Davids spring

According to legend, there was a parish priest in Botne called David.

He worked in Botne during the Reformation. He is mentioned in Jens Muller's "Attempt to describe Jarlsberg's provstie" and in "Norske folkesagn" by Andreas Faye. The legend says that one Christmas morning David was attacked on his way home from ottesang in Hillestad Church. One can imagine him riding in the winter darkness on his way home with the Christmas offering, which consisted of 4 1/2 riksdaler. According to the story, the attack must have taken place at a creek near Bekk in Grønmarkskogen. The priest David was killed by the farmer on the farm Allum. Half of his farm was given to the crown and the other half to Botne prestebol. The murderer himself was executed.

We know very little about what motive the farmer had for attacking and killing the priest, but at the beginning of the Reformation period (1536 - 1600) hatred against priests was growing among people in the parishes. So this may have been a reason for the assault, but it may also have been for the money. These are just speculations. Strangely enough, there is no documentation in any sources, nor anything about the subsequent trial that must have taken place in the aftermath of the incident.

The spring at Bekk has unfortunately dried up, but the legend lives on.