January 16, 2008
Rassie's Christmas Picture, 12.19.07 (7 months old and 19.9 lbs.)
Rassa turned 6 months on 16 November, 2007. She is very
athletic, has exceptional endurance, is happy and loving. Here she is at 18 lbs.
Showing off her stack at the farm (11.07)
Fall leaves (11.07)
6 months old
Rassa and Kol are best friends. If I go anywhere and don't
take them both, they are not happy. They love to be together all the time and play all day. This picture gives
you an idea of Rassa's size at 6 months old.
October 13, 2007 (21 Weeks) - Someone is turning very, very
red and look at that tail.
Just after arriving home from Rassa's first day at the beach.
(21 weeks) Watching birds and swimming with her sister is hard work.
"Rassa" at 15 weeks
![CPP_5001105[1].jpg](http://island--dog.com///CPP_5001105[1].jpg)
As you can see they are best friends. We thought Kol was
the alpha, but this next series of three pics tells the real tale...
or is that tail?
Pic 1: Both dogs chewing bones nicely. Kol says, "Hey mom, I got the best one!"
Pic 2: The swipe. Caught on film!
Pic 3: "Hey mom! She took my bone! Can you help me out here?"
Our little Rassa aka Rassie has really been a joyful addition
to our family. She is quite a clown, always up to something. She is a fantastic middle-pack dog and everyone lets
her get away with murder. Well, except Zoey, that is.
A tender moment. (Rassa at 20 weeks)
Common, let's play!
Baby Rassa at Kersins Kennel, Iceland
On August 18, 2007, we left Iceland
with a pup. She is from Kersins kennel in Iceland. I have long admired Helga Gústavsdóttir's kennel and feel
privileged that she agreed to sell us this pup. She was keeping the pup for herself, but our mutual
friend, Hörður Þorsteinsson, worked on her for the 10 days we traveled around the ring road. Finally, she
relented and let "Rassa" come home with us. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Hörður and to Helga.
Here they are, Hörður sporting his new NISC shirt.
We are very excited about this wonderful addition to the
family. Kersins Kolrassa Krókríðandi will be called "Rassa" and promises
to be a beautiful red bitch. She has a very full, thick coat, black mask and white socks. Her temperament
is loving and sweet. She comes from a litter of seven.
At Helga's house
Rassa's name comes from an Icelandic folk tale. The story
has been translated and it is below.
Here is a picture of Rassa on the day Hörður delivered her to us at The
Perlan in Iceland. She is 13 weeks in this picture.
14 weeks
Already showing off the "stack" at 15 weeks
A game of tug with sister Kol. Kol and Rassa have become
fast friends.
Rassa's father is ISCH Kersins Orri , a beautiful male from an
excellent litter. He will be taken on a world-wide show tour this year that will include an International debut.
In January of 2008, he won Best Dog under judge Sigriður
Petersdottir. Quite an honor. Quite a dog.
This is Orri in 2006. He won Best in Show (BIS) at the DIF meet.
He won BOB at the 2007 DIF meet as well. Rassa's brother Hokki took 2nd place puppy at the same show.
. 
Rassa's mother is Minni Nups-Yla. We met her at Kersins
Kennel and she is a very sweet, red bitch. Pictures do not translate her nice red colour. She is known for her exceptional
temperament, the very one she passed on to our sweet Rassie, who we think is the sweetest dog in the world.
Orri's brother is Kersins Spurdann (below), who won
BIS at the AISC Icelandic Sheepdog show in Maryland (August, 2007, picture at right with Jeff Pease and judge).
He is a stunning male.
Orri's sister is Kersins Lukka. Of the many dogs I saw in Iceland,
Lukka was, by far, my favorite. We spent quite a bit of time with her. She is athletic, has excellent conformation,
is beautiful, but most importantly, was a sweet, loving dog. Her temperament is excellent. The Kersin's litter
that included these three dogs is an exceptional litter. In the short time we have had Rassa, it appears her temperament
is that of Lukka, very loving.
The litter is a product of sire Yrar Akkur (Katur) who we
also had the privilege of meeting. He is an old man now at 13 but ran for hours as Stina showed us her Icelandic
farm, Hnúkur (see Iceland page for pictuers and more information regarding Hnúkur).
Both Kol and Rassa are Yrar Akkur's progeny. This is Yrar Akkur at Sigríður Pétursdóttir's feet; the saviour of our breed and the grand old man.
One can see Kol's body type and coat comes from Akkur.
Hörður said that Rassa has his head. He is a sweet old man, a beautiful tri. When Hörður
stepped outside, Akkur ran to the window and watched Hörður's every move. Akkur is very loyal to Hörður.
I had never seen a dog jump into the window sill prior to this and was glad to have my camera in hand.
Kol taught Rassa how to harvest evergreen huckleberries from
the back yard. She looks like a little bear cub in this picture. 16 weeks
And here is mama bear.
What's in a name?
The Icelandic Folktale of Kolrassa Krókríðandi
Translated
by Unnur Heiða Harðardóttir
Once
upon a time there was an old couple who lived in a small cottage. They had three daughters; the oldest name was Signý, the
second Ása and the third Helga. The two oldest, Signý and Ása lived a luxury life compared to what Helga had to endure, for
the parents loved Signý and Ása very dearly but they had no affection for Helga. She had to do everything that was wearisome
and what the old lady said she wasn’t able to do. All manual labour, to be in the kitchen, to take care of the meals
and everything that had to be cleaned in the cottage. The other two didn’t do anything, they sat like dolls in the parlour
during the winters and spent the days sunbathing during the summers. They were always dressed up and continually made themselves
look even nicer. The sisters were immensely envious of Helga because even though she was dressed in rags and had to sleep
in the ash pit, everyone thought she was the fairest of them all.
Once
there came a man in the finest clothes, very handsome and asked for Signý’s hand. The old couple liked this man and
Signý as well, so they all said yes to this fine match. Then the man took Signý with him at once, but they hadn’t gone
very far when the man turned into a three headed giant. Then he asks Signý: “Do you want me to drag you or carry you?”
Signý chose what most would do, that he would carry her. He made her sit on one of his head and then carried her to his cave.
He put her in a dark room, tied her hands behind her back but her hair to the chair, made her unconscious and shut the door.
Few
days later there comes a man to the couple and asks for Ása’s hand. He
was so handsome with pleasing temperament that they all liked him at once. So
it was that they married and he took Ása from her family. They hadn’t gone
far when he changed to a huge giant with three heads and everything went as before with Signý.
The
third there comes a man to the cottage and asks for there daughters hand in marriage. He was nice and handsome. The parents
told him that he shouldn’t ask: “Because we don’t have any daughter left at home to give.” The man
pressed harder and said he was sure that they had another daughter. Then they said that they had indeed another daughter but
they couldn’t imagine that anyone would want to marry her, because she was ugly and had bad temper. The man pressed
even harder and asked if she could see her. They called her so they could let him have a look. When he saw her he told them
to not to deny him any longer. They allowed it then but no one asked Helga what she wanted. The man and Helga hadn’t
gone very far when he turned as before into this beast and asked her how she would like to travel. Helga would rather that
he dragged her than carried her. When they came to the cave he said to her: “Now you will take care of the chores in
the cave. You will clean everything, sweep the ground, cook and make my bed.” That is how thing went for a while. She
cleaned during the day and fed the giant in the evenings. Because he was hunting all day long and took his result home at
night. Fish and other meat. Before he took off in the mornings he told her what to do that day and looked into his locked
shelves and drawers. He never let Helga see anything and kept the keys with himself. The only living creature in the cave
that Helga knew of was a little dog that kept Helga company. She noticed though that when she was working that he used to
disappear but came when she called but not right away. So she assumed that he went somewhere deep in the cave.
One
day she decides to explore the cave and find a locked door and there in front lied the dog. She peeps through the keyhole
and she thought she saw two girls sitting each on there own chair. She thinks that they must be her sisters and she thinks
it to be bad even though they were never nice to her in the past.
That
night when the giant comes home, becomes Helga very talkative while he is eating. Among other things she asks how he likes
her work. He said it was to his liking. Then he asks how he likes her. He said she was also to his liking and said he wouldn’t
have chosen her if he hadn’t knew what kind of a catch she was. Helga said: “ If you consider me to be more than
just your slave then you should trust me to take care of all your things, including the once which are locked up so I can
share your treasures with you; but you have closed many doors and drawers.” The giant answered that it was true that
he hadn’t given her his keys; “but I did that because I was testing you. I won’t hide it any longer, that
I plan to marry you soon so I will give now my keys of all of my locks. Still there is one door that you cannot open even
though you have the key. Heed my warning. “ The giant gave Helga the key chain and she said: “You have done well
by showing me your trust; for soon the time comes for me to get to know your things intemently more than I have already. Soon
we will have our wedding so I think I should start preparing for it tomorrow.” Then they go to bed and sleep.
The
next day the giant goes out like he is used to, but Helga goes and opens up every lock she can find. When that is finished
she goes to the door that the dog often lied in front of and the key to that door is the key that the giant had forbidden
her to use. She opens the door and steps inside. There she can see her sisters hardly alive, starved, gaunt and very weak.
She unties them and freshens them up as best as she can. When they are a little better they tell her their story. The sisters
tell her that the giant wanted them to have him but they both refused so he put them in this room and only gave them enough
food so they wouldn’t die. Then Helga said: “Now we have to figure out a solution as fast as we can. I will get
you out of here and I will get myself out somehow later. I’m going to let the giant carry you home in a big sac and
I will fill it up with leftovers.” Then she finds a sac tells them to get in it and stuffs meat and food around them.
When the giant comes home, Helga is very angry and sad. The giant asks what is bothering her; but she says she is tired after
the work she did that day and also that she knew her parents were without food but she had plenty. The giant said it must
be away to make things better. Helga said: I’ve been thinking about it today how you could help and still not get harmed
by it. I think you would not regret all of the leftovers that have been lying around here and there. I’ve been gathering
it into a sac and now it is so full that I can’t lift it. Despite this there is only about half of your leftovers in
this bag. Now I expect you to respect my word and carry this sac to my parents cottage tomorrow so you can help my parents
and also lighten my work a little bit because I don’t know what I would do with all this food otherwise. But I will
forbid you to tear it up or peak inside; and don’t think that I wouldn’t know because I can see through grass
and hills and my cave and I won’t marry you if you fail me.” The giant said he would please her and do what she
says. “Then you should expect to marry tomorrow.” He shows her what he wants her to do prepare and then he gives
her a package with wedding clothes. He wants her to be dressed in those when he comes back because she has to be ready when
the guests arrive. He was going to make two journies out of one and invite the guests along the way. Helga told him that everything
would be ready and pretended to care about the wedding. Then they go to bed.
The
next morning the giant rises early and sets off to the cottage. After a while he stops to rest himself because the bag is
really heavy. When he has put it down on the ground, one of the sister says: “I can see through grass and hills and
my cave.” The giant thinks that Helga can see him so he says:
“Never
shall I in the sac peak
Even if my spine breaks
Perceptive is my Helga’s eye
Sees through grass and hills and cave.”
He then replaces
the sac on his back and continues on his journey. But there comes a time when he gets tired again and puts the sac on the
ground. Then hears: “I can see through grass and hills and my cave. He says the same words as before and goes onwards.
He arrives to the old couples cottage and gives them the bag.
Meanwhile is Helga busy trying to clean the cave
as fast as she can. She prepares a large table with cups and dishes. She then takes a wooden pole she finds in the cave and
dresses it up in her wedding clothes and puts it in a chair by the table where she thinks she would sit. She goes to the ash
pit and takes coal and ash and smears her face, hands and clothes with it. She takes the fire iron and uses it as a horse
and goes in the direction away from her parents cottage. She hadn’t gone very far when see the giant with a large group
of male ogres, trolls and other giants. But the groom was up front. He spoke to Helga and asked her what was her name. She
said her name was Kolrassa Krókríðandi. The giant says:
“Came you to Melshöfði
You coal woman?
She said:
“I came there;
Wide were benches
Bride sat on a chair
Every dish was full
Of food you only saw”
Then the giant said:
“Ho,ho lets ride fast the bride waits.”and his guests said: “Ho, ho, ride fast lads.” Then the departed
and soon she met another group with women trolls and giants. They spoke to her as well as the giant.
“Came
you to Melshöfði
You
coal woman?
She answered:
“I came there;
Wide were benches
Bride sat on a chair
Every dish was full
Of food you only saw”
Then they said: “Ho,ho
ride fast maidens.” Then they departed. The trolls went to Melshöfði but Helga waited until she couldn’t see them
and turned around and went to her parents cottage. She told them what happened and waited for a while there and then went
off again to try and see what had happened at Melshöfði.
When the giant and his guests had arrived to
the cave they can see that everything has been made for a celebration. They saw the bride sitting and went greet her but see
didn’t return the sentiment see didn’t even turn her head. They thought this was very peculiar so they looked
more closely and then they could see how things were. The giant saw that he had been tricked and were few who sympathized
with him but many thought that the giant had tricked them by inviting them to a wedding and fooling them with wood. So there
was a fight were everyone killed everyone so no one was left.
Helga saw all this
so she went home again and got her parents and her sisters to help her take the bodies out. When that was done they burnt
it all to ashes. They took everything out of the cave they thought was valuable and took it to the cottage. Helga got carpenters
and material to build herself a beautiful house were she took residence. Her sisters never married because they didn’t
know how to do anything besides sitting and being pretty. But Helga got married to a fine man who she cared about very dearly.
