The Adventures of Gammelnok

By Hans Wrang

Gammelnok left his village in northern Norway after it was completely destroyed by marauding Norsemen, who also murdered all the villagers including Gammelnok's family. 

He then spent many years with the Sami people at the top of the world migrating with the seasons before getting kidnapped by the helpers of the bearded giant, who later was renamed Santa Claus. 

Gammelnok is now ready to move on. He spotted a nice secluded spot one year when flying with the sleigh over Great Britain. While trying to reach his garden pond where he intends to spend his last years, the sleigh and reindeers are thrown off course, caused by a strong jet stream. 

Gammelnok is thrown out of the sleigh and ends up in a Christmas Cave in a Dutch town. He is then imprisoned for shoplifting, escapes to Denmark by Tulip lorry, then crosses the Channel curtesy of a smuggler, shipwrecked and then rescued by a Spanish freighter crew. 

He finally arrives in Andalusia, only to be left behind after missing the freighter leaving Cadiz without him. 

He now faces a long journey from Seville to Granada and eventually to England in Santa's sleigh where he will spend his retirement by his selected garden pond.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hans Wrang
• Release date: Apr 8, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224888344

Hans Wrang

Born in Denmark, lived 30 years in England. Married to Hazel for nearly fifty years. Both now retired and living in Andalusia since 2004

Book preview

The adventures of Gammelnok

Gammelnok is old, in fact he is very, very old. He is nearly 300 years old.

He stems from the high north of Scandinavia and has travelled extensively throughout the world.

These are the official chronicles of 

The Adventures of Gammelnok

Dedication

To my wife Hazel who loved our ponds

To Jean and Romeo who brought Gammelnok to us as a pond ornament

To George and Joan, our neighbours who loved our garden nearly as much as we did

And finally to all our friends who spent many enjoyable afternoons by the pond and inspired my imagination

And especially to those of you who decided to read this

Introduction

You might not believe this, but it really happened.

This old couple lived in a nice house in a rural town in the royal county of Berkshire in England.

Their garden at the back of the house was steep, terraced and had sixty six steps leading to the very top.

At the back was a wooden gate leading to open fields once you had worked your way through a small copse.

They always kept the gate closed, to stop unwanted visitors, like cats, dogs, foxes and people coming into their private garden.

One fine autumn day after the husband had been foraging for wild mushrooms at the back, he must have forgotten to close and lock the gate.

The first hint that something had entered their garden was the following week, when the gate was banging in the wind, and he went to close and lock it.

He noticed the tall grass and reeds around their top pond had been trampled, but could not see anybody or anything that might have caused this.

Assuming whatever had entered had also left again after drinking from the pond he walked down the 66 steps to the house.

He told his wife and they did not think any more of it until a few weeks later when the weather was good for foraging again.

The back gate was still securely locked, but there was more evidence of something having been moving on the banks of the pond.

Picking up courage, the old man advanced carefully towards the water’s edge. Still could not see anything, but a faint snoring sound came from deep within the reeds.

Anyone there? he whispered. More soft snoring and no answer.

He moved slowly forward, not knowing what he expected to find; a wild animal maybe or an injured fox.

One thing is certain; He had never seen anything like the sight before his eyes.

A small being, no bigger than a baby, but with a beard and rough features covered by a woollen hat, was lying in the grass, peacefully sleeping on its side. A small haversack and a clay pipe beside it.

What was it? Was it dangerous or even injured? Where had it come from? Could he talk with it?

Lots of questions went through his mind as he stood looking down on this little manikin.

The man decided to let it sleep and go foraging for wild mushrooms. It was obviously not going anywhere and did certainly not look dangerous. He would get his wife to look at it when he returned from the woods.

He finally persuaded his wife to climb the sixty six steps to the top of the garden with him.

Apprehensive and maybe a little scared, they approached the figure in the reeds.

It was still sleeping peacefully but he decided to poke it with a long stick to be at a distance, just in case.

It stirred but did not wake up. Looking closer, he could see it was wearing a leather jerkin and trousers.

On its feet it was wearing what looked like wooden clogs.

Should we cover it up? his wife asked. She looked intrigued and not the least afraid of this small creature.

They found a sack in the nearby shed and she covered him up as best she could before they retreated back down to the house.

The rest of the afternoon was spent talking and speculating as to what to do next with their uninvited visitor.

Where had it come from, what was it, could it talk, would they understand, was it dangerous, infectious?

By early evening they had the beginning of a plan formulated.

As it was a clear night with a full moon, the husband would sneak up to the top pond and have a careful look around.

No torch would be needed so the creature would not see him coming if it was awake.

Advancing slowly he crept up the steps, trying to stay in the moon shadows.

Chapter 1 - Gammelnok remembers his childhood

Up at the top pond, partly hidden in the tall reeds Gammelnok was surrounded by his audience.

A variety of animals had congregated around him, drinking from the pond, feeding or cleaning themselves.

Grey squirrels, a fox, a hedgehog and a cat where watched over by an owl in a nearby tree.

Gammelnok himself was lighting his pipe and getting ready to tell one of his many stories.

Tonight he would be telling them about his childhood and where he grew up so many years ago.

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In the far north of Norway, close to the Arctic Circle there was a very small fishing village called Moirana. Low stone houses crowded the small harbour and it was in one of these ancient dwellings that I was born, said Gammelnok.

My parents were normal folks, poor but kind and they took care of me even though I was very small and over time did not grow taller than I am now. 

Then, early one winters morning, disaster struck.

A longboat filled with wild looking Norsemen came slowly up our fjord. The villagers ran to their houses and slammed their doors. My parents grabbed me and carried me into our only room where I was put in a dark corner.

My mother, frantic to protect me whispered in my ear: 'Here my little Gammelnok, take this haversack. Inside there is a Chameleon Cloth. Put it over your head and cover yourself with it. It will make you blend in with your surroundings. And remember, whenever you need something desperately, it will be in the Haversack. Use it wisely and guard it with your life. Good luck my son. Maybe you will be safe and live a long eventful life'.

Gammelnok's Haversack

Gammelnok's Haversack

Then the door burst open and the wild Norsemen started killing everyone in sight, ransacking what little possessions we had. Had it not been for the Chameleon Cloth, I would have been killed as well.

After the Norsemen left, I stayed under the cloth for a long time. When I was sure I was alone and the village was quiet, I ventured out into the pale winter sunshine. Everyone was dead and smoke drifted from destroyed cottages.

I could not stay here and decided that my best option was to head north, away from the fjord and potential dangers.

So, grabbing what food I could find and slinging my new Haversack over my shoulder, I headed north, hoping to cross The Arctic Circle in a few days time.

Chapter 2 - Gammelnok and the Arctic Circle

Up at the top pond, the animals had listened with interest and horror as the story unfolded.

Now they wanted more..

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I travelled north during the few daylight hours available in the winter part of the year.

After a few days, the weather changed and a strong wind developed followed by snow and ice blowing all around me. A virtual blizzard it was and I soon became disorientated. I found a little shelter behind a large rock and lay down to wait for the storm to pass.

Desperately hungry and totally lost I dug into my haversack, and lo and behold, true to my mother's words, I found a large sandwich which I ate, washed down with handfuls of snow. I soon felt great again but