Mytting: – I am inspired by Gudbrandsdalen

Lars Mytting draws inspiration from local legends and storytelling in his books. His childhood years in Gudbrandsdalen, with its spectacular scenery and ever-changing weather, often form the basis for his stories.

– People lied and exaggerated – a show-off style

Lars Mytting wrote his first words with magnetic letters on the refrigerator door at home. Since then there have been several popular books published by this renowned Norwegian author who does not deny the influence Gudbrandsdalen has had on his writing. 

“The opening narrative of every story inside of me is an imagined landscape resembling my memories growing up. A landscape shaped by the weather, and with river Lågen meandering through the valley surrounded by steep mountain sides.”

Mytting also talks about a unique storytelling tradition and a fascinating way of communicating. He admits that he regrets not listening more carefully when the elderly talked. They exaggerated and lied when they told each other stories, he recalls.

“I remember well the show-off storytelling style around the coffee tables. Old people making fun of each other in an elegant and abrupt manner. A style where you had to be precise with sharp, hard-hitting formulations. It is a tradition that has inspired me as well as many other excellent storytellers, Mytting explains.”

The Bell in the Lake: – The lady froze to the wall

Mytting’s latest book, The Bell in the Lake, centres around a fictitious version of Ringebu Stave Church.

Lars Mytting’s latest novel, The Bell in the Lake, is set in Gudbrandsdalen. The book is based on a legend about two sister bells, and the story is set in a church resembling Ringebu Stave Church. At the centre of the legend is a pair of Siamese twin sisters, and two bells donated to the church after their death. 

“This fictitious church that I write about is very old and very cold. In fact it is so cold that an old woman died during a service. She froze to death by the wall, Mytting says persuasively.”

In his book, Mytting continues the story and explores the fate of the bells, the descendants, and the village. He describes the bells as so loud that ringing them was banned for three years. The Bell in the Lake is the first book in a trilogy planned by Mytting.

“My books are in essence shaped by my own imagination, but I also bring into the narratives slightly tweaked curiosities from my past.”

READ MORE: A cultural journey in Gudbrandsdalen

The green valley – an inspiration to many

With its long storytelling tradition, Gudbrandsdalen has inspired numerous authors and artists. It was home to the Nobel Laureates Sigrid Undset and Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, and has been a popular destination and source of inspiration for many others. Lars Mytting is convinced that the landscape encourages storytelling.

“The valley – with a landscape stretching from the deep valley to the bare mountains. Everything in one and the same place. The views are beautiful and vast, but what lies behind the mountains is left to the imagination. This has probably been the inspiration for a long line of great storytellers, says Mytting.”

Mytting also mentions that he would like to write about other places not directly linked to Gudbrandsdalen, and he already has some ideas. But when he starts to write, it is Gudbrandsdalen that capture his imagination. This is why his work, until now, has been inspired by his childhood years at Fåvang.