Who was this mysterious boy from the city of Gävle? Johan came to Stockholm in 1676, an orphan. His mother had been executed. Executed because Johan accused her of being a witch. And he was just getting started. Stockholm was in trouble. Trouble with a capital T. And that rhymed with G... which stood for Gävle Boy. Read a full transcript of this episode on the Something True website. Follow Something true on Twitter @atruepodcast. (Or just follow Duncan and Alex.) Music on this week’s episode: Jahzzar – No-End Ave* Caligine – Mε Πιάνουνε Ζαλάδες Josh Spacek – Six Weeks to Live Advent Chamber Orchestra – How Beautiful are the Feet (Handel)* Fabrizio Paterlini – Profondo Blu* Weinland – People Like You* *modified for the podcast.
It was 1675 and there was a new boy in Stockholm.
The city was full of them at that time of year.
Cute boys, strong boys, big, large boys for local teenager Lisbeth Karlsdotte.
This one boy stood head and shoulders above the rest.
His name was Johann Johansen Gries.
He was twelve years old and he had just moved to Stockholm from the northern city of Jervla where hed made waves by having his own mother executed for the crime of witchcraft.
Wow.
Thought Lisbeth.
In fact, thought all of Stockholm when they heard Jorans story.
Jorans mother, he had said, had abducted him to the magical land of witches where they had entered into sexual congress with the devil.
After returning from this strange place, Joran had bravely informed the authorities and his mother was sentenced to death.
It was a sensational tale.
The Stockholm authorities couldnt get enough of it.
They came to consider Joran a first hand expert in all matters of witchcraft.
He became a minor celebrity, earning the nickname the Javla Boy and was showered with treats.
He fascinated Lisbeth.
She followed all his exploits, listened to all his testimony, even wrote in her copybook what her name would be if they got married.
Lisbeth.
Yavla boy.
Everybody loved him.