putterings 367 < 368 > 369 index
on the point of drowning, in his flood of why the sea is salt
“Grind fish and gruel: Grind both well and fast!” said the man, and the mill began to grind fish and gruel. It first filled all the dishes and tubs full, and after that it covered the whole floor with fish and gruel. The man kept puttering and tinkering, and tried to get the mill to stop; but no matter how he turned it and fingered at it, the mill kept on, and before long the gruel got so deep in the room that the man was on the point of drowning. Then he opened the door to the sitting-room, but before long that room was filled too, and the man had all he could do to get hold of the door-latch down in his flood of gruel...
ex “Why the Sea is Salt” in “Notes,” this regarding the story of Menja and Fenja, in
Rasmus B. Anderson. The Younger Edda : also called Snorre’s Edda, or the Prose Edda... (Chicago, 1880: 268-273 (271)
link (via google books)
same (U Michigan copy/scan) via hathitrust : link
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Why the Sea is Salt
The tale is classified in the Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index type 565, the Magic Mill.
wikipedia : link