red somewhat expensive
luxuries. They are called _gammelost_ and _pultost_, and are made
from sour skimmed milk, being afterwards kept in a dark cellar for
a year or so to ripen. The latter is the greater delicacy, and is
stored, in a sloppy state, in wooden tubs. If you should ever chance
to see one of the tubs being produced, do not wait to see it opened,
or your nose will never forget it!

Verily, winter is the bugbear of the struggling Norwegian countryman's
existence. Like the provident ant, he spends the greater part of the
summer in laying up for the winter, and he has not only himself and his
family to think of, but also his cattle, for if the latter cannot be
properly housed and fed he will be ruined. There are times, however,
when he contrives to throw off the constant thought of the future,
and when he can enjoy himself thoroughly. Sunday is a day of rest,
with possibly a long row across the fjord to church, after which
comes a good gossip with the neighbours, and the chance of a feast
at a friend's farm. There are also high-days and holidays, weddings
and christenings, accompanied by plentiful food and drink, as well
as by dancing and fiddling.

But when the snow covers up the country the days are none too exciting,
though the cattle have to be fed and many odd jobs attended to. Most
of the men are handy carpenters, and can make such things as dairy
utensils, while the women in many parts weave sufficient cloth to keep
the whole family clothed. By the younger men, however, the season is
looked forward to as a time of real enjoyment. Then it is that they
get out their snowshoes and enter with zest into the grand sport
of ski-ing, or, taking their guns with them, go off on their ski to
shoot ryper or hares for the market.

Such is the life of the ordinary small farmer and peasant; but down
by the fjords and on the beaten track of the foreign tourists the
larger farmer has grasped the situation, and has discovered the value
of having more than one string to his bow. So in summer he combines
hotel-keeping with farming. His farm produce is consumed in his hotel,
and if he is fortunate enough to have a salmon river flowing through
his land, he can be certain of a good rent for it. Thus the prosperous
farmer becomes a person of some importance in the district, and one
day, perhaps, a Member of the Storthing, or Parliament.

CHAPTER V

MANNERS AND CUSTOMS

The religion of the country is the Luthera