Shadow Shot Sunday

Photo taken from this footbridge over the railway:

First time this year that I climbed it!
One of my “spring things” to do…

 

Shadow Shot Sunday

FMTSO: The Bridges of Borås City

The Friday My Town Shoout Out theme  of the week is:  The Letter Your Town Begins With.

One B-word it’s hard to avoid in Borås is BRIDGES.
Besides the river running through town, there are also railways and motorways to contribute to the intricate maze of how to get from one place to another.

Going into town, I have to cross at least one bridge over the railway, one bridge over the river, and one underpass under the motorway.

 

The railway has to cross the river, too.

 

Where I live now, I can choose from a few different ways to walk into town so need not always go the same way.

 

There are four footbridges leading to/from the Town Park, which is situated on a peninsula.

 

 

The sculpture Bodhi by Fredrik Wretman

 

See what roads others have chosen to take this initial letter theme at Friday My Town Shoot Out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday My Town: Bridges of Fairyland

A couple of weeks ago my brother and I went out into the countryside for a bit of touristing. One day we had lunch in a café at an old mill, and there we found these two bridges leading into the world of fairytales.

Näcken, the Neck, the Nix… A kind of water spirit; in this part of the world often taking the shape of a violin-playing man appearing in lakes, streams or waterfalls, playing enchanted tunes on the violin and trying to lure especially women and children into the water to drown… While a man taught by Näcken to play the violin, might get so enchanted by the music that he could not stop playing until he lost all control of his senses.

A tale I remember well from my childhood is that of the Three Billy Goats Gruff (Sw: ‘Bockarna Bruse’) and the Troll living under the bridge that they had to pass.

In the village where I grew up, a shortcut road to the village centre included crossing three narrow wooden bridges over a winding little river. Every time I walked that way, my thoughts went to the billy goats tale (even though in the story, there was only one bridge).

 

The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Once upon a time there were three billy goats, who were to go up to the hillside to make themselves fat, and the name of all three was "Gruff."

On the way up was a bridge over a cascading stream they had to cross; and under the bridge lived a great ugly troll , with eyes as big as saucers, and a nose as long as a poker.

So first of all came the youngest Billy Goat Gruff to cross the bridge.

"Trip, trap, trip, trap! " went the bridge.

"Who's that tripping over my bridge?" roared the troll .

"Oh, it is only I, the tiniest Billy Goat Gruff , and I'm going up to the hillside to make myself fat," said the billy goat, with such a small voice.

"Now, I'm coming to gobble you up," said the troll.

"Oh, no! pray don't take me. I'm too little, that I am," said the billy goat. "Wait a bit till the second Billy Goat Gruff comes. He's much bigger."

"Well, be off with you," said the troll.

A little while after came the second Billy Goat Gruff to cross the bridge.

Trip, trap, trip, trap, trip, trap, went the bridge.

"Who's that tripping over my bridge?" roared the troll.

"Oh, it's the second Billy Goat Gruff , and I'm going up to the hillside to make myself fat," said the billy goat, who hadn't such a small voice.

"Now I'm coming to gobble you up," said the troll.

"Oh, no! Don't take me. Wait a little till the big Billy Goat Gruff comes. He's much bigger."

"Very well! Be off with you," said the troll.

But just then up came the big Billy Goat Gruff .

Trip, trap, trip, trap, trip, trap! went the bridge, for the billy goat was so heavy that the bridge creaked and groaned under him.

"Who's that tramping over my bridge?" roared the troll.

"It's I! The big Billy Goat Gruff ," said the billy goat, who had an ugly hoarse voice of his own.

"Now I 'm coming to gobble you up," roared the troll.

Well, come along! I've got two spears,
And I'll poke your eyeballs out at your ears;
I've got besides two curling-stones,
And I'll crush you to bits, body and bones.

That was what the big billy goat said. And then he flew at the troll, and poked his eyes out with his horns, and crushed him to bits, body and bones, and tossed him out into the cascade, and after that he went up to the hillside. There the billy goats got so fat they were scarcely able to walk home again. And if the fat hasn't fallen off them, why, they're still fat; and so,

Snip, snap, snout.
This tale's told out.

 

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Friday My Town Shoot Out: Bridges of ________.