The Three Waves

Traditional Norwegian tale.

Once upon a time, there a was a young fisherman called Olaf who lived happily with his parents. He had mysterious powers to look beyond reality and in addition, he could make himself invisible just by putting his hands over his eyes.

One day, Olaf's father went out fishing, but he never returned. The young man grew up and a ship hired him as a crew member. Before sailing, the sailors went to have some fun...except for Olaf, who stayed as a guard. Then, he saw some black crows come on the ship. Olaf made himself invisible and listened what they were saying: "Nobody knows that we're witches, and when the sailors go to sea, three giant waves will come up and they'll die. Ha, ha, ha!", the birds laughed outrageously, and went on, "And what they don't know either is that to save themselves they'll have to throw a birch beam over each wave".

Olaf quickly went for the birch beams and put them on the boat. And as it was planned, when things were most peaceful on deck the enormous waves rose up. Olaf told the sailors to throw the beams, one after the other..., and that's how they were saved. They reached the island of the castaways where Olaf found his father and took him back home.

If you go to the beach, be careful of the tides and the jellyfish! Enjoy the sea!
Source: Sofia Adalid's Collection of Tales of the World.