Anna Hansdatter: Hunger In the Dale

Chapter 13

On the day after Easter, Anna’s father was buried. The river had fallen nearly to its normal level, exposing the massive destruction at Lower Skurdal. Entire fields were scoured bare, leaving only jumbles of rock and gravel. Two peasant plots were wiped out, along with their cottages. The mill was heavily damaged, and mud was deep on the floors of the few buildings that remained. These were the servants’ quarters, granary, one of the three barns, and the stabur. Only the dwelling-house escaped damage.

At South Skurdal, Anna was given leave from the dairy to care for her mother, while Nels was kept very busy hauling supplies for the rebuilding effort at Lower farm. The other Skurdal farms also contributed workers and material for the reconstruction. The mill was especially important, as it served all of Skurdal, and several other farms in the area.

One evening, Peder Skurdal came to the stables just as Nels was unhitching the wagon for the night. “Come up to the house when you are finished, Nels,” he said. “We have some plans to discuss.”

Inside, over tea, the men smoked and talked. After a few minutes discussing the progress at Lower, and the dismal prospects for crops there, Peder brought up two, more personal, subjects. First, on a positive note, the engagement. “I spoke with the priest today, Nels. He wants to see you and Anna. We tentatively set the engagement for the end of this month. How does that sound to you?”

“Fine, excellent.”

“You can go to see him tomorrow. Your team needs a rest anyway.”

“All right. Thank you.”

Then the farmer broke the bad news. “Nels, you know how badly Lower farm was damaged. And the huusmen got the worst of it.”

“Ja,” said Nels, thinking to himself, they always do.

“Jon Erlandsen and Lars Olsen both lost their houses and all their land. Jon’ wife was drowned. Each of them has three young children.”

“Ja, I know.”

“Nels, I made a promise to my brother. I am going to expand Skurdalshaugen into the pasture land to the east, and lease plots to Jon and Lars. Hans’ plot, I mean your plot, will be a little bit smaller than it is now, as will your neighbor Poul’s.”

Nels cringed. “That land to the east is full of rocks. How can they grow potatoes there?”

“It will take them some time to clear it, that is sure. We will put the dividing line across part of your current potato patches.”

Oh, no, thought Nels. “They are awfully small already,” he protested.

“I know. But we will have extra fertilizer available from Lower, since there is so much less land there to cultivate now. Also, their contract will require them to plant and tend your plot for you, you only need to harvest it. You know how badly we need you to drive this spring.”

Nels was not pleased. There would be enough potatoes for himself, Anna, and Ingeborg (as long as crops were good). But when children began arriving, it would be another matter. And it would not do to have the neighboring peasants tending his potatoes, because they would then be tempted to harvest on his side of the line. He took a long draw on his pipe. The sad fact was that even despite the flood, the population was expanding rapidly, and the farming land in the valley was not. “Well, I guess there is not much choice.”

“Not for any of us,” Peder said. “We cannot very well turn those families out with nothing.”

Nels knew that the Skurdals could do exactly that if they chose. He was grateful in a way that their conscience would not allow it, while deeply disappointed at the price to him and the other huusmen. “But Anna and I can manage our own potatoes. Please take that out of the contract.”

“Are you sure?”

“The plot is ready, Anna has done most of that work.” said Nels. “She can do most of the planting, too. May I haul the seed and manure there tomorrow, after we see the priest?”

“Anna spaded the whole patch, by herself?” Skurdal was incredulous.

“I helped a little, at night after work.”

“After working those long days? You are a good man, Nels. You will be a fine farmer. How is your leg?”

“There are good days and bad. Walking up the hill still hurts a lot. But the special spade the smithy made for me works pretty well.”

“You are my best driver, Nels. The stud team owe their lives to you now, and they seem to know it. No one else can handle the big wagon like you. I need to have you driving every day.”

“Do not worry, sir. I promise you will have.”

(continued)