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Beinta og Peder Arrheboe 21
tub features in any way, and I am inclined to suspect that some
truth must lie behind the tale. Whether the brass candlestick (one
of two) which has stood on the altar of Miovagur Church since the
middle of the seventeenth century suffered its damage in a marital
quarrel, there is no way of knowing. Damage was visible until
1951, when, regrettably, it was repaired in such a way as to wipe
out all trace of the alleged family drama.?
The traditions recorded by Jakobsen concerning harri Niels's
death are that Bente was jealous of the Lawman's beautiful daughters
in the neighbouring village of Sandavagur, and she insisted
that after taking the service in Sandavagur Church, he should not
stay the night with the Lawman at Steig Manor, but should ride
home to Jansageroi, the Miovagur rectory. One winter night, when
he was returning, he fell from his horse and broke his leg. The
break healed well, and after a time the priest was able to sit in a
chair with the leg supported. One day, when he was so sitting, a
servant came in and said that a boat was pulling up on the beach ­
probably one of the important people from T6rshavn. Bente
jumped up and rushed off, and in doing so knocked away the
support from her husband's leg, causing it to break once again. He
was taken to the surgeon in T6rshavn, but this time the leg did not
heal, gangrene set in, and he died. Before he died, he laid a curse
on Bente.
Apart from the dying curse, and perhaps the extent of Bente's
jealousy of the Steig family, this narrative bears the hallmark
of truth. At the time the Lawman had only one daughter of
marriageable age, but later on he had others, and inaccuracy
over this detail is of small importance. Common talk could well
conclude that jealousy was the motive for Bente wanting her
husband to hurry home - it could equally well have been affection.
The fall from the horse is localised to a particular point on the
shore; and the accident leading to the second breaking of the leg
is also very circumstantially described, so there is in each case a
strong probability of a true account of the facts, though there is
no documentary confirmation. The Kvivik tradition, however,
confirms the story of the second breaking of the leg, but exonerates
Bente from any blame (Petersen 1963, 360; Thorsteinsson 1982,
26-7).
Bente's third husband, Peder Ditlefsen Arhboe, was born on 23
November 1675in Vester Velling, a village in Jutland about 12 km
west of Randers. His surname, meaning "inhabitant of JEnll", was
inherited from his father, who was born in JEn')skf/lbing. His father