The “Free Week” Peasant Customs
The last week in October is called the “Free Week,” for then the harvest is safely stored and the urgent outdoor work disposed of on the farms.
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“The “Free Week” Peasant Customs” from When I Was A Girl in Sweden by Anna-Mia Hertzman, 1926.
The last week in October is called the “Free Week,” for then the harvest is safely stored and the urgent outdoor work disposed of on the farms. This one week of the year is eagerly anticipated, especially by the country servants; it is their only week of liberty during the year. The farmer hires his help for the coming year during this week.
The county fairs and agricultural exhibitions also take place at this time. A general air of festivity causes one to forget that winter is fast approaching. At the county fair, or marknad, the enterprising merchants put up stalls and display their wares, and a great deal of bargaining is done.
The goldsmith is doing a brisk business in engagement rings. To be engaged properly in Sweden, lovers must exchange rings—plain gold bands, which are later used as wedding rings. But if the sweethearts are too poor to give each other the customary gold ring, the young man may give the girl a silver spoon or a pretty brooch, while the girl may knit a pair of woolen socks for her “Fästeman” If a pair of lovers is aided by some friendly "Böneman” or “go-between,” this person is presented with a pair of stockings knitted by the happy prospective bride.
At the county fair, the candy booths are well patronized by young men. There are gorgeously wrapped large squares and sticks of pure sugar candy decorated with pretty miniature pictures and clever little love jingles—similar to American valentines. These sweet and showy tokens are offered to the young woman by the man in whose eyes she may have found favor. Of course, the girl may refuse to accept the offering, that is, if her fancy is no longer free. Many love affairs began in this simple manner.
Of special interest to us children at the country fair were the stalls where toys could be bought. Here were sold tiny figurines of china, dainty and prettily decorated. Here, for three öre, one could buy a cunning clay-cuckoo which produced quite pretty musical sounds if one understood how to regulate the two little openings on the breast of the bird and blow at the tail-slit. There were mouth-organs and drums and other musical instruments, such as the accordion, the favorite instrument of farm-hands.
Cunning wooden toys, dolls and animals gaily painted, were offered for sale. Also funny clowns that would perform the most astonishing acrobatic feats if one pulled a string. There might even be a Kasper show—a Swedish version of Punch and Judy. Then, there was the blind singer of ballads, and his repertoire of “Visor trykta i àr”—ballads printed during the current year which were eagerly bought by the country lads and later memorized.
One rather interesting feast-day came on November tenth and was known as Martin’s Goose Day, celebrated in honor of Martin Luther. A goose was killed in each household which could afford to have a feast and entertain guests. In a manner, this feast-day corresponded to the American Thanksgiving Day, for the thoughtful farmer no doubt felt grateful to God for the harvest, and celebrated by eating the apple-and-prune-stuffed roasted goose and other good things served on this day.
This time of the year the Swedish peasants usually devoted their evenings to “brushing up” their Catechism and Bible History knowledge. For soon the Kyrkoherde, or parish priest, would appear in each village and conduct quizzes regarding the religious knowledge of his flock. A strict record of each parishioner was kept. Those who fell below a certain standard would not be permitted to partake of the Lord’s Supper during the following year, and such a person was regarded as an outcast until his lack of religious knowledge had been remedied.
In later years, this quizzing system was abandoned, although it was an excellent practice which helped the priest to keep in closer touch with his people. Then there were the social elements also: rich and poor alike looked forward to these household examinations, because it was usually the most prominent farmer in each village who opened his house for the occasion. And, after the ordeal was over, all who attended were treated to a sumptuous feast, with the Kyrkoherde leading the way.
Before everybody sat down to do full justice to the meal itself, the smӧrgȧs-bord greeted the eyes of the hungry ones. This institution is a kind of unwieldy, multiple hors-d'oeuvre, or appetizer. The smӧrgȧs-bord always precedes any formal meal. The men and women helped themselves to the various spiced and thinly sliced smoked home-made sausages, cold tongue, pickled herring, jellied eel, smoked salmon and anchovy, tiny, delicious meat balls, rich cheese, breads of many kinds, butter and preserves, etc. A well-planned and prettily arranged smӧrgȧs-bord resembles a colorful exhibition of delicatessen stuff at a food show.
Hospitality is one of the sacred laws of Sweden. Even the most casual caller must have his cup of coffee or goblet of fruit juice and little sweet cakes. To refuse to eat or drink what is offered would mark one as ill-bred. Still, to seem too eager to accept refreshments is also a sign of bad manners. It is always considered polite to refuse at least twice before one helps one’s self to the food offered. These things were impressed on us children by our mother. To disobey would have been unthinkable.
One day I suffered greatly because I dared not do what I wanted to do. Mother had taken me with her calling at Captain Hultmann’s house, the captain having just returned from abroad. After the coffee, some wonderful preserved tropical fruit was offered. Marvelous, crystallized confections they were, and merely to look at them caused one’s mouth to water. I had already eaten a piece when our hostess once more offered us the dish of sweets. I felt Mother’s eyes on me. Politely I said, “No, thank you, Fru Hultmann.” But, oh! What a stabbing, burning desire for those luscious rose-tinted squares of marmalade nearest me on the dish! I felt as if I were about to suffocate, and tears blurred my sight, but the look of approval Mother gave me was worth the sacrifice.
On our way home, Mother drew my hand into her great, warm muff and gave it a little friendly pressure. “Anna-Mia, to-night you may look at the pictures in the Doré Bible,” she told me. What an unheard-of thing! And in the middle of the week, too, for that great book was only taken from the Fӧrmak table on Sundays and holidays while Mother herself carefully turned the leaves and told us about the pictures. I now felt well rewarded for my little act of self-control.
Hertzman, Anna-Mia. When I Was a Girl in Sweden. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., 1926.
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