That Griis Kid

 Back in the 1670s....we have this episode that unfolded with the 'Gävle Boy' in Sweden.

It's an epic piece, but I'll try to tell the story in forty lines.

Griis was his first name.....son of a shoe-maker.  

Somewhere around age ten to twelve.....some episode occurred in the village (far east side of Sweden).  No one has the entire story, but it appears that the village had this witch episode start up, and Griis had made an accusation or two....over his mother being a witch.

We know that his dad had passed away in this period, and it would appear that they (Griis and his mother) were not on good relations.

There was this island that folks would claim was a witch's 'hangout'....called Blockula.  If you got dragged to this island.....you were under some spell, and probably having demons within (so the belief was).  Griis had said that at some point....mama was a witch.....had taken him to Blockula....and had physical relations with him

Naturally, folks got upset....a witch case started up, and everything that Griis spoke of....was regarded as true.  The mother?  She was eventually executed.

After this....folks in Stockholm took an interest in the kid....regarding him as an expert on Witchcraft.

All this led to Griis being regarded as an expert on cult stuff, and demons.

There's roughly a period of 12 to 18 months where witchcraft was a big deal.

Eventually, enough of the stories were deemed far-fetched, and fake.....and the authorities finally decided that Griis had to be executed....to get people off the subject.

So around 1677....the government ordered all the priests in the country to deem the witch problem to be gone.  Anyone on the accused list?  Well....they were more or less stamped 'cured' and non-threatening. 

What Griis was executed for?  Well....since witchcraft was cured....he had to be executed for false testimony.  

I would imagine for a decade or two after that.....Griis was brought up and folks wondered what happened to him to make up the whole story.