation that Nöttjaborna was so poor that they never had the money to acquire more than one clock. When the men of the village some time later came together to raise the clock, it turned out that it was much harder than to lower it. After much effort, they managed to finally get up at the surface. Then suddenly saw the men that Nöttja village was in flames. They let go of the clock and rushed home to their farms to save what could be saved. When they let the clock fell into the depths they herd a strange sound. Subsequently, Nöttjaborna never been able to find the little bell. On the clock went Nöttjaborna "bet". For this expression is called the cavity, even now, for "Bete håla " (a few hundred yards downstream from the church, right next to Bolmån)