In Autumn, 1807, there was a disturbance by night in the outer room atGarpsdal, the door being smashed. There slept in this room theminister's men-servants, Thorsteinn Gudmundsson, Magnus Jonsson, and achild named Thorstein. Later, on 16th November, a boat which theminister had lying at the sea-side was broken in broad daylight, andalthough the blows were heard at the homestead yet no human form wasvisible that could have done this. All the folks at Garpsdal were athome, and the young fellow Magnus Jonsson was engaged either at thesheep-houses or about the homestead; the spirit often appeared to himin the likeness of a woman. On the 18th of the same month four doorsof the sheep-houses were broken in broad daylight, while the ministerwas marrying a couple in the church; most of his people were presentin the church, Magnus being among them. That same day in the eveningthis woman was noticed in the sheep-houses; she said that she wishedto get a ewe to roast, but as soon as an old woman who lived atGarpsdal and was both skilled and wise (Gudrun Jons-dottir by name)had handled the ewe, its struggles ceased and it recovered again.While Gudrun was handling the ewe, Magnus was standing in the door ofthe house; with that one of the rafters was broken, and the pieceswere thrown in his face. He said that the woman went away just then.The minister's horses were close by, and at that moment became soscared that they ran straight over smooth ice as though it had beenearth, and suffered no harm.On the evening of the 20th there were great disturbances, panellingand doors being broken down in various rooms. The minister wasstanding in the house door along with Magnus and two or three girlswhen Magnus said to him that the spirit had gone into the sitting-room. The minister went and stood at the door of the room, and afterhe had been there a little while, talking to the others, a pane ofglass in one of the room windows was broken. Magnus was standingbeside the minister talking to him, and when the pane broke he saidthat the spirit had gone out by that. The minister went to thewindow, and saw that the pane was all broken into little pieces. Thefollowing evening, the 21st, the spirit also made its presence knownby bangings, thumpings, and loud noises.On the 28th the ongoings of the spirit surpassed themselves. In theevening a great blow was given on the roof of the sitting-room. Theminister was inside at the time, but Magnus with two girls was out inthe barn. At the same moment the partition between the weaving-shopand the sitting-room was broken down, and then three windows of theroom itself--one above the minister's bed, another above his writing-table, and the third in front of the closet door. A piece of a tablewas thrown in at one of these, and a spade at another. At this thehousehold ran out of that room into the loft, but the minister sprangdownstairs and out; the old woman Gudrun who was named before wentwith him, and there also came Magnus and some of the others. Justthen a vessel of wash, which had been standing in the kitchen, wasthrown at Gudrun's head. The minister then ran in, along with Magnusand the girls, and now everything that was loose was flying about,both doors and splinters of wood. The minister opened a room near theouter door intending to go in there, but just then a sledge hammerwhich lay at the door was thrown at him, but it only touched him onthe side and hip, and did him no harm. From there the minister andthe others went back to the sitting-room, where everything was dancingabout, and where they were met with a perfect volley of splinters ofdeal from the partitions. The minister then fled, and took his wifeand child to Muli, the next farm, and left them there, as she wasfrightened to death with all this. He himself returned next day.On the 8th of December, the woman again made her appearance in broaddaylight. On this occasion she broke the shelves and panelling in thepantry, in presence of the minister, Magnus, and others. According toMagnus, the spirit then went out through the wall at the minister'swords, and made its way to the byre-lane. Magnus and Gudrun wentafter it, but were received with throwings of mud and dirt. A stonewas also hurled at Magnus, as large as any man could lift, whileGudrun received a blow on the arm that confined her to her bed forthree weeks.On the 26th of the month the shepherd, Einar Jonsson, a hardy andresolute fellow, commanded the spirit to show itself to him.Thereupon there came over him such a madness and frenzy, that he hadto be closely guarded to prevent him from doing harm to himself. Hewas taken to the house, and kept in his bed, a watch being held overhim. When he recovered his wits, he said that this girl had comeabove his head and assailed him. When he had completely got overthis, he went away from Garpsdal altogether.Later than this the minister's horse was found dead in the stable atMuli, and the folks there said that it was all black and swollen.These are the most remarkable doings of the ghost at Garpsdal,according to the evidence of Sir Saemund, Magnus, Gudrun, and all thehousehold at Garpsdal, all of whom will confirm their witness with anoath, and aver that no human being could have been so invisible thereby day and night, but rather that it was some kind of spirit that didthe mischief. From the story itself it may be seen that neitherMagnus nor any other person could have accomplished the like, and allthe folk will confirm this, and clear all persons in the matter, sofar as they know. In this form the story was told to me, thesubscriber, to Samuel Egilsson and Bjarni Oddsson, by the ministerhimself and his household, at Garpsdal, 28th May, 1808. That this iscorrectly set down, after what the minister Sir Saemund related to me,I witness here at Stad on Reykjanes, 7th June, 1808.
