Kråkguldet
Encyclopedia
Kråkguldet is a Swedish
television
drama serial
from 1969, directed by Leif Kranz and Olle Mattsson.
, in the small mining
town of fictitious Granhyttan in Bergslagen
, Sweden
. One day a suspicious couple, Signe and Orvar, arrives in the small town and retires in an abandoned hut. Nobody knows what they up to; but strange things starts to happen as Staffan finds a gold
nugget
while playing in a disused mine at the Kråkberget Mountain during a skiing
trip with his schoolmates. Staffan believes the nugget is a part of Skarp-Erik's gold, as his grandpa had told exciting stories about. The news about the gold discovery spread quickly and Staffan and his friends are soon pursued by curious schoolmates, school staff and also the mysterious strangers. All this happens as the students are rehearsing for the nativity play
before Christmas break.
in Västmanland
. The series premiered in 1969, and has been shown in the replay several times, including February–March 1976, June–July 1986 and December 1993-January 1994.
and translated into English
as Gold on Crow Mountain. It was shown twice, from 3 November-8 December 1971 and again from 31 March-5 May 1973.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
drama serial
Serial (radio and television)
Serials are series of television programs and radio programs that rely on a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode by episode fashion. Serials typically follow main story arcs that span entire television seasons or even the full run of the series, which distinguishes them from...
from 1969, directed by Leif Kranz and Olle Mattsson.
Plot synopsis
The story takes place during the weeks before ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, in the small mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
town of fictitious Granhyttan in Bergslagen
Bergslagen
Bergslagen is a historically, culturally, and linguistically distinct mining district located north of Lake Mälaren in northern Svealand, Sweden. In Bergslagen mining and metallurgic industry have been important since the Middle Ages...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. One day a suspicious couple, Signe and Orvar, arrives in the small town and retires in an abandoned hut. Nobody knows what they up to; but strange things starts to happen as Staffan finds a gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
nugget
Nugget
Nugget may refer to:* Gold nugget, a piece of gold produced through mining and extraction* Chicken nugget, a lump of breaded or battered chicken* Mosin Nagant, a family of bolt action military rifles* North Bay Nugget, a daily newspaper...
while playing in a disused mine at the Kråkberget Mountain during a skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
trip with his schoolmates. Staffan believes the nugget is a part of Skarp-Erik's gold, as his grandpa had told exciting stories about. The news about the gold discovery spread quickly and Staffan and his friends are soon pursued by curious schoolmates, school staff and also the mysterious strangers. All this happens as the students are rehearsing for the nativity play
Nativity play
A Nativity play or Christmas pageant is a play which recounts the story of the Nativity of Jesus. It is usually performed at Christmas, the feast of the Nativity.-Liturgical:...
before Christmas break.
About the serial
Each part of the series begin with a brief synopsis by Tore Lindwall, who also played Staffan's grandfather. The main recording site was GrythyttanGrythyttan
Grythyttan is a locality situated in Hällefors Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden with 891 inhabitants in 2010. It is chiefly known in Sweden for the Grythyttan Gästgivargård , made famous by its proprietor Carl Jan Granqvist in the late 1970s, and patronised by the pop group ABBA in the 1980s...
in Västmanland
Västmanland
' is a historical Swedish province, or landskap, in middle Sweden. It borders Södermanland, Närke, Värmland, Dalarna and Uppland.The name comes from "West men", referring to the people west of Uppland, the core province of early Sweden.- Administration :...
. The series premiered in 1969, and has been shown in the replay several times, including February–March 1976, June–July 1986 and December 1993-January 1994.
Sound track
- Open theme: "Balladen om kråkguldet" ("Balade of Crows Gold") by Leif Krantz (lyrics), and Thorstein Bergman (music).
- Music and songs for the nativity playNativity playA Nativity play or Christmas pageant is a play which recounts the story of the Nativity of Jesus. It is usually performed at Christmas, the feast of the Nativity.-Liturgical:...
, by Bo-Erik Gyberg:- "Vi har kommit ifrån ö-öster, följt en stjärna natten lång ..." ("We have come from the east, followed a star all night ...");
- "Herodes han hade sitt skattkammar' full ..." ("HerodHerod the GreatHerod , also known as Herod the Great , was a Roman client king of Judea. His epithet of "the Great" is widely disputed as he is described as "a madman who murdered his own family and a great many rabbis." He is also known for his colossal building projects in Jerusalem and elsewhere, including his...
he had his treasure chambers full..."); and - "Herdarna ute på ängen ..." ("Shepherds out on the meadow ...").
British showing
The series was imported by the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and translated into English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as Gold on Crow Mountain. It was shown twice, from 3 November-8 December 1971 and again from 31 March-5 May 1973.
Episodes
- Episode 1: Farligt område (Original Air Date: November 29, 1969)
- Episode 2: Huvet på ett fat (Original Air Date: December 6, 1969)
- Episode 3: Ingen dager synes än' (Original Air Date: December 13, 1969)
- Episode 4: Jägare och villebråd (Original Air Date: December 20, 1969)
- Episode 5: Dags för Herodes (Original Air Date: December 25, 1969)
- Episode 6: Skarp-Eriks skatt (Original Air Date: December 27, 1969)