(English Translation or a Latin translation of an original manuscript probably in Swedish or Finnish)
Know then that I, Svante Knurlsen, have travelled far in the north among the Sami to learn of the lands and peoples there. Much is said of their worship of devils but though I saw many strange things which do not accord with the Church's teachings I saw no worship of devils as I was taught of them. Other gods; or God by other names - but not devils as corrupters, tempters or enemies of God. The knowledge of their wise men and women is wide and though they are ignorant of much that we know well, yet they are also learned in matters that we know not. Some might see this as devilry; indeed it may well be, but nothing I saw seemed more evil than might be seen in any town in Christendom. The strangest thing I saw was in July of 1483 (I had lost count of the date for it was my first journey in the far north at that season and the lack of night at that season upset my counting) I spent 3 days with Ukko Pellervo. On the second night we had been talking of legends and he averred that some had more truth than others. He bid me to look outside the door and note the absence of trees - there were none. He bade me to watch him closely as he took a pinch of purple powder, placed it on the back of his hand, sniffed it into his nose, sneezed and vanished. I waved my hand where he had been sat - he was gone. I looked around me - there was nowhere to hide. I went outside and all was as it had been. I came back in and there he was holding a bough of birch with fresh leaves on it as long as I am tall. He told me the powder was called muut, made from moss found in these parts and that it allowed him to travel to a world like ours but different in details and thus to bring back this bough. Many legends tell of such things and if this can be so then he, for one, would not disbelieve such things told by men of good repute. I asked if I might see this world but he declined saying that it was dangerous to those not practised in it and that my children would rather have their father return safely with a good tale than not at all. Yes, this is strange and there may be devilry in it but less than in a drunken quarrel or a child's tantrum.
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