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SEPTEMBER, 1927 Peasants of Delarne By HALLETT JOHNSON, Secretary, Paris THE peasants of the province of Dalecarlia, succeeded in changing his tired horses for the which forms the heart of Sweden, are dif¬ last two fresh animals that were to be had that ferent from any class of people that are to day. As they were being harnessed up the be found in the United States in that they not Governor of the Province drove up in great only freely admit that they are peasants, but style with coachmen and footmen in livery and glory in the fact. In America we claim that all finding that there were no extra horses de¬ men are born free and equal, but our actions manded those which were being harnessed up often belie the maxim, while in Dalarne the by the peasant. The peasant calmly refused and peasant in his every word and action lets it be the Governor, in a rage, said: “Do you know known that he is the equal of any in the land, who I am ? I am the Governor of the Province, invariably addressing even the King by the pro¬ Chamberlain to the King and a Knight of the noun “Du,” the equivalent of the English Royal Order of the North Star.” “Well, well,” “Thou,” a word only used between equals. I replied the peasant, “and do you know who I recently visited a little Dalecarlian farm which am?” The Governor was somewhat startled by had been in the present owner’s family for 300 this remark and wondering whether his ques¬ years and found on the living-room table signed tioner was a Prince travelling incognito, said: photographs of the King and Queen of Sweden. “No, who are you?” The peasant placed him¬ The peasant told me that they had been given self squarely in front of the nobleman and re¬ him by the King personally the last time His plied in no undecided tones: “I Am the Man Majesty had called upon him. He added that That Ordered Those Horses.” the King’s courtesy was not quite reciprocal, The Dalecarlians have a certain right to treat however, as when the Swedish ruler came to even the King as their equal as it was by their Rattvik he always called upon him immediately aid that Gustavus Vasa drove the Danes from and when he, Lars Larson, came to Stockholm Sweden and made the foundation of the modern the previous winter and called upon the King, kingdom. The adventures of King Gosta in His Majesty could not receive him the same day Dalarne form a more picturesque and thrilling but told him to come back on the morrow. narrative than the episodes told of King Alfred Needless to say the Dalecarlian who calls the himself. King by his first name does not kotow to a In 1520 a Danish King ruled in Stockholm. mere member of the nobility. An anecdote told One young noble, however, had not trusted of the old time before steam transportation himself in the city controlled by Christian II would be equally true of their attitude today. and escaped into Dalecarlia. While Gustavus A peasant in his working clothes drove up in an Vasa was at this time but a youth of 24, King old farm wagon to a certain post station and Christian feared him and went over the province 273 rjTHE^MERICANpOREIGN gEKVICE JOURNAL with a fine tooth comb to find him. Gustavus ment which was to determine the fate of Sweden donning a home-spun suit, cutting his hair and in its results have great influence on the squarely off and an axe over his shoulder, outcome of the 30 years’ war and the protection tramped the old province till he found work of Protestantism. threshing grain in the barn of Anders Persson When Gustavus reached Mora the peasants at Rankhyttan. The discovery by a girl on the elected him “Lord and Chieftain over Dalarne farm of a gold embroadered collar showing and the whole realm of Sweden,” and rose in above the peasant costume caused him to flee his support like the Minute Men of our own again and he found refuge in a cottage at Ornas, revolutionary days. Their arms consisted only but the Danes pursuing him thither he was of axes and clubs, bows and arrows. Five thou¬ forced to make his escape at midnight by the sand of them confronted the Danish army on aid of a rope made of sheets given him by the the Dal River and the latter, although superior peasant’s wife, Barbro Stigsdotter. His next in numbers, beat a retreat. The peasants pur¬ refuge, another peasant’s house, was actually sued them. But it took two years more of searched by Danish soldiers, but the quick¬ strenuous fighting to take Stockholm, where, on witted housewife saved him from recognition by Midsummer’s day in 1523 King Gustavus Vasa striking him across the shoulders with her roll¬ made a triumphant entry. ing pin crying: “Out with you, you lazy oaf, The peasants of Dalecarlia had not, however, hustle out to the barn and finish your work.” like our own Minute Men limited themselves to Later at Mora the ruse of concealing a small driving out a king; they had placed another trap door into the cel¬ king upon the throne, lar by placing a huge but like our forebears tub full of Christmas they would not permit ale over it saved him even the king of their from imminent danger. own making to tax After such adven¬ them without repre¬ tures the young noble sentation and when was heart-broken to Gustavus in dire need find that the Dalecar- of money attempted lians were so sick of arbitrary measures warfare that they they rose against him would not rise against time and again until the Danes and he him¬ eventually their rights self was therefore were recognized. The forced to start on a peasants had “set King long journey on skiis Gustav in his high toward the Norwegian seat” but they were frontier and safety. It quite ready to attempt was only when the to unseat him if he mountains of Norway tried to take from were in sight that two them their ancient lib¬ peasants who had pur¬ erties. At a time when sued him caught up the peasantry of the and gave him the glad rest of Europe was news that Dalarne suffering under the could no longer stand feudal system the the tyranny of the for¬ Dalecarlian was mak¬ eign invader and ing his rights respected would rise under his and it has been well standard. The skiiers said that “in no other retraced their long contemporary Euro¬ wintry journey and pean state could so Gustavus Vasa, instead self-reliant a class of of seeking sanctuary in Photo by Hallett Johnson yeoman be found.” Norway led a move¬ NINETY YEARS OLD The qualities of the 274 rpTE^MERICANpOKEIGNgERVICE JOURNAL Dalecarlian are those which particularly appeal light-colored buckskin breeches, tied about the to Americans and from which Americans can knee with bright red woolen ribbons upon the learn many lessons. The peasant, while treat¬ ends of which are little red balls which are al¬ ing; the King as an equal, treats his own servant, lowed to hand down and swing back and forth. if he has one, in the same manner, and has an They wear either white or bright red woolen unequaled simple dignity and simplicity of char¬ stockings and low shoes with big buckles of acter. He is entirely unaffected. At the small silver, or for daily wear wooden shoes. hotels in Dalarne the guests including Swedish Cleanliness is not only typical of their cos¬ nobles and members of the diplomatic corps can tumes but of their houses and persons as well. and do dance with the waitresses in their We can follow to advantage, however, the charmingly picturesque costumes and the wives example set us by the Dalecarlian in other ways. of the most important visitors dance with the He is not restless but loves the land and is con¬ men servants without the slightest loss of dig¬ tent to live and die upon it. Some of the old nity on either side. The peasants are magnifi¬ farms of the province have been in the posses¬ cent physical specimens, tall and broad of sion of the same families for a dozen genera¬ shoulder and their fair hair and blue eyes re¬ tions, and they would sooner part with their call vividly the days when their ancestors par¬ right hand than with their patrimony. The old ticipated in the Viking expeditions. They are province does not support all its sons and for¬ immaculately dressed in their traditional cos¬ tunately for us numbers of them cross the At¬ tume.