This episode I devote to coincidences. My grandmothers uncle was a bishop. His episcopate was very large. All of northern Sweden was his diocese with the town Härnösand as cathedral city. His name was Lars Landgren with the nickname Långlars (Tall Lars).
Before he became a bishop he was vicar in an area where there was neither law nor order. The name of the place is Delsbo and there is a saying that is as follows: “The dottle in Delsbo he disappeared he.”
To this part of the country came Långlars. Many people made moonshine. This was forbidden and the anarchy grew worse. Långlars decided to end this bad habit. But some people in Delsbo didn´t agree with him and the leader of the “resistance” was named Skytt and they called him Skytt drunkard.
I could give many examples of the resistance and the work as vicar more seemed like that of sheriff. One time when Långlars sat in the parish hall (he was leader of the parish meeting too) in front of the people some of them tried to move the benches in order to press Långlars between the table and the wall. But he was strong and pressed the table before himself and Skytt drunkard and the others had to give in.
Another time they had put a rope over the road to hurt Långlars when he came in his wagon. They didn´t succeed in doing this either. And Långlars went from house to house and broke the home stills. There is a movie from 1949 that deals with Långlars and there you can see more from his life.
I have a mate, Tommy. His cohabs name is Annicka. Once when we discussed travels in Sweden, we told them that we´d been in Delsbo. Then Annicka said: “I have relatives in Delsbo”. And I said: “My grandmothers uncle was vicar there and his name was Lars Landgren”. And Annicka said: “Yes, and my relative that was Skytt drunkard”…